Enrollment
1,206
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Burlington, NC
Walter M Williams High
Federal NCES profile for Walter M Williams High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370003000207
👥 S:T ratio 33
📚 AP courses 80
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walter M Williams High earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of North Carolina schools.
- #8 of 15
- public schools in Burlington · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 52.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Walter M Williams High has class sizes larger than 71% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walter M Williams High ranks #8 of 15 public schools in Burlington, NC.
School address
District: Alamance-Burlington Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370003000207 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
72.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.9%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walter M Williams High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walter M Williams High
Walter M Williams High is a higher-need, large high school in Burlington, North Carolina, enrolling 1,206 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.8:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 52.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,206 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 215 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #179, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (32%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 73/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 16 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 402 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 301 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,206 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Burlington's high schools, it stands alongside Hugh M Cummings High (807 students): Walter M Williams High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.8:1 vs 13.9:1).
Alamance-Burlington Schools also operates Southern Alamance High (1,148 students) and Western Alamance High (1,138 students) alongside Walter M Williams High.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Walter M Williams High compares
Walter M Williams High on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.8:1 | ▲ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.9% | ▼ 20% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,206 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,206
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 71% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
42.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,211
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 402 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
176
in-school suspensions + 125 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 31.8%
Hispanic or Latino 31.1%
White 26.3%
Two or More 7.1%
Asian 3.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 31.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.7, Walter M Williams High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alamance-Burlington Schools, which includes Walter M Williams High.
$12,211
Per student
+2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.4%
State 58.2%
Federal 23.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Walter M Williams High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Alamance High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Western Alamance High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastern Alamance High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hawfields Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western Alamance Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Walter M Williams High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,148
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,138
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 864
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 837
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar high schools in Burlington
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,206 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walter M Williams High's federal record.
- Compare Walter M Williams High against another school. Compare schools
- Alamance-Burlington Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Walter M Williams High
How many students attend Walter M Williams High?
Walter M Williams High has 1,206 students enrolled. It is a high school in Burlington, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walter M Williams High?
The student-teacher ratio at Walter M Williams High is 16.8:1, which is 6% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Walter M Williams High?
52.9% of students at Walter M Williams High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walter M Williams High?
The largest demographic group at Walter M Williams High is African American at 31.8% of enrollment, in Burlington, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walter M Williams High?
Walter M Williams High has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Walter M Williams High rank among public schools in Burlington?
By Resource Investment Index, Walter M Williams High ranks #8 of 15 public schools in Burlington, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Burlington on the city page.
Is Walter M Williams High a good school?
Walter M Williams High earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of North Carolina schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Alamance-Burlington Schools?
Besides Walter M Williams High, Alamance-Burlington Schools also operates Southern Alamance High (1,148 students), Western Alamance High (1,138 students), and Eastern Alamance High (952 students). See the Alamance-Burlington Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.