Schools in Zip Code 27278

ZIP code 27278, located in Hillsborough, NC, is served by 12 schools enrolling about 6,715 students in elementary, middle, and high school grades, including traditional public schools in Orange County Schools as well as two independent public charter schools. The strongest all-around options are The Expedition School, a K-8 charter with top-3% state rankings, near-perfect math and science proficiency, and very low chronic absenteeism; Eno River Academy, a K-12 charter whose high school EOC scores (e.g., 92.6% in Math III and 87.4% in English II) far outpace state averages and both OCS high schools; and Hillsborough Elementary, the highest-rated traditional public school in the ZIP, with a 5-star state ranking and only 17.5% free/reduced lunch. Among middle schools, Orange Middle is clearly stronger than A L Stanback Middle, beating it in every grade and subject tested.

The two comprehensive OCS high schools, Orange High and Cedar Ridge High, are more similar than their state rankings suggest: Orange High graduates a higher share (88.0% vs. 81.3%) and posts stronger math scores, while Cedar Ridge is slightly ahead in English II (70.9% vs. 67.2%). Both struggle with chronic absenteeism above 29%, and both see Math I as a major hurdle — proficiency is just 42.9% at Orange High and 34.3% at Cedar Ridge, well below even the state average of 42.1%. Meanwhile, River Park Elementary, Pathways Elementary, and Grady Brown Elementary all rank in the 59th–87th percentile, with Pathways and Grady Brown showing notable improvement over the past two years.

At the other end, Central Elementary and Partnership Academy face severe challenges. Central serves a nearly 99% free/reduced-lunch population, has 33.3% chronic absenteeism, and ranks in the 30th percentile, while Partnership Academy has a 62.9% graduation rate, 50% chronic absenteeism, and only 20% English II proficiency. Across the ZIP, outcomes track poverty and attendance closely: the highest-performing schools have the lowest free/reduced-lunch rates and absenteeism, while the lowest-performing schools have the highest. Notably, higher per-pupil spending does not predict success — Partnership Academy spends $22,657 per student yet has the weakest results, and Hillsborough Elementary spends less than most OCS elementary schools while ranking near the top. For parents, the key takeaway is that school choice and neighborhood assignment make a dramatic difference within this ZIP code, from elite charters to high-poverty traditional schools.