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Cape Hatteras Secondary School

Q: Is Cape Hatteras Secondary School a good school?

Cape Hatteras Secondary School ranks 334 th of 641 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-12

334^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 641 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 48% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Cape Hatteras Secondary School is a public high school located in Buxton, North Carolina, serving grades 6-12 with a total enrollment of 363 students. The school is part of the Dare County Schools district, which is ranked 83 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school's performance has fluctuated over the years, with its statewide ranking ranging from 122nd to 437th out of North Carolina high schools and its SchoolDigger rating varying from 1 to 4 stars. Compared to the Dare County Schools district, Cape Hatteras Secondary School has generally performed below the district average in terms of statewide ranking and rating. The school's performance also varies across different student subgroups, with male students, disabled students, and Gifted and Talented students generally performing better than their peers.

While Cape Hatteras Secondary School excels in 8th-grade Science, it struggles in subjects like Biology and Math I, with proficiency rates significantly below the district and state levels. The school's increasing population of economically disadvantaged students, as indicated by the growing percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, may be contributing to these academic challenges. The school's higher spending per student could suggest efforts to provide additional resources and support for its students, but more targeted strategies may be needed to address the unique needs of the community and achieve sustained improvement.

364

Students ?

16.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,457

Per pupil spending ?

99.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

48576 Highway 12
Buxton, NC 27920

(252) 995-5730

District: Dare County Schools

Feeder schools for Cape Hatteras Secondary School:

Elementary:

Cape Hatteras Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.5%

Hispanic:

21.2%

Two or more races:

4.1%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Cape Hatteras Secondary School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 77th percentile in 2015 → 48th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (59% vs 54% meeting standards)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 29 percentile points since 2015

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

!Near the bottom of Dare County Schools's ranking

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school59%

District avg66%

North Carolina avg54%

Middle school

210^th of 773

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 27%▲ up 36 pts since 2015

From bottom 37% (2015) to top 27% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

334^th of 641

North Carolina public high schools ?

Bottom 48%▼ down 29 pts since 2015

From top 23% (2015) to bottom 48% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 4High Schools in the Dare County Schools

83^rd of 242Dare 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)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	69.6	210 of 773	72.8%	★★★★☆
2024	55.2	332 of 793	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	71.4	194 of 784	75.3%	★★★★☆
2022	56.4	330 of 786	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	65.8	225 of 741	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	68.7	215 of 737	70.8%	★★★★☆
2018	67.9	216 of 691	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	56.3	317 of 694	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2016	48.2	369 of 692	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2015	38.6	442 of 705	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2014	70.5	156 of 627	75.1%	★★★★☆
2013	63.0	213 of 673	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2012	84.5	47 of 662	92.9%	★★★★★
2011	66.3	231 of 648	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2010	51.3	380 of 640	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2009	67.7	209 of 630	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2008	68.9	186 of 620	70.0%	★★★★☆
2007	74.4	118 of 606	80.5%	★★★★☆
2006	77.4	88 of 598	85.3%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2021	85.6	21 of 478	95.6%	★★★★★
2019	61.7	121 of 504	76.0%	★★★★☆
2018	81.9	29 of 475	93.9%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	68.3	202 of 733	72.4%	★★★★☆
2024	50.1	357 of 738	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.9	282 of 731	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.1	332 of 733	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	59.7	254 of 706	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	63.4	245 of 684	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	71.7	173 of 656	73.6%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2021	80.0	17 of 448	96.2%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	49.7	262 of 562	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	24.2	468 of 564	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	43.7	302 of 541	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	25.1	394 of 472	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	61.0	229 of 729	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.7	311 of 743	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	72.8	132 of 735	82.0%	★★★★☆
2022	45.7	347 of 689	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	83.3	49 of 633	92.3%	★★★★★
2019	70.2	131 of 639	79.5%	★★★★☆
2018	73.3	104 of 604	82.8%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	66.8	213 of 733	70.9%	★★★★☆
2024	56.3	300 of 751	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	79.8	132 of 747	82.3%	★★★★☆
2022	58.5	282 of 748	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	70.0	186 of 711	73.8%	★★★★☆
2019	68.2	203 of 697	70.9%	★★★★☆
2018	59.3	276 of 665	58.5%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	57.4	263 of 649	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	39.8	406 of 652	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	57.1	262 of 656	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	37.7	420 of 658	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	54.1	267 of 632	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.8	299 of 624	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.9	246 of 596	58.7%	★★★☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	45.5	334 of 641	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.3	437 of 640	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	36.5	385 of 626	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	48.4	302 of 621	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	42.5	323 of 594	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	40.1	277 of 514	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	18.0	382 of 469	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	57.3	147 of 476	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2016	54.4	137 of 507	73.0%	★★★★☆
2015	59.4	122 of 531	77.0%	★★★★☆
2014	63.3	103 of 451	77.2%	★★★★☆
2013	58.1	89 of 505	82.4%	★★★★☆
2012	48.0	249 of 502	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2011	43.0	336 of 506	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2010	53.6	255 of 499	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2009	64.3	122 of 490	75.1%	★★★★☆
2008	51.6	236 of 477	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2007	53.3	199 of 453	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2006	64.6	118 of 431	72.6%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2021	61.8	70 of 334	79.0%	★★★★☆
2019	24.7	300 of 364	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	43.8	339 of 610	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.7	437 of 602	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.9	458 of 588	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	35.7	377 of 594	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	45.8	211 of 475	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	54.6	172 of 475	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	14.1	397 of 449	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	73.4	91 of 398	77.1%	★★★★☆
2021	59.1	157 of 337	53.4%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	27.6	352 of 462	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.2	379 of 449	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.5	342 of 436	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	14.5	332 of 354	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	47.2	266 of 606	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	20.5	509 of 613	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.1	471 of 597	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	36.4	328 of 544	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	51.2	109 of 432	74.8%	★★★★☆
2019	32.0	279 of 446	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	25.7	323 of 424	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	44.7	312 of 601	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	32.2	413 of 607	32.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.5	270 of 602	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.6	195 of 585	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.6	233 of 481	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	24.5	364 of 488	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.3	376 of 463	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	42.2	317 of 542	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	20.2	469 of 553	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.9	378 of 537	29.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	41.2	308 of 534	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.7	289 of 439	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	30.6	309 of 444	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	9.4	403 of 427	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Middle school

Gifted and Talented (2021)96th percentile+27 vs school

Disabled (2021)96th percentile+26 vs school

Female (2025)72nd percentile~ school

Male (2025)71st percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)69th percentile-4 vs school

White (2025)59th percentile-13 vs school

Hispanic (2025)53rd percentile-19 vs school

High school

Disabled (2021)79th percentile+33 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2022)77th percentile+26 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)56th percentile+8 vs school

Male (2025)48th percentile~ school

Female (2025)44th percentile-3 vs school

White (2025)42nd percentile-6 vs school

Hispanic (2025)24th percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Science76%+16 vs state

Math III67%~ state avg

English II62%~ state avg

Mathematics62%+9 vs state

Reading60%+8 vs state

Biology44%-4 vs state

Math I31%-4 vs state

★

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Schools Near Cape Hatteras Secondary School

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)	EOG Mathematics (2025)			EOG Reading (2025)			EOG Science (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	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cape Hatteras Secondary School	Public	6-12	48576 Highway 12	Buxton	27920	Dare County	Dare County Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 995-5730	364	23	16.1	99.2%	271 (74.5%)	0 (0.0%)	77 (21.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.1%)	45.5	334^th of 641 public high schools	47.9%		31.3	437^th of 640 public high schools	31.7%	103	43.9	62.0	30.8	67.3	61.1	57.9	67.4	48.1	61.4	73.9	76.1	$16,457	$937	$15,520

Frequently Asked Questions about Cape Hatteras Secondary School

What district is Cape Hatteras Secondary School in?

Dare County Schools

What is the racial makeup of Cape Hatteras Secondary School?

Students at Cape Hatteras Secondary School are 74% White, 21% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

Is Cape Hatteras Secondary School a good school?

Cape Hatteras Secondary School ranks 334^th of 641 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Cape Hatteras Secondary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 364 students attended Cape Hatteras Secondary School.

What schools feed into Cape Hatteras Secondary School?

Cape Hatteras Secondary School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cape Hatteras Elementary School

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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.