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:
200th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,266 Help


Feeder schools for Robert L. Patton High School:

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

Student/teacher ratio:  18.8 Help
Number of students:  752

Racial breakdown:

White:
69.9%
Hispanic:
20.1%
Two or more races:
4.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  54.8% Help


 See top rated North Carolina high schools

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

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Robert L. Patton High School ranks better than 68.8% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 2nd among 5 ranked high schools in the Burke County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.03. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (69.9%), Hispanic (20.1%), two or more races (4.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 54.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Robert L. Patton High School is 18.8. 3 high schools in the Burke County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Robert L. Patton High School employs 39.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Robert L. Patton High School is $9,266, which is the 2nd 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 200th 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 110th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2008 64.68 114th 477 76.1%
2009 66.82 100th 490 79.6%
2010 68.77 91st 499 81.8%
2011 70.60 80th 506 84.2%
2012 70.08 68th 502 86.5%
2013 56.68 97th 505 80.8%
2014 42.07 207th 451 54.1%
2015 46.38 205th 531 61.4%
2016 54.66 134th 507 73.6%
2017 54.13 166th 476 65.1%
2018 52.94 195th 469 58.4%
2019 63.32 129th 514 74.9%
2021 55.10 242nd 594 59.3%
2022 58.52 243rd 621 60.9%
2023 56.62 249th 626 60.2%
2024 66.03 200th 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 11th 195 94.4%
2024 81.80 34th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.89 106th 147 27.9%
2019 14.11 171st 173 1.2%
2021 26.27 102nd 124 17.7%
2023 66.58 38th 226 83.2%
2024 57.11 68th 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 81st 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.68 226th 424 46.7%
2019 55.26 105th 446 76.5%
2021 45.77 150th 432 65.3%
2022 60.87 160th 544 70.6%
2023 55.19 214th 597 64.2%
2024 58.78 194th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.78 125th 449 72.2%
2019 65.65 113th 475 76.2%
2021 61.03 125th 475 73.7%
2022 57.92 237th 594 60.1%
2023 52.43 271st 588 53.9%
2024 64.47 200th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.34 216th 349 38.1%
2019 40.99 201st 364 44.8%
2021 22.65 297th 334 11.1%
2022 48.71 122nd 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2019 46.75 204th 325 37.2%
2021 47.16 215th 337 36.2%
2022 39.40 306th 398 23.1%
2023 50.26 248th 403 38.5%
2024 61.90 178th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.04 269th 463 41.9%
2019 58.70 136th 488 72.1%
2021 45.88 201st 481 58.2%
2022 57.68 216th 585 63.1%
2023 59.27 224th 602 62.8%
2024 65.70 191st 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 73rd 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 147th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.27 248th 340 27.1%
2019 40.98 168th 354 52.5%
2021 48.99 115th 370 68.9%
2022 59.16 134th 436 69.3%
2023 47.70 204th 449 54.6%
2024 60.21 132nd 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.87 192nd 427 55.0%
2019 58.06 145th 444 67.3%
2021 44.80 201st 439 54.2%
2022 46.46 276th 534 48.3%
2023 46.21 284th 537 47.1%
2024 56.74 242nd 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.

Robert L. Patton High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Robert L. Patton High School

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Compare
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

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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Compare
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

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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Compare
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

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

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal 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 129th of 514 High schoolsRanks 249th 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)64.658.5
 6.1%
   End of Course Biology (Burke County Schools)63.258.6
 4.6%
   End of Course Biology (North Carolina)59.654.1
 5.5%
End of Course English II (Robert L. Patton High School)65.867.2
 1.4%
   End of Course English II (Burke County Schools)60.759.1
 1.6%
   End of Course English II (North Carolina)59.758.5
 1.2%
End of Course Math I (Robert L. Patton High School)64.659.7
 4.9%
   End of Course Math I (Burke County Schools)52.645
 7.6%
   End of Course Math I (North Carolina)41.235.9
 5.3%
End of Course Math III (Robert L. Patton High School)51.741.9
 9.8%
   End of Course Math III (Burke County Schools)46.752.8
 6.1%
   End of Course Math III (North Carolina)46.858.3
 11.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students827752
 9.1%
African American2916
 44.8%
American Indian42
 50%
Asian2620
 23.1%
Hispanic157151
 3.8%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White580526
 9.3%
Two or More Races3037
 23.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients41.4%54.8%
 13.4%


Schools Near Robert L. Patton High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Robert L. Patton High School

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

In the 2022-23 school year, 752 students attended 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

Students at Robert L. Patton High School are 70% White, 20% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% African American.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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