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Henderson High

Q: Is Henderson High a good school?

Henderson High ranks in the bottom 0.6% of North Carolina high schools.

Q: How many students attend Henderson High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 71 students attended Henderson High.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Henderson High?

Students at Henderson High are 54% African American, 21% White, 15% Two or more races, 10% Hispanic.

Public Grades 6-12

658^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 662 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 1% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Henderson High is a very small public school in Salisbury, NC, serving just 71 students in grades 6–12 as part of the Rowan-Salisbury Schools district. Nearly every other high school in the area serves grades 9–12 with 500 to over 1,000 students, and Henderson's unusual grade span, tiny enrollment, and very low graduation rate suggest it functions more like a specialized or alternative school than a traditional neighborhood high school. The school serves a high-poverty population — 95.8% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch — and its state ranking of 658th out of 662 schools (0 stars) places it among the very lowest-performing schools in North Carolina.

Academic outcomes are extremely low in every subject. Only 6.7% of 8th graders were proficient in reading and 7.7% in science, while Biology and English II end-of-course proficiency were just 7.1% and 5.3%, respectively — compared with district rates of 43.6% and 47.4%. Henderson's graduation rate is just 15.8%, versus 86.6% for the district and 88.8% for the state, and it has stayed between 14% and 20% for five straight years. Chronic absenteeism affected 48.9% of students in 2024–2025, with rates exceeding 60% in earlier years. For context, Carson High serves a nearly identical poverty level (99.7% free/reduced lunch) yet graduates 92.7% of its students and posts far stronger test scores, while Salisbury High — the next-lowest graduation rate among area high schools — still graduates 79.5% of students, roughly five times more than Henderson.

Henderson spends $25,678 per student, about two to four times more than nearby schools like West Rowan High ($9,333), South Rowan High ($9,584), and Central Davidson High ($8,319), and it also has a very low student-teacher ratio of 10.2. Yet those extra resources have not translated into measurable success, suggesting that more money and staff alone are not enough. Given the persistent pattern of low attendance, low proficiency, and low graduation rates spanning many years, Henderson likely needs a fundamentally different instructional approach, stronger attendance interventions, or services that directly address the non-academic barriers its students face.

Students ?

10.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$25,678

Per pupil spending ?

95.8%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

1215 North Main St
Salisbury, NC 28144

(704) 639-3134

District: Rowan-Salisbury Schools

Racial breakdown:

African American:

53.5%

White:

21.1%

Two or more races:

15.5%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 8th percentile in 2007 → 1st in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (7% vs 58% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (1st percentile)

!Graduation rate below the North Carolina average (16% vs 89%)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school7%

District avg40%

North Carolina avg58%

658^th of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Bottom 1%▼ down 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

7^th of 7High Schools in the Rowan-Salisbury Schools

199^th of 246Rowan-Salisbury 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	0.7	771 of 773	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	0.8	792 of 793	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	3.1	714 of 737	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	1.4	682 of 692	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	2.4	689 of 705	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	3.8	664 of 673	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	0.2	658 of 662	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	0.6	637 of 648	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	0.5	628 of 640	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	0.7	622 of 630	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	4.8	556 of 560	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	0.8	729 of 729	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	0.8	733 of 733	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	1.2	750 of 751	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	0.9	658 of 662	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	1.3	494 of 507	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	2.9	501 of 531	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	8.4	463 of 505	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	4.4	464 of 502	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	2.2	487 of 506	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	0.8	493 of 499	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	1.3	478 of 490	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	5.9	446 of 477	6.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	7.7	418 of 453	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	13.4	390 of 431	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	1.2	622 of 624	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

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

African American (2024)1st percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)<1st percentile~ school

Male (2025)<1st percentile~ school

High school

Male (2026)<1st percentile~ school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science8%-61 vs state

Biology7%-51 vs state

Reading7%-49 vs state

English II5%-59 vs state

★

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Schools Near Henderson High

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOC Biology (2026)	EOC English II (2026)	EOC Math I (2026)	EOC Math III (2026)	EOG Mathematics (2026)	EOG Reading (2026)	EOG Science (2026)	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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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 8th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Henderson High	Public	6-12	1215 North Main St	Salisbury	28144	Rowan County	Rowan-Salisbury Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 639-3134	71	7	10.2	95.8%	15 (21.1%)	38 (53.5%)	7 (9.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (15.5%)	0.9	658^th of 662 public high schools	0.6%					(n/a)	7.1	5.3	536.1		< 5%	6.7	7.7	$25,678	$1,458	$24,220
Salisbury High	Public	9-12	500 Lincolnton Rd	Salisbury	28144	Rowan County	Rowan-Salisbury Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 636-1221	930	47	19.5	—	139 (14.9%)	401 (43.1%)	320 (34.4%)	12 (1.3%)	6 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (5.6%)	10.9	599^th of 662 public high schools	9.5%		11.9	586^th of 641 public high schools	8.6%	13	36.5	41.8	18.4	24.6				$11,029	$745	$10,284
North Rowan High	Public	9-12	300 North Whitehead Ave	Spencer	28159	Rowan County	Rowan-Salisbury Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 636-4420	555	28	20.0	0.5%	117 (21.1%)	214 (38.6%)	177 (31.9%)	9 (1.6%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.3%)	4.7	631^st of 662 public high schools	4.7%		5.9	617^th of 641 public high schools	3.7%	14	21.0	30.4	10.0	23.5				$12,425	$1,166	$11,259
Rowan County Early College	Public	9-12	1333 Jake Alexander Blvd S	Salisbury	28145	Rowan County	Rowan-Salisbury Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 216-3873	235	7	32.9	—	93 (39.6%)	31 (13.2%)	91 (38.7%)	10 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.3%)	83.1	123^rd of 662 public high schools	81.4%		88	91^st of 641 public high schools	85.8%	32	79.4	85.7	64.9	98.3				$7,268	$298	$6,970
East Rowan High	Public	9-12	175 St Luke's Church Rd	Salisbury	28146	Rowan County	Rowan-Salisbury Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 279-5232	986	49	20.0	—	703 (71.3%)	121 (12.3%)	97 (9.8%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (6.2%)	31.7	468^th of 662 public high schools	29.3%		32.3	431^st of 641 public high schools	32.8%	37	49.2	49.8	27.7	66.3				$9,575	$985	$8,590
Carson High	Public	9-12	290 Kress Venture Dr	China Grove	28023	Rowan County	Rowan-Salisbury Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 855-7297	1,063	46	22.9	—	677 (63.7%)	67 (6.3%)	253 (23.8%)	12 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (5.1%)	53.7	298^th of 662 public high schools	55.0%		44.2	343^rd of 641 public high schools	46.5%	45	91.5	56.7	63.7	65.5				$8,570	$767	$7,803
West Davidson High	Public	9-12	200 Dragon Drive	Lexington	27295	Davidson County	Davidson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 853-8082	740	42	17.6	56.6%	585 (79.1%)	33 (4.5%)	88 (11.9%)	4 (0.5%)	6 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (3.2%)	44.1	375^th of 662 public high schools	43.4%		42.5	356^th of 641 public high schools	44.5%	19	61.3	55.2	28.9	77.0				$8,366	$319	$8,047
West Rowan High	Public	9-12	8050 NC 801 Hwy	Mount Ulla	28125	Rowan County	Rowan-Salisbury Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 278-9233	988	46	21.6	—	497 (50.3%)	180 (18.2%)	221 (22.4%)	11 (1.1%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	74 (7.5%)	21.3	543^rd of 662 public high schools	18.0%		11.8	588^th of 641 public high schools	8.3%	45	46.4	51.5	25.1	40.2				$9,333	$909	$8,424
South Rowan High	Public	9-12	1655 Patterson St	China Grove	28023	Rowan County	Rowan-Salisbury Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 857-1161	932	43	21.5	—	552 (59.2%)	85 (9.1%)	230 (24.7%)	9 (1.0%)	5 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (5.4%)	19	561^st of 662 public high schools	15.3%		16.2	552^nd of 641 public high schools	13.9%	9	42.5	44.8	19.1	50.0				$9,584	$1,002	$8,582
Central Davidson High	Public	9-12	2747 NC Hwy 47	Lexington	27292	Davidson County	Davidson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 357-2920	897	50	17.7	55.1%	663 (73.9%)	45 (5.0%)	137 (15.3%)	9 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (4.7%)	43.1	384^th of 662 public high schools	42.0%		41.2	367^th of 641 public high schools	42.7%	17	59.3	63.3	27.8	67.7				$8,319	$521	$7,798

Frequently Asked Questions about Henderson High

How many students attend Henderson High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 71 students attended Henderson High.

Is Henderson High a good school?

Henderson High ranks in the bottom 0.6% of North Carolina high schools.

What district is Henderson High in?

Rowan-Salisbury Schools

What is the racial makeup of Henderson High?

Students at Henderson High are 54% African American, 21% White, 15% Two or more races, 10% Hispanic.

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2020–21 through 2025–26 immunization ratesNewOct 19, 2026

2022–23 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 2, 2026

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.