Best High Schools in Zip Code 27407

Zip code 27407 in Greensboro, NC has two public high schools — Ben L. Smith High School and Academy at Smith — serving grades 9-12 within Guilford County Schools. Both schools serve student bodies where roughly 99 percent qualify for free or reduced lunch, yet the schools look very different. Ben L. Smith is a large comprehensive school with 1,348 students and a 16.1 student-teacher ratio; Academy at Smith enrolls just 246 students with a 12.4 ratio.

Academy at Smith is the standout academic performer. In 2025-26, it ranked 250th out of 662 high schools statewide (62nd percentile, three stars) and scored at or above the state average in all four End-of-Course subjects, including English II at 72.2 percent proficient and Math III at 84.5 percent. Ben L. Smith High School ranked 520th (21st percentile, one star) and was below both Guilford County Schools and the state in every subject. The gap is largest in English II, a 32.4-point difference, and Math III, a 24.1-point difference. Chronic absenteeism is starkly different: 54.1 percent at Ben L. Smith versus 16.0 percent at Academy at Smith, compared to a 24.2 percent state average. Ben L. Smith’s 83.5 percent graduation rate also trails the district’s 93.0 percent and the state’s 88.8 percent.

These differences matter because poverty levels are nearly identical at both schools. Academy at Smith spends roughly $3,500 more per student ($14,187 versus $10,645 in available data), has a lower student-teacher ratio, and keeps students in class far more consistently. Ben L. Smith High School has also been stuck in the bottom fifth of the state rankings for three consecutive years, pointing to deep, systemic challenges rather than a temporary dip. One important caveat: Academy at Smith may be a distinct program tied to Ben L. Smith High School, and the data do not indicate whether admissions or student selection differ. Parents exploring these schools should ask about attendance supports, school structure, and whether successful practices at the Academy could benefit the larger student body at Ben L. Smith High School.