Public schools in Chapel Hill, NC
22 open public schools with an address in Chapel Hill, operated by 4 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
22
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
12,320
22 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.3:1
North Carolina median 15.4:1
Charter schools
1
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Chapel Hill public schools
The federal directory lists 22 public schools in Chapel Hill, NC: 12 elementary, 5 middle, 3 high, 2 combined or other. The 22 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 12,320 students, an average of 560 per school. The largest campus is Chapel Hill High (1,608 students), and the largest elementary school is North Chatham Elementary (588).
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools operates the most schools here (18), and 3 regular districts have at least one Chapel Hill campus, plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 12.3:1, lower than the statewide school median of 15.4:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school, 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 35% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
Public school district
18 schools in Chapel Hill · 20 total
Chatham County Schools
Public school district
2 schools in Chapel Hill · 21 total
Orange County Schools
Public school district
1 school in Chapel Hill · 13 total
Woods Charter School
Independent charter agency
1 school in Chapel Hill
Elementary schools in Chapel Hill
12| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ephesus Elementary Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | PK–05 | 410 | 12.6:1 | |
| Estes Hills Elementary Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | PK–05 | 336 | 10.9:1 | |
| FPG Elementary Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 536 | 13.3:1 | |
| Glenwood Elementary Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | KG–05 | 390 | 12:1 | |
| McDougle Elementary Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | PK–05 | 497 | 12.9:1 | |
| Morris Grove Elementary Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | PK–05 | 383 | 12.2:1 | |
| New Hope Elementary Orange County Schools | PK–05 | 528 | 11.6:1 | |
| North Chatham Elementary Chatham County Schools | PK–05 | 588 | 12.8:1 | |
| Northside Elementary Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | PK–05 | 412 | 12.9:1 | |
| Rashkis Elementary Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | PK–05 | 455 | 12.9:1 | |
| Scroggs Elementary Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | PK–05 | 410 | 12.1:1 | |
| Seawell Elementary Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | PK–05 | 416 | 12.4:1 |
Middle schools in Chapel Hill
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culbreth Middle Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | 06–08 | 632 | 12.1:1 | |
| Margaret B. Pollard Middle Chatham County Schools | 06–08 | 736 | 16.7:1 | |
| McDougle Middle Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | 06–08 | 659 | 11.6:1 | |
| Phillips Middle Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | 06–08 | 600 | 11.5:1 | |
| Smith Middle Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | 06–08 | 763 | 13.7:1 |
High schools in Chapel Hill
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chapel Hill High Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | 09–12 | 1,608 | 15.9:1 | |
| East Chapel Hill High Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | 09–12 | 1,419 | 16.3:1 | |
| Phoenix Academy High Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools · Alternative School | 09–12 | 27 | 2.7:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Chapel Hill
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNC Hospital School Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | PK–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Woods Charter Woods Charter School · Charter | KG–12 | 515 | 9.5:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White48.2%
- Hispanic19.6%
- Black11.5%
- Asian12.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial7.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 21 Chapel Hill schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (12,320 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Chapel Hill
How many public schools are in Chapel Hill, NC?
The current NCES directory lists 22 open public schools with a location address in Chapel Hill: 12 elementary, 5 middle, 3 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 12,320 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Chapel Hill?
Schools with an address in Chapel Hill belong to 4 education agencies, led by Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (18 schools), Chatham County Schools (2 schools), Orange County Schools (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Chapel Hill?
Chapel Hill High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Chapel Hill, with 1,608 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Chapel Hill?
Yes. 1 of the 22 public schools in Chapel Hill are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Woods Charter. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Chapel Hill schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Chapel Hill public schools is 12.3:1, lower than the North Carolina school median of 15.4:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Chapel Hill guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby North Carolina cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All North Carolina cities