Best Public Schools in Fayetteville, NC

The city of Fayetteville, North Carolina is home to 68 schools that serve students from elementary through high school, with the majority being elementary schools. These schools are part of the Cumberland County Schools district, which is ranked 144 out of 242 school districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The data reveals significant performance disparities between the highest and lowest-performing schools in the district. For example, Cumberland Polytechnic is a standout high school, ranked 40th out of 641 in the state with a 5-star rating and over 90% of students proficient in key subjects. In contrast, Alger B. Wilkins High School has only 12.5% of students proficient in Math III. Similarly, Seventy-First Classical Middle and Long Hill Elementary are high-performing middle and elementary schools, respectively, with over 60% and 70% proficiency rates.

The data also suggests high levels of economic disadvantage across the district, with many schools having over 95% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. This likely presents significant challenges for these schools in supporting student learning and achievement. The wide range in per-student spending, from $5,025 at Reid Ross Classical Middle to $28,798 at Howard Learning Academy, suggests the district may not be equitably distributing resources across all schools, which could be contributing to the performance disparities observed.