Southern Guilford High

Southern Guilford High, a comprehensive public high school in Greensboro, NC, serves 934 students in grades 9–12 and is part of Guilford County Schools, operating in an area where essentially every student (99.68%) qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a school on a strong upward path: its statewide ranking jumped from the 9th percentile in 2021-2022 to the 34th percentile in 2025-2026 (earning 2 stars), a dramatic improvement that sets it apart from nearby traditional high schools. While academic measures still sit below the district average overall, Southern Guilford High now outperforms both T Wingate Andrews High (18th percentile) and Ben L. Smith High School (21st percentile), and nearly matches Lucy Ragsdale High (41st percentile), particularly in math.

Test score gains between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 were striking across every subject, with proficiency rates jumping from ranges like 26–46% to 41–67%. For example, Math III proficiency soared to 66.5% (close to the state average) and Math I exceeded the district average, a remarkable shift for a high-poverty school. A true bright spot is how well the school supports its most vulnerable learners: English Language Learner and Special Education students both rank in the 70th percentile statewide (4 stars), a sharp contrast to the previous year’s 7th percentile for Special Education. However, Gifted and Talented students rank at just the 10th percentile, suggesting high-achieving students may not be challenged enough. The large single-year surge in test scores is encouraging but worth watching over the next few years to confirm it reflects lasting reforms rather than a one-time anomaly.

Chronic absenteeism remains the school’s most pressing hurdle, falling from 46.3% in 2021-2022 to 30.5% in 2024-2025—better than Ben L. Smith’s 54.1% but still above district and state averages. The graduation rate of 89.9% slightly beats the state’s 88.8% yet trails the district’s 93.0%. Nearby early/middle colleges like UNCG Early/Middle College post far higher scores and lower absenteeism, but they are smaller and selective, while Southern Guilford educates a large, diverse cross-section of the community. With per-student spending ($9,712) similar to other large high schools, the recent progress suggests poverty need not limit academic success. Sustaining these gains will likely depend on continuing to reduce absenteeism and replicating the successful support models for ELL and Special Education students across the general population.