Durham School of the Arts, 401 N. Duke St.: grades 6 to 12, 1,745 students in 2024-25 and a B (81) state grade.
Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Sources: the school’s website, Durham Public Schools’ Growing Together school site, 2026-27 zone and region map, calendars and bell schedule, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2025-26 assessment data and report card data, the federal NCES school directory and the NCHSAA’s 2025-29 realignment.
Durham School of the Arts is a Durham Public Schools middle and high school for grades 6 to 12 at 401 N. Duke St. It has no attendance zone: students in grades 6 to 12 from anywhere in the county apply through the district’s magnet lottery for its arts program. The main building is the former Durham High School.
Who to call
- Front office: 919-560-3926, 401 N. Duke St.
- School website: www.dpsnc.net/o/durhamschoolofthearts
- Enrolling a new student: DPS Office of Student Assignment, 919-560-2059; enrollment page
- Which school is my address zoned for? the district’s school locator or the city-county Durham Public School Locator
- Buses: DPS Transportation; district main line 919-560-2000
| Address | 401 N. Duke St., Durham, NC 27701 |
| Phone | 919-560-3926 |
| Grades | 6 to 12 |
| Run by | Durham Public Schools |
| Program | Arts |
| Calendar | Traditional |
| Mascot | Bulldogs |
| State school code | 320323 |
Principal
Principal Donald Jones, according to the school’s website.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: an average daily membership of 1,745 students in the 2024-25 school year, down from 1,751 in 2023-24, according to the state’s report card data.
- Federal count: 1,767 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 110 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 16 students per teacher.
State report card
North Carolina gives every public school an A to F School Performance Grade, based 80% on achievement on state tests and other measures and 20% on academic growth, according to the state’s 2025-26 annual testing report.
| School year | Grade (score) | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | B (81) | Exceeded |
| 2023-24 | B (78) | Met |
The 2024-25 grade is the latest in the state’s downloadable report card data.
From the state’s 2025-26 school assessment data:
- At grade level or above, all state tests: 77.4% (state: 59.2%)
- College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 57.3% (state: 37.5%)
- ACT composite of 17 or higher, 11th graders: 77.5% (state: 54.5%)
- Four-year graduation rate: above 95% (state: 89%); the state does not publish exact rates above 95%
- Growth: exceeded expected growth
The full report card, with attendance, teacher and course data, is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site.
How admission works
Durham School of the Arts has no neighborhood attendance zone. Students apply through the district’s magnet and school-choice lottery. For 2026-27 the window ran Jan. 5 to 5 p.m. Jan. 30; the lottery page explains eligibility and the steps, and the school choices page lists every program.
DPS holds its Showcase of Schools, with every school represented, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at Northern High School, 4622 N. Roxboro Road, according to the district.
Calendar and bell times
Durham School of the Arts follows the district’s traditional calendar. Coming dates from the 2026-27 district calendars:
- Monday, Nov. 2, and Tuesday, Nov. 3: teacher workdays, no school for students
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day holiday
- Nov. 23-27: Thanksgiving break
- Dec. 21 to Jan. 1: winter break
- Monday, Jan. 18, and Tuesday, Jan. 19: MLK Day holiday, then a teacher workday
- March 22-26: spring break
- Wednesday, June 9: last day of school, an early release day
Bell times: 8:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., according to the district’s bell schedule.
Sports and activities
Durham School of the Arts is a 5A school in the NCHSAA’s 4A/5A Conference A for the 2025-29 alignment, with Carrboro, Cedar Ridge, Orange, Seaforth, South Granville and Webb, according to the approved realignment.
The Bulldogs’ teams and schedules are on the school’s athletics website.
Fall schedules and results are in our Friday night football guide and on our scoreboard.
More
- The school’s own website
- The district’s Growing Together page for Durham School of the Arts
- Every public school in Durham, with zones and report cards
- Our Durham schools guide for district calendars, enrollment and the school board
Frequently asked questions
What grades does Durham School of the Arts serve?
Durham School of the Arts serves grades 6 to 12, according to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
What is Durham School of the Arts’s school grade?
Durham School of the Arts earned a B, with a score of 81, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 77.4% of its state tests were at grade level or above.
How do students get into Durham School of the Arts?
Durham School of the Arts has no neighborhood attendance zone. Students apply through Durham Public Schools; the district’s lottery page explains the process.
What time does Durham School of the Arts start?
The school day runs 8:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., according to the district’s bell schedule.
What conference is Durham School of the Arts in?
Durham School of the Arts is a 5A school in the NCHSAA’s 4A/5A Conference A for the 2025-29 alignment, with Carrboro, Cedar Ridge, Orange, Seaforth, South Granville and Webb.
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