Summary:
Zip code 27709 is served by a single high school, Durham Early College of Health Sciences, which enrolls 164 students in grades 9–12 and is part of Durham Public Schools. With only one high school in the area, all attention falls on this small, specialized campus, where nearly the entire student body (98.17%) qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch—yet academic results consistently outpace both the district and the state.
In the 2025–2026 school year, the school beat Durham Public Schools by double-digit margins on every End-of-Course exam. The most remarkable outcome was a perfect 100% proficiency rate on Math III, compared to 59.7% for the district and 68.9% for the state. Biology was also a standout subject, with 81.8% proficient versus district and state rates of 49.3% and 58.5%, respectively. English II and Math I were strong as well, with the school scoring 69.8% and 50.0%—again above both comparison groups. These results fit the school’s health-sciences focus, especially the exceptional Biology performance, and suggest that the early-college model may be helping students succeed despite a very high-poverty profile.
That said, the school’s statewide ranking has dropped from 27th (5 stars) in 2021–2022 to 211th (3 stars) in 2025–2026, even as proficiency scores remain high—a reminder that rankings factor in measures beyond test scores. Math I, at 50% proficiency, is the relative weakness, possibly reflecting the broader mix of students taking that course. Because this is a tiny school of just 164 students, year-to-year rates can shift sharply, so families should look at the consistent multi-year pattern rather than any single metric. Overall, Durham Early College of Health Sciences stands out as a high-poverty school that is beating the odds academically, with particularly impressive results in advanced math and science.
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