Best Public Schools in Haw River, NC

In Haw River, North Carolina, there are three public schools—Southeast Alamance High (grades 9–12), Alamance Community School (grades K–8), and Haw River Elementary (grades PK–5)—serving roughly 2,300 students across a mix of traditional and independent public schools, with no standalone middle school feeding the high school.

For parents, the standout by far is Southeast Alamance High, a 3-star school ranking in the 60th percentile statewide (265 out of 662) and scoring above both state and Alamance-Burlington Schools averages in every End-of-Course subject—notably with a 63.9% biology proficiency rate and a 73.1% Math III proficiency rate. Its graduation rate (86.9%) and chronic absenteeism (20.5%) are also better than district averages. Among elementary-age options, Alamance Community School is the stronger choice, ranking in the 33rd percentile with a 2-star rating, lower chronic absenteeism (20.1%), and reading proficiency that beats the state in grades 3, 7, and 8—especially 8th grade (71.9% vs. 56.1% statewide). However, it struggles notably in math, with a sharp 6th-grade dip to just 25.6% proficiency. Meanwhile, Haw River Elementary faces severe challenges: it ranks in the 8th percentile (0 stars), has 98.78% free/reduced-price lunch eligibility, a 30.6% chronic absenteeism rate, and proficiency far below state averages in every subject and grade—with 4th grade particularly low at only 22.5% in both reading and math.

Compared side by side, Southeast Alamance High is a clear academic bright spot within its low-ranked district, while the two K–8 feeder paths are highly polarized: Alamance Community School offers a more consistent, better-performing experience (and operates as its own LEA), whereas Haw River Elementary shows high-need demographics and large proficiency gaps, despite some encouraging year-over-year gains in 5th grade math and science. Parents should also note that while Alamance Community School serves kindergarten through 8th grade, students at Haw River Elementary must transition elsewhere for middle school, a structural difference that may affect continuity and school choice in the area.