Best Public Schools in Durham, NH

Durham, New Hampshire, has three listed schools serving grades prekindergarten through 12 within the highly rated Oyster River Coop School District. The schools include a small preschool program, a middle school for grades 5–8, and a high school for grades 9–12; the list does not include a traditional elementary school for grades 1–4. Together, the schools enroll about 1,440 students, with most students attending Oyster River High School or Oyster River Middle School.

Overall, the district is one of New Hampshire’s stronger school systems, ranking 11th out of 166 districts and in the 93rd percentile. Oyster River High School stands out for its 99% graduation rate and zero reported dropout rate. Reading is its strongest academic area, with 82% of students proficient, while mathematics is a relative weakness at 51%, especially compared with the district’s 69% result. Even so, the high school remains well above state averages in every reported subject and ranks in the state’s upper tier.

Oyster River Middle School offers the most balanced academic performance, with 69% proficiency in mathematics, 71% in reading, and 59% in science—well above state averages in all three subjects. Its student-teacher ratio of 9.9 is also lower than the high school’s 12.3. Seventh grade is the strongest middle-school year in mathematics and reading, while sixth grade is the main area to watch. The Oyster River Preschool Education Program is a small PK–K program with 30 students and is not directly comparable on test scores. Recent declines in reading and science at both secondary schools may merit attention, but both schools remain highly ranked statewide.