Salisbury High

Summary:

Salisbury High is a public high school in Salisbury, North Carolina, serving 959 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Rowan-Salisbury Schools district, which is ranked 212 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Salisbury High stands out for its significantly higher percentage of minority students compared to nearby schools, with 44.11% African American and 33.89% Hispanic students. Academically, the school consistently ranks in the bottom half of North Carolina high schools, with performance on End-of-Course (EOC) exams well below state and district averages. Additionally, Salisbury High has a very high percentage of students (65.48%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which is much higher than the nearby South Rowan High (55.8%) and Carson High (48.29%).

While Salisbury High's student-teacher ratio is relatively low, ranging from 15.1 to 17.8 over the past few years, the school's academic performance has been declining, dropping from a statewide ranking of 332 out of 451 high schools in 2013-2014 to 587 out of 640 in 2023-2024. Significant racial achievement gaps are also evident, with White students outperforming their peers on EOC exams. Addressing these challenges will require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to improve educational outcomes for all students at Salisbury High.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 500 Lincolnton Rd
       Salisbury, NC  28144-6148


(704) 636-1221

District: Rowan-Salisbury Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
587th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,029 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  17.8 Help
Number of students:  959

Racial breakdown:

African American:
44.1%
Hispanic:
33.9%
White:
14.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  65.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Salisbury High ranks worse than 91.7% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 6th among 7 ranked high schools in the Rowan-Salisbury Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.79. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Salisbury High is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (44.1%), Hispanic (33.9%), White (14.4%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 65.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Salisbury High is 17.8, which is the 4th best among 7 high schools in the Rowan-Salisbury Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Salisbury High employs 53.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Salisbury High is $11,029, which is the 3rd highest among 7 high schools in the Rowan-Salisbury Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Salisbury High:

SchoolDigger ranks Salisbury High 587th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Salisbury High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Rowan-Salisbury Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Rowan-Salisbury Schools 212th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Salisbury High.

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Rank History for Salisbury High

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Rank History for all students at Salisbury High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 65.56 110th 431 74.5%
2007 61.08 130th 453 71.3%
2008 63.15 123rd 477 74.2%
2009 71.61 58th 490 88.2%
2010 66.63 111th 499 77.8%
2011 53.31 258th 506 49.0%
2012 43.77 284th 502 43.4%
2013 16.35 407th 505 19.4%
2014 22.58 332nd 451 26.4%
2015 18.90 405th 531 23.7%
2016 19.73 386th 507 23.9%
2017 13.55 403rd 476 15.3%
2018 16.59 388th 469 17.3%
2019 13.41 451st 514 12.3%
2021 17.79 493rd 594 17.0%
2022 17.76 519th 621 16.4%
2023 10.51 576th 626 8.0%
2024 10.79 587th 640 8.3%
See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Salisbury High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 28.64 172nd 226 23.9%
2023 17.11 219th 249 12.0%
2024 12.62 247th 261 5.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Salisbury High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 35.69 111th 173 35.8%
2021 30.25 90th 124 27.4%
2023 27.45 170th 226 24.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Salisbury High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.01 387th 424 8.7%
2019 13.39 412th 446 7.6%
2021 26.05 306th 432 29.2%
2022 24.66 432nd 544 20.6%
2023 12.72 561st 597 6.0%
2024 13.32 568th 613 7.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Salisbury High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.95 405th 449 9.8%
2019 11.94 434th 475 8.6%
2021 16.93 394th 475 17.1%
2022 17.21 505th 594 15.0%
2023 8.48 559th 588 4.9%
2024 6.25 587th 602 2.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Salisbury High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.86 349th 349 0.0%
2019 20.74 327th 364 10.2%
2021 34.13 214th 334 35.9%
2022 25.42 257th 330 22.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Salisbury High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.89 31st 100 69.0%
2019 11.95 311th 325 4.3%
2021 38.26 247th 337 26.7%
2022 2.98 393rd 398 1.3%
2023 20.86 368th 403 8.7%
2024 18.11 374th 403 7.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Salisbury High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.61 394th 463 14.9%
2019 10.90 449th 488 8.0%
2021 18.67 389th 481 19.1%
2022 16.61 503rd 585 14.0%
2023 11.84 549th 602 8.8%
2024 15.08 535th 607 11.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Salisbury High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.91 327th 359 8.9%
2019 17.42 338th 369 8.4%
2021 24.14 285th 364 21.7%
2022 26.00 336th 430 21.9%
2023 14.06 414th 434 4.6%
2024 25.06 345th 437 21.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Salisbury High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.13 339th 340 0.3%
2019 5.77 352nd 354 0.6%
2021 21.37 308th 370 16.8%
2022 21.66 368th 436 15.6%
2023 9.50 441st 449 1.8%
2024 9.94 444th 454 2.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Salisbury High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.90 175th 427 59.0%
2019 49.57 193rd 444 56.5%
2021 46.95 186th 439 57.6%
2022 55.54 231st 534 56.7%
2023 41.46 309th 537 42.5%
2024 24.78 442nd 553 20.1%
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.

Salisbury High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Open Quote The local newspaper loves to tout the virtues of this school's academically gifted program. If your child is white, privileged and super brilliant, he or she will get placed on a floor of the school where they will have virtually no interaction with persons of color during the day, except for maybe in the school cafeteria. Drug dealings and knockout games are not uncommon, and the police lock down campus at least twice a month for reports of guns or gang violence. There is a reason this school is 5th ranked out of the Rowan-Salisbury School System's five high schools, and in the bottom 14% of statewide high schools. I just can't imagine how bad the lower-ranked schools must be! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Salisbury High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 296 370 9 1 0 n/a n/a 0 676
1991 307 351 12 5 1 n/a n/a 1 677
1992 348 354 15 4 0 n/a n/a 0 721
1993 348 361 14 2 1 n/a n/a 0 726
1994 354 359 17 4 0 n/a n/a 0 734
1995 404 406 16 4 2 n/a n/a 0 832
1996 404 406 16 4 2 n/a n/a 0 832
1997 418 447 19 4 2 n/a n/a 0 890
1998 410 447 22 16 2 n/a n/a 0 897
1999 363 379 19 22 4 n/a n/a 0 787
2000 347 361 8 27 2 n/a n/a 0 745
2001 340 360 16 37 1 n/a n/a 0 754
2002 410 431 24 62 0 n/a n/a 0 927
2003 410 431 24 62 0 n/a n/a 0 927
2004 404 422 24 69 1 n/a n/a 0 920
2005 410 439 26 74 0 n/a n/a 0 949
2006 452 477 21 89 0 n/a n/a 0 1039
2007 369 486 24 86 0 n/a n/a 19 984
2008 335 466 17 86 0 n/a n/a 27 931
2009 340 563 14 113 0 n/a n/a 0 1030
2010 308 507 18 105 0 n/a n/a 0 938
2011 318 427 12 111 0 1 30 0 899
2012 294 419 15 118 1 1 27 0 875
2013 295 417 21 127 4 2 23 0 889
2014 274 399 22 140 5 0 18 0 858
2015 236 384 21 145 5 0 22 0 813
2016 242 409 21 159 3 0 21 0 855
2017 218 397 14 193 2 0 30 0 854
2018 215 375 12 210 0 1 29 0 842
2019 233 391 12 233 1 0 29 0 899
2020 186 378 14 250 1 0 41 0 870
2021 174 371 16 272 0 0 42 0 875
2022 162 409 9 269 1 1 52 0 903
2023 138 423 14 325 3 0 56 0 959

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 Salisbury High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 676 56.0 12.0 n/a
1991 677 56.0 12.0 0
1992 721 53.0 13.6 14.4
1993 726 48.0 15.1 20.2
1994 734 48.0 15.3 21.7
1995 832 56.0 14.9 22.4
1996 832 56.0 14.9 22.4
1997 890 64.0 13.9 23.7
1998 897 68.0 13.2 30.2
1999 787 68.0 11.6 36.5
2000 745 68.0 11.0 38.3
2001 754 68.0 11.1 46.7
2002 927 68.0 13.6 0
2003 927 68.0 13.6 0
2004 920 68.0 13.5 47.3
2005 949 68.0 14.0 48.1
2006 1039 68.0 15.3 49.8
2007 984 73.0 13.5 56.2
2008 931 73.9 12.6 57.3
2009 1030 71.4 14.4 n/a
2010 938 67.8 13.8 62.2
2011 899 64.6 13.9 60.8
2012 875 63.8 13.7 64
2013 889 61.7 14.3 65.5
2014 858 54.5 15.7 67.2
2015 813 58.0 14.0 67.2
2016 855 60.0 14.2 60.9
2017 854 57.1 14.9 66
2018 842 61.2 13.7 64.8
2019 899 56.5 15.8 61.5
2020 870 55.7 15.5 61
2021 875 57.9 15.1 46.7
2022 903 55.0 16.4 57.9
2023 959 53.7 17.8 65.5

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 Salisbury High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 676 56.0 12.0 n/a
1991 677 56.0 12.0 0
1992 721 53.0 13.6 14.4
1993 726 48.0 15.1 20.2
1994 734 48.0 15.3 21.7
1995 832 56.0 14.9 22.4
1996 832 56.0 14.9 22.4
1997 890 64.0 13.9 23.7
1998 897 68.0 13.2 30.2
1999 787 68.0 11.6 36.5
2000 745 68.0 11.0 38.3
2001 754 68.0 11.1 46.7
2002 927 68.0 13.6 0
2003 927 68.0 13.6 0
2004 920 68.0 13.5 47.3
2005 949 68.0 14.0 48.1
2006 1039 68.0 15.3 49.8
2007 984 73.0 13.5 56.2
2008 931 73.9 12.6 57.3
2009 1030 71.4 14.4 n/a
2010 938 67.8 13.8 62.2
2011 899 64.6 13.9 60.8
2012 875 63.8 13.7 64
2013 889 61.7 14.3 65.5
2014 858 54.5 15.7 67.2
2015 813 58.0 14.0 67.2
2016 855 60.0 14.2 60.9
2017 854 57.1 14.9 66
2018 842 61.2 13.7 64.8
2019 899 56.5 15.8 61.5
2020 870 55.7 15.5 61
2021 875 57.9 15.1 46.7
2022 903 55.0 16.4 57.9
2023 959 53.7 17.8 65.5

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 Salisbury High

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $745 (6.8%) $10,284 (93.2%) $11,029

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Salisbury High

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 451st of 514 High schoolsRanks 576th of 626 High schools
 4.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Salisbury High)35.533
 2.5%
   End of Course Biology (Rowan-Salisbury Schools)4530.7
 14.3%
   End of Course Biology (North Carolina)59.654.1
 5.5%
End of Course English II (Salisbury High)39.527.4
 12.1%
   End of Course English II (Rowan-Salisbury Schools)48.738.7
 10%
   End of Course English II (North Carolina)59.758.5
 1.2%
End of Course Math I (Salisbury High)9.613.9
 4.3%
   End of Course Math I (Rowan-Salisbury Schools)19.219.8
 0.6%
   End of Course Math I (North Carolina)41.235.9
 5.3%
End of Course Math III (Salisbury High)19.820.2
 0.4%
   End of Course Math III (Rowan-Salisbury Schools)28.428.7
 0.3%
   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 Students899959
 6.7%
African American391423
 8.2%
American Indian13
 200%
Asian1214
 16.7%
Hispanic233325
 39.5%
Pacific Islander00
White233138
 40.8%
Two or More Races2956
 93.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients61.5%65.5%
 4%


Schools Near Salisbury High









Frequently Asked Questions about Salisbury High

Salisbury High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Overton Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 959 students attended Salisbury High.

Salisbury High ranks in the bottom 8.3% of North Carolina high schools.

Students at Salisbury High are 44% African American, 34% Hispanic, 14% White, 6% Two or more races, 1% Asian.


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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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