Best Public Schools in Zip Code 27703

The 27703 zip code area of Durham, North Carolina is home to 12 schools, including 9 elementary schools, 3 high schools, and no middle schools or alternative schools. This diverse educational landscape serves a student population that faces significant economic challenges, with high rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients across most of the schools.

Among the standout schools in the area is R N Harris Elementary, a public magnet school that boasts the highest performance on state tests, with 77.8% of 3rd graders proficient in math and 61.7% of 5th graders proficient in science, well above the Durham Public Schools and state averages. Another high-performing school is Middle College High School @ DTCC, a public high school that consistently ranks among the top in the state, with particularly strong performance in Math III.

In contrast, some schools in the 27703 zip code struggle academically, such as Y E Smith Elementary, where only 7.3% of 3rd graders are proficient in reading. This stark difference in performance highlights the educational inequities present in the area, which may be exacerbated by the high poverty levels, as evidenced by the prevalence of free and reduced-price lunch recipients. The presence of magnet and charter schools, such as Maureen Joy Charter School and Southern School of Energy and Sustainabi, suggests that families are seeking alternative educational options to address these challenges.