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Freedom High

Q: Is Freedom High a good school?

Freedom High ranks 440 th of 641 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

440^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 641 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 31% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Freedom High is a public high school located in Morganton, North Carolina, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,374 students. It is part of the Burke County Schools district, which is ranked 121 out of 242 school districts in the state.

In recent years, Freedom High has seen a decline in its statewide ranking, dropping from 170th out of 469 North Carolina high schools in 2017-2018 to 440th out of 641 in 2024-2025. Its SchoolDigger rating has also decreased from 3 stars to 2 stars over the same period. The school struggles with the performance of several student subgroups, particularly in English Language Arts and Mathematics, with proficiency rates below the state and district averages. Additionally, the school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated between 86.3% and 89.2%, slightly below the state average.

Compared to other high schools in the Burke County Schools district, Freedom High generally underperforms, with both East Burke High and Jimmy C Draughn High School having higher statewide rankings and better academic achievement. However, the nearby Hallyburton Academy has significantly lower performance than Freedom High across most metrics. The school's high percentage of economically disadvantaged students and relatively limited resources may be contributing factors to these challenges.

1,299

Students ?

22.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,511

Per pupil spending ?

99.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

511 Independence Boulevard
Morganton, NC 28655

(828) 433-1310

District: Burke County Schools

Feeder schools for Freedom High:

Elementary:	Glen Alpine Elementary
	Hillcrest Elementary
	Mountain View Elementary
	Oak Hill Elementary
	More...
	W A Young Elementary
Middle:	Table Rock Middle
	Walter R Johnson Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

45.8%

Hispanic:

35.3%

Two or more races:

7.5%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Freedom High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 70th percentile in 2015 → 31st in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (43% vs 53% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 39 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school43%

District avg52%

North Carolina avg53%

440^th of 641

North Carolina public high schools ?

Bottom 31%▼ down 38 pts since 2015

From top 30% (2015) to bottom 31% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 5High Schools in the Burke County Schools

121^st of 242Burke County Schools among North Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	30.4	440 of 641	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.9	388 of 640	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.9	324 of 626	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.1	406 of 621	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	40.4	329 of 594	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.5	231 of 514	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.1	170 of 469	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	43.4	225 of 476	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2016	42.6	210 of 507	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2015	51.9	161 of 531	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2014	30.2	272 of 451	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2013	32.3	294 of 505	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	39.8	313 of 502	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2011	54.9	239 of 506	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2010	62.1	166 of 499	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2009	59.5	174 of 490	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2008	60.8	142 of 477	70.2%	★★★★☆
2007	60.4	136 of 453	70.0%	★★★★☆
2006	58.6	162 of 431	62.4%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	28.5	320 of 440	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	38.1	244 of 437	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.9	241 of 434	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	29.7	295 of 430	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	53.1	105 of 364	71.2%	★★★★☆
2019	22.9	304 of 369	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.4	280 of 359	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	36.9	74 of 106	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	32.1	74 of 101	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	48.0	61 of 98	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	55.5	54 of 91	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	48.0	48 of 83	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	9.1	84 of 89	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	25.2	62 of 77	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	18.7	311 of 330	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	20.6	305 of 334	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	45.0	173 of 364	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.4	117 of 349	66.5%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	15.9	264 of 273	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	26.2	223 of 262	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.6	189 of 226	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.8	142 of 156	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	46.9	73 of 173	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	34.7	91 of 147	38.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	28.0	456 of 610	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	37.4	375 of 602	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.0	337 of 588	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.8	373 of 594	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	37.4	258 of 475	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	50.6	203 of 475	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.5	153 of 449	65.9%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	38.6	306 of 412	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	42.6	300 of 403	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	49.0	258 of 403	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.3	311 of 398	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	47.6	212 of 337	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	64.8	104 of 325	68.0%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	20.8	397 of 462	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	29.5	324 of 454	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.5	293 of 449	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.1	312 of 436	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	37.3	198 of 370	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.5	206 of 354	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.0	182 of 340	46.5%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	35.9	369 of 606	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.2	275 of 613	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	44.6	280 of 597	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.0	253 of 544	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	44.8	156 of 432	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	46.0	162 of 446	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	53.4	135 of 424	68.2%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	30.8	418 of 601	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.3	377 of 607	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.7	293 of 602	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	32.2	390 of 585	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.2	226 of 481	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	42.0	252 of 488	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.8	219 of 463	52.7%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	51.2	120 of 253	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	34.9	180 of 261	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	45.6	131 of 249	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	18.0	207 of 226	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	46.5	108 of 199	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	59.6	69 of 195	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.5	68 of 185	63.2%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	14.7	343 of 352	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	29.8	251 of 349	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	29.4	409 of 542	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	38.2	356 of 553	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	45.1	290 of 537	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.9	384 of 534	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	33.1	267 of 439	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.0	207 of 444	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.6	202 of 427	52.7%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Multi-racial (2025)53rd percentile+21 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)39th percentile+8 vs school

Male (2025)30th percentile~ school

Asian (2025)30th percentile~ school

African American (2025)27th percentile-4 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)26th percentile-6 vs school

Female (2025)25th percentile-6 vs school

White (2025)25th percentile-7 vs school

Hispanic (2025)14th percentile-17 vs school

Disabled (2022)6th percentile-29 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)3rd percentile-28 vs school

Special Education (2025)3rd percentile-29 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Math III55%-11 vs state

English II42%-18 vs state

Biology41%-8 vs state

Math I31%-4 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, October 3, 2016

Freedom High is an excellent school all the way around. If you can send your children here they will get the best education ever. Close Quote

Schools Near Freedom High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOC Biology (2025)	EOC English II (2025)	EOC Math I (2025)	EOC Math III (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Freedom High	Public	9-12	511 Independence Boulevard	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 433-1310	1,299	57	22.7	99.8%	595 (45.8%)	93 (7.2%)	459 (35.3%)	54 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	98 (7.5%)	30.4	440^th of 641 public high schools	31.4%		37.9	388^th of 640 public high schools	39.4%	52	40.8	42.1	30.9	55.3	$8,511	$796	$7,716
Burke Middle College	Public	11-12	1001 Burkemont Ave	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 448-3175	130	3	43.3	97.7%	69 (53.1%)	2 (1.5%)	14 (10.8%)	40 (30.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.8%)								(n/a)				87.1	$4,804	$268	$4,536
Patton High School	Public	9-12	701 Enola Road	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 433-3000	756	31	24.3	98.9%	530 (70.1%)	10 (1.3%)	165 (21.8%)	22 (2.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	27 (3.6%)	54.2	267^th of 641 public high schools	58.3%		66	200^th of 640 public high schools	68.8%	67	47.7	63.8	52.2	65.4	$9,266	$744	$8,523
Hallyburton Academy	Public	6-12	205 South Main Street	Drexel	28619	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 437-4184	73	9	8.4	95.9%	45 (61.6%)	5 (6.8%)	12 (16.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	10 (13.7%)	2.5	635^th of 641 public high schools	0.9%		5.3	615^th of 640 public high schools	3.9%	20	12.5	14.3		8.3	$18,048	$1,530	$16,517
Draughn High School	Public	9-12	709 Lovelady Road NE	Valdese	28690	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 879-4200	661	24	27.3	98.2%	495 (74.9%)	13 (2.0%)	69 (10.4%)	43 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.8%)	36 (5.4%)	59	235^th of 641 public high schools	63.3%		71.4	172^nd of 640 public high schools	73.1%	63	50.3	60.5	64.7	69.3	$9,112	$776	$8,336
West Caldwell High	Public	9-12	300 W Caldwell Drive	Lenoir	28645	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 758-5583	634	36	17.7	98.7%	364 (57.4%)	63 (9.9%)	147 (23.2%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	54 (8.5%)	17.6	542^nd of 641 public high schools	15.4%		17.9	529^th of 640 public high schools	17.3%	13	21.7	37.2	28.4	39.7	$11,229	$831	$10,398
East Burke High	Public	9-12	3695 East Burke Boulevard	Connelly Springs	28612	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 397-5541	874	38	23.1	99.4%	655 (74.9%)	16 (1.8%)	86 (9.8%)	71 (8.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	44 (5.0%)	56.3	254^th of 641 public high schools	60.4%		54.5	265^th of 640 public high schools	58.6%	11	58.9	67.1	41.5	63.5	$9,240	$806	$8,435
McDowell Early College	Public	9-12	54 College Drive	Marion	28752	McDowell County	McDowell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 659-0411	241	12	19.7	98.8%	184 (76.3%)	5 (2.1%)	40 (16.6%)	3 (1.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.3%)	93.2	48^th of 641 public high schools	92.5%		93.3	48^th of 640 public high schools	92.5%		77.8	95.2	83.8	100.0	$7,400	$232	$7,168
McDowell Academy for Innovation	Public	9-12	54 College Drive	Marion	28752	McDowell County	McDowell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 659-0411	158	7	22.5	98.1%	108 (68.4%)	5 (3.2%)	38 (24.1%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.8%)	92.8	53^rd of 641 public high schools	91.7%		96.4	7^th of 640 public high schools	98.9%	46	76.5	95.1	86.8	97.6	$24,717	$228	$24,489
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy	Public	9-12	2857 Hickory Boulevard	Hudson	28638	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 759-4640	218	10	21.1	33.9%	173 (79.4%)	4 (1.8%)	25 (11.5%)	4 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.5%)	84.4	113^th of 641 public high schools	82.4%		80.9	130^th of 640 public high schools	79.7%	17	78.2	87.3	60.0	85.2	$8,388	$210	$8,178

Frequently Asked Questions about Freedom High

What is the racial makeup of Freedom High?

Students at Freedom High are 46% White, 35% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 7% African American, 4% Asian.

Is Freedom High a good school?

Freedom High ranks 440^th of 641 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Freedom High?

Freedom High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Glen Alpine Elementary
Elementary : Hillcrest Elementary
Elementary : Mountain View Elementary
Elementary : Oak Hill Elementary
Elementary : W A Young Elementary
Middle : Table Rock Middle
Middle : Walter R Johnson Middle

What district is Freedom High in?

Burke County Schools

How many students attend Freedom High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,299 students attended Freedom High.

Rate Freedom High!

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Schools in Morganton, NC

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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.