Is Robert L. Patton High School a good school?

Robert L. Patton High School ranks 200 th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Robert L. Patton High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 753 students attended Robert L. Patton High School.

What is the racial makeup of Robert L. Patton High School?

Students at Robert L. Patton High School are 68% White, 22% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% African American.

What schools feed into Robert L. Patton High School?

Robert L. Patton High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Forest Hill Elementary Elementary : Mull Elementary Elementary : Salem Elementary Middle : Liberty Middle

Robert L. Patton High School

Summary:

Robert L. Patton High School is a public high school in Morganton, North Carolina, serving 752 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Burke County Schools district, which is ranked 110 out of 242 districts in the state.

Robert L. Patton High School consistently outperforms the district and state averages on End-of-Course (EOC) exams, with higher proficiency rates in subjects like Biology, English II, Math I, and Math III. The school has maintained a statewide ranking in the top half of North Carolina high schools over the past 10 years, placing it among the top 50% of schools in the state. Its performance is particularly strong for certain student subgroups, such as Hispanic and multi-racial students, who have ranked in the top 30% and top 6% of North Carolina high schools, respectively.

While Robert L. Patton High School's academic performance is commendable, its statewide ranking has declined over the past decade, suggesting increasing competition from other high-performing schools in the state. Additionally, the school faces socioeconomic challenges, with around 55% of its students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. When compared to nearby schools, Robert L. Patton High School generally outperforms its peers, but Caldwell Early College High School and Jimmy C Draughn High School demonstrate stronger academic performance in certain areas, providing opportunities for the school to learn from their best practices.

Detail:

Public 9-12

701 Enola Road
Morganton, NC 28655

(828) 433-3000

District: Burke County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
200^th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,266

Feeder schools for Robert L. Patton High School:

Elementary:	Forest Hill Elementary
	Mull Elementary
	Salem Elementary
Middle:	Liberty Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 17.7

Number of students: 753

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.7%

Hispanic:

22.3%

Two or more races:

5.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.6%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Robert L. Patton High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Robert L. Patton High School ranks better than 68.8% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 2^nd among 5 ranked high schools in the Burke County Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.03. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (67.7%), Hispanic (22.3%), two or more races (5.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Robert L. Patton High School is 17.7, which is the 2^nd best among 5 high schools in the Burke County Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Robert L. Patton High School employs 42.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Robert L. Patton High School is $9,266, which is the 2^nd highest among 5 high schools in the Burke County Schools District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Robert L. Patton High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Robert L. Patton High School 200^th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Robert L. Patton High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Burke County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Burke County Schools 110^th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Robert L. Patton High School

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Rank History for all students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2008	64.68	114^th	477	76.1%
2009	66.82	100^th	490	79.6%
2010	68.77	91^st	499	81.8%
2011	70.60	80^th	506	84.2%
2012	70.08	68^th	502	86.5%
2013	56.68	97^th	505	80.8%
2014	42.07	207^th	451	54.1%
2015	46.38	205^th	531	61.4%
2016	54.66	134^th	507	73.6%
2017	54.13	166^th	476	65.1%
2018	52.94	195^th	469	58.4%
2019	63.32	129^th	514	74.9%
2021	55.10	242^nd	594	59.3%
2022	58.52	243^rd	621	60.9%
2023	56.62	249^th	626	60.2%
2024	66.03	200^th	640	68.8%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	90.56	11^th	195	94.4%
2024	81.80	34^th	261	87.0%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	29.89	106^th	147	27.9%
2019	14.11	171^st	173	1.2%
2021	26.27	102^nd	124	17.7%
2023	66.58	38^th	226	83.2%
2024	57.11	68^th	262	74.0%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	62.10	81^st	349	76.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	40.68	226^th	424	46.7%
2019	55.26	105^th	446	76.5%
2021	45.77	150^th	432	65.3%
2022	60.87	160^th	544	70.6%
2023	55.19	214^th	597	64.2%
2024	58.78	194^th	613	68.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	64.78	125^th	449	72.2%
2019	65.65	113^th	475	76.2%
2021	61.03	125^th	475	73.7%
2022	57.92	237^th	594	60.1%
2023	52.43	271^st	588	53.9%
2024	64.47	200^th	602	66.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	34.34	216^th	349	38.1%
2019	40.99	201^st	364	44.8%
2021	22.65	297^th	334	11.1%
2022	48.71	122^nd	330	63.0%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	46.75	204^th	325	37.2%
2021	47.16	215^th	337	36.2%
2022	39.40	306^th	398	23.1%
2023	50.26	248^th	403	38.5%
2024	61.90	178^th	403	55.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	40.04	269^th	463	41.9%
2019	58.70	136^th	488	72.1%
2021	45.88	201^st	481	58.2%
2022	57.68	216^th	585	63.1%
2023	59.27	224^th	602	62.8%
2024	65.70	191^st	607	68.5%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	27.16	73^rd	91	19.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	46.66	147^th	359	59.1%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	29.27	248^th	340	27.1%
2019	40.98	168^th	354	52.5%
2021	48.99	115^th	370	68.9%
2022	59.16	134^th	436	69.3%
2023	47.70	204^th	449	54.6%
2024	60.21	132^nd	454	70.9%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	51.87	192^nd	427	55.0%
2019	58.06	145^th	444	67.3%
2021	44.80	201^st	439	54.2%
2022	46.46	276^th	534	48.3%
2023	46.21	284^th	537	47.1%
2024	56.74	242^nd	553	56.2%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Robert L. Patton High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	672	50	41	70	1	n/a	n/a	21	855
2009	775	92	43	94	2	n/a	n/a	0	1006
2010	818	88	44	111	3	n/a	n/a	0	1064
2011	802	52	40	129	5	5	37	0	1070
2012	785	40	34	135	5	2	28	0	1029
2013	759	48	31	146	2	0	38	0	1024
2014	740	39	31	170	2	0	35	0	1017
2015	733	28	26	198	4	0	28	0	1017
2016	696	25	27	176	6	0	32	0	962
2017	657	29	36	206	6	1	26	0	961
2018	658	37	29	226	8	0	30	0	988
2019	580	29	26	157	4	1	30	0	827
2020	542	25	31	154	4	0	33	0	789
2021	521	24	28	149	4	0	36	0	762
2022	493	20	22	139	2	0	30	0	706
2023	526	16	20	151	2	0	37	0	752
2024	510	17	19	168	0	0	39	0	753

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Robert L. Patton High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	855	58.2	14.7	n/a
2009	1006	64.6	15.6	35.5
2010	1064	63.7	16.6	40.8
2011	1070	62.0	17.2	48.1
2012	1029	53.6	19.1	44.6
2013	1024	56.7	18.0	46.5
2014	1017	56.4	18.0	47.2
2015	1017	53.0	19.1	45.3
2016	962	57.0	16.8	48.6
2017	961	53.7	17.8	45.2
2018	988	52.4	18.8	42.7
2019	827	49.6	16.6	41.4
2020	789	47.8	16.4	43.1
2021	762	45.6	16.6	35.6
2022	706	44.7	15.7	30
2023	752	39.9	18.8	54.8
2024	753	42.4	17.7	99.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Robert L. Patton High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	855	58.2	14.7	n/a
2009	1006	64.6	15.6	35.5
2010	1064	63.7	16.6	40.8
2011	1070	62.0	17.2	48.1
2012	1029	53.6	19.1	44.6
2013	1024	56.7	18.0	46.5
2014	1017	56.4	18.0	47.2
2015	1017	53.0	19.1	45.3
2016	962	57.0	16.8	48.6
2017	961	53.7	17.8	45.2
2018	988	52.4	18.8	42.7
2019	827	49.6	16.6	41.4
2020	789	47.8	16.4	43.1
2021	762	45.6	16.6	35.6
2022	706	44.7	15.7	30
2023	752	39.9	18.8	54.8
2024	753	42.4	17.7	99.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Robert L. Patton High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$744 (8.0%)	$8,523 (92.0%)	$9,266

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Robert L. Patton High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 129^th of 514 High schools	Ranks 249^th of 626 High schools	14.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Robert L. Patton High School)	64.6	58.5	6.1%
End of Course Biology (Burke County Schools)	63.2	58.6	4.6%
End of Course Biology (North Carolina)	59.6	54.1	5.5%
End of Course English II (Robert L. Patton High School)	65.8	67.2	1.4%
End of Course English II (Burke County Schools)	60.7	59.1	1.6%
End of Course English II (North Carolina)	59.7	58.5	1.2%
End of Course Math I (Robert L. Patton High School)	64.6	59.7	4.9%
End of Course Math I (Burke County Schools)	52.6	45	7.6%
End of Course Math I (North Carolina)	41.2	35.9	5.3%
End of Course Math III (Robert L. Patton High School)	51.7	41.9	9.8%
End of Course Math III (Burke County Schools)	46.7	52.8	6.1%
End of Course Math III (North Carolina)	46.8	58.3	11.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	827	752	9.1%
African American	29	16	44.8%
American Indian	4	2	50%
Asian	26	20	23.1%
Hispanic	157	151	3.8%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	580	526	9.3%
Two or More Races	30	37	23.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	41.4%	54.8%	13.4%

Schools Near Robert L. Patton High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOC Biology (2024)	EOC English II (2024)	EOC Math I (2024)	EOC Math III (2024)	EOG Mathematics (2024)	EOG Reading (2024)	EOG Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Robert L. Patton High School	Public	9-12	701 Enola Road	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 433-3000	753	42	17.7	99.6%	510 (67.7%)	17 (2.3%)	168 (22.3%)	19 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (5.2%)	66	200^th of 640 public high schools	68.8%		56.6	249^th of 626 public high schools	60.2%	49	71.3	69.2	58.3	61.5				$9,266	$744	$8,523
Burke Middle College	Public	11-12	1001 Burkemont Ave	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 448-3175	131	3	43.6	31.3%	64 (48.9%)	2 (1.5%)	18 (13.7%)	43 (32.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.1%)								(n/a)				79.5				$4,804	$268	$4,536
Freedom High	Public	9-12	511 Independence Boulevard	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 433-1310	1,374	75	18.4	99.8%	652 (47.5%)	94 (6.8%)	467 (34.0%)	53 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	108 (7.9%)	37.9	388^th of 640 public high schools	39.4%		44.9	324^th of 626 public high schools	48.2%	64	48.5	49.6	34.5	57.2				$8,511	$796	$7,716
Hallyburton Academy	Public	6-12	205 South Main Street	Drexel	28619	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 437-4184	102	9	11.3	97.1%	59 (57.8%)	8 (7.8%)	16 (15.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.9%)	14 (13.7%)	5.3	615^th of 640 public high schools	3.9%		4.8	604^th of 626 public high schools	3.5%	11	20.9	16.0			20.0	6.7	50.0	$18,048	$1,530	$16,517
Jimmy C Draughn High School	Public	9-12	709 Lovelady Road NE	Valdese	28690	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 879-4200	656	35	18.7	99.4%	483 (73.6%)	14 (2.1%)	75 (11.4%)	44 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	38 (5.8%)	71.4	172^nd of 640 public high schools	73.1%		66.2	189^th of 626 public high schools	69.8%	17	60.0	65.6	79.7	79.0				$9,112	$776	$8,336
East Burke High	Public	9-12	3695 East Burke Boulevard	Connelly Springs	28612	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 397-5541	868	45	19.3	99.3%	672 (77.4%)	11 (1.3%)	73 (8.4%)	62 (7.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (5.6%)	54.5	265^th of 640 public high schools	58.6%		49.1	297^th of 626 public high schools	52.6%	32	61.3	59.8	53.9	54.8				$9,240	$806	$8,435
West Caldwell High	Public	9-12	300 W Caldwell Drive	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 758-5583	687	47	14.5	99.1%	387 (56.3%)	69 (10.0%)	165 (24.0%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	59 (8.6%)	17.9	529^th of 640 public high schools	17.3%		23.7	490^th of 626 public high schools	21.7%	39	33.0	46.7	15.1	34.3				$11,229	$831	$10,398
South Caldwell High	Public	9-12	7035 Spartan Drive	Hudson	28638	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 396-2188	1,299	85	15.2	98.7%	1,082 (83.3%)	18 (1.4%)	129 (9.9%)	9 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	59 (4.5%)	46.9	318^th of 640 public high schools	50.3%		53.1	270^th of 626 public high schools	56.9%	48	50.3	60.4	39.8	60.3				$9,486	$729	$8,757
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy	Public	9-12	2857 Hickory Boulevard	Hudson	28638	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 759-4640	215	13	16.7	39.1%	179 (83.3%)	2 (0.9%)	22 (10.2%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.7%)	80.9	130^th of 640 public high schools	79.7%		78.3	138^th of 626 public high schools	78.0%	8	71.9	87.9	50.0	89.5				$8,388	$210	$8,178
Caldwell Early College	Public	9-13	2859 Hickory Blvd SW	Hudson	28638	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 759-4636	398	18	21.7	37.4%	300 (75.4%)	9 (2.3%)	69 (17.3%)	7 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.3%)	81.7	126^th of 640 public high schools	80.3%		83.6	110^th of 626 public high schools	82.4%	16	75.8	83.3	92.0	72.0				$7,027	$517	$6,510

Robert L. Patton High School

Robert L. Patton High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Burke County Schools:

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Rank History for Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for all students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for Female students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for Disabled students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for Male students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for Asian students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for African American students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Robert L. Patton High School

Rank History for White students at Robert L. Patton High School

Enrollment information for Robert L. Patton High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Robert L. Patton High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Robert L. Patton High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Robert L. Patton High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Robert L. Patton High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Robert L. Patton High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Robert L. Patton High School

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