Best Public Schools in Zip Code 27375

ZIP code 27375 in North Carolina is served by three public schools — Wentworth Elementary (K–5), Rockingham County High (9–12), and Rockingham County Early College High (9–12) — all part of the Rockingham County Schools district, enrolling 1,719 students in a high-poverty area where roughly 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The district ranks 171st of 246 in North Carolina at the 30th percentile with a 2-star rating, but outcomes within this ZIP code vary dramatically.

The standout is Rockingham County Early College High, ranked 28th of 662 high schools statewide (96th percentile) with a 5-star rating. It posts near-perfect EOC proficiency — 100% Math I, 99% Math III, 97.7% Biology, and 96.5% English II — beating state averages by 30 to 58 percentage points and roughly doubling district averages. Despite serving the same ~99% low-income population, Rockingham County High earns just 2 stars (46th percentile) and finishes well below state averages in Biology, Math I, and English II; its one bright spot is Math III at 78.3%. In between, Wentworth Elementary holds a 3-star rating (52nd percentile). Its 5th graders outperform the state in math (76.3% vs. 62.9%) and science (78.8% vs. 67.7%), but only 41.7% of 3rd graders read on grade level, well below the state's 55.6%.

Parents should note two surprising patterns. Attendance does not predict achievement here: Rockingham County Early College High has the highest chronic absenteeism rate (40.2%) yet the strongest scores, while Rockingham County High (33.9%) posts far weaker results. Also encouraging, Rockingham County High is improving quickly — Math I proficiency nearly doubled from 21.3% to 40.4% in one year — but it still trails the state. The Early College proves that high-poverty students can achieve at elite levels, and Wentworth shows elementary students thriving in math and science. The biggest red flags are early-grade literacy at Wentworth and the absence of any middle school in this ZIP code, which could disrupt the transition from elementary to high school.