Best Public Schools in Zip Code 27262

Zip code 27262 contains 8 schools serving roughly 3,312 students, all part of Guilford County Schools, a district ranked 150th of 246 in North Carolina. The area includes four elementary schools — Northwood Elementary, Montlieu Academy of Technology, Kirkman Park Elementary, and Johnson Street Global Studies (a K-8 school listed as elementary) — along with Ferndale Middle, two high schools (High Point Central High and Pruette SCALE Academy), and Sylvia Mendez Newcomers School. Roughly 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, making this a very high-poverty cluster of schools.

The clear standout is Johnson Street Global Studies. Despite nearly 98% poverty, it ranks in the 47th percentile of elementary schools and actually beat North Carolina state averages in several 3rd, 4th, and 6th grade subjects. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (27%) among traditional schools here. However, even Johnson Street shows a sharp drop-off after 6th grade, with 8th grade math proficiency falling to just 17.1%. High Point Central High posts a graduation rate of 89.3%, above the state average of 88.8%, although its test scores trail state averages. At the opposite end, Northwood Elementary is the lowest-ranked school in the zip code, sitting in the 9th percentile with several scores declining year over year. Ferndale Middle made meaningful gains — its 8th grade science proficiency jumped from 31.1% to 55.2% — but it remains below district and state averages in every tested subject.

Chronic absenteeism is a major problem across the area, averaging roughly 37.9% compared to 24.2% statewide. Pruette SCALE Academy is an extreme outlier with only 10 students, a 53.5% absenteeism rate, and per-student spending of $47,033, yet no current measurable academic results. Sylvia Mendez Newcomers School serves students new to the country, so its low English-based test scores should be interpreted carefully. While most schools here trail county and state averages, the wide range of outcomes — from Johnson Street's success to Northwood's struggles — shows that school-level practices and attendance matter as much as the poverty challenges these schools face. The biggest opportunities for improvement lie in reducing absenteeism and addressing the middle-school learning slide.