J. F. Webb High

J. F. Webb High is a traditional public high school in Oxford, North Carolina, serving grades 9–12 with 512 students as part of Granville County Schools. For the 2025–2026 school year, the school ranks 598 out of 662 high schools statewide, placing it in the bottom 10 percent and earning a 0-star rating — a decline from the 25th percentile just two years earlier. Nearly all students (98%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school serves a highly economically disadvantaged community in the Oxford area.

The most urgent concern is attendance. In 2024–2025, 70.3% of students were chronically absent — nearly three times the state average of 24.2% and well above the district rate of 40.9%. Academic proficiency is far below state averages in every tested subject. For example, only about 20% of students are proficient in Biology compared to 59% statewide, and fewer than 25% are proficient in Math I. The graduation rate of 79.8% also trails the state rate of 88.8%. Outcomes are systemically low across nearly every student group, including all racial and economic subgroups.

A genuine bright spot is the special education program. Students in this subgroup rank in the 72nd percentile statewide, suggesting targeted supports that work well. While attendance challenges are severe, nearby models show this is not inevitable. Granville Early College High, also in Granville County Schools with a similarly high-poverty population, ranks in the 94th percentile and reports dramatically lower chronic absenteeism and far higher test scores. South Granville High, the district's other traditional high school, also outperforms J. F. Webb in every tested subject despite similar demographics and attendance struggles. J. F. Webb's per-student spending of $12,237 is higher than peers, so the issues appear tied to attendance, culture, and instructional consistency rather than a lack of resources.