Best High Schools in Zip Code 27370

Zip code 27370 in Trinity, North Carolina, is served by three public high schools—Trinity High School, Wheatmore High School, and Uwharrie Ridge Six-Twelve—all part of the Randolph County School System. Combined, these schools educate about 1,751 students, with traditional 9–12 programs at Trinity and Wheatmore, while Uwharrie Ridge serves grades 6–12. The district itself is ranked in the 35th percentile statewide, so many local results trail North Carolina averages.

Wheatmore High School is the clear academic leader. It holds the strongest state ranking (246th out of 662, 63rd percentile) and earns three SchoolDigger stars each year. Wheatmore exceeded both district and state proficiency rates across all four EOC subjects in 2025–2026, including standout Biology (68.7%) and Math III (82.8%) scores. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism (17.5%) and the lowest poverty rate (48.43% free/reduced lunch) among the trio, all while spending the least per student. Trinity High School is the steady improver, climbing from 401st to 355th in state rank over three years. Its 2025–2026 Math I proficiency of 67.4% is nearly double the district rate and far above the state rate, though this dramatic jump from 34.4% a year earlier raises questions about consistency. Uwharrie Ridge Six-Twelve faces the steepest challenges: nearly universal poverty (99.27%), the highest chronic absenteeism (30.2%), and a state rank that fell from 385th to 553rd in two years. Despite small class sizes (12.0 student-teacher ratio), its EOC scores lag far behind, with Math III proficiency collapsing from 66.7% to 19.2%.

Poverty and absenteeism track closely with performance in this area. Wheatmore’s relative advantage in both areas enables stronger outcomes, while Uwharrie Ridge’s near-universal poverty and attendance struggles create major barriers. Interestingly, graduation rates remain fairly comparable—Wheatmore leads at 92.7%, while Trinity (88.8%) and Uwharrie Ridge (88.0%) stay near the state average. This shows that schools can push students to graduation even when proficiency rates are low. For parents, Wheatmore stands out as the strongest all-around choice, Trinity offers improving academics with a possible strength in math, and Uwharrie Ridge serves a distinctly high-need population where additional support likely matters more than standard test scores.