Goldsboro High

Goldsboro High is a traditional four-year public high school in Goldsboro, North Carolina, serving 412 students in grades 9–12 as part of Wayne County Public Schools. The school serves a highly economically disadvantaged student body — roughly 97–99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch — making it one of the more high-need traditional high schools in the region.

Families should know that Goldsboro High's graduation rate of 63.5% is far below the district average of 81.3% and the state average of 88.8%, and it has ranged from roughly 53% to 68% over the past five years. Nearby comprehensive high schools graduate far more of their students: Charles B Aycock High graduates 89.1%, Eastern Wayne High 82.6%, and Rosewood High 89.7%. Chronic absenteeism is also a significant concern: 54.1% of Goldsboro High students were chronically absent in 2024–25, compared with roughly 32% districtwide and 24% statewide. Only small alternative schools in the area show similarly high absence rates.

Academically, End-of-Course test proficiency trails district averages in Biology (43.8%), English II (32.4%), and Math I (24.8%), but Math III is a notable bright spot at 74.3% — above both state and district averages. The school has improved its overall state ranking from the bottom 5% of North Carolina high schools in the early 2020s to about the 21st percentile in 2025–26, and it now earns one star. It also shows relative strength for specific student groups: African American students rank in the 38th percentile statewide and low-income students in the 31st percentile, both above the school's overall placement. Combined with per-pupil spending of roughly $11,700 — higher than nearby comprehensive high schools — the data suggest Goldsboro High's challenges are tied most heavily to attendance and student need rather than a shortage of resources.