Durham Public Schools serves about 29,700 students. In 2025-26, 53.2% of its state tests were at grade level, against 59.2% statewide. DPS: 919-560-2000.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts on this page come from Durham Public Schools and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
Every public school in Durham, with its zone and report card: Durham public schools guide.
Durham Public Schools runs the public schools for the city of Durham and all of Durham County, one district with one school board. In its first month of 2025-26 it counted 29,710 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, plus 601 in pre-K.
Who to call
- Durham Public Schools: 919-560-2000, Fuller Administration Building, 511 Cleveland St.
- Enrollment and school assignment: Office of Student Assignment, 919-560-2059
- Enrollment help in other languages: ESL Registration Center, 919-560-2559
- Test scores and data: Research and Accountability, 919-560-9498
- School board questions: 919-560-2502 or boe@dpsnc.net
Enrolling
DPS enrollment is online. From the district’s enrollment page:
- Check eligibility. Kindergartners must be 5 on or before Aug. 31. Older students must be under 21 on the first day of school.
- Find your base school with the school locator or by calling 919-560-2059. DPS also offers magnet and application schools through a lottery; the student assignment site explains the choices.
- Gather documents: a parent or guardian photo ID, proof of Durham County residency in the parent’s name, the child’s birth certificate or custody papers, and immunization records or the N.C. Health Assessment Form.
- Enroll through the 2026-27 online portal, which is for kindergartners and students new to DPS.
How the schools score
The state reports the share of end-of-grade and end-of-course tests scored at grade level (Level 3 or above). In 2025-26, DPS students reached that bar on 53.2% of tests, below the 59.2% statewide, according to the state’s 2025-26 assessment data. The district’s four-year graduation rate was 80.5%, against 89% statewide.
| DPS high school | Tests at grade level | Four-year graduation rate |
|---|---|---|
| C.E. Jordan High | 57.9% | 82.7% |
| Riverside High | 47.5% | 77.1% |
| Hillside High | 41.2% | 74.5% |
| Northern High | 33.4% | 75.9% |
| Durham School of the Arts (grades 6-12) | 77.4% | Above 95% |
Scores vary widely across the district. Among DPS schools with regular test results, City of Medicine Academy (above 95%), J.D. Clement Early College High (92%) and Durham School of the Arts (77.4%) were highest; Mangum Elementary led the elementary schools at 76.1%. Scores measure test results, not everything a school does. Look up any school, including its state-assigned performance grade and growth rating, on the N.C. School Report Cards site.
The 2026-27 calendar
From the district’s 2026-27 calendars (traditional schools; year-round schools and Durham’s early colleges have their own):
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| Friday, Oct. 23 | End of first marking period |
| Monday, Nov. 2, and Tuesday, Nov. 3 | No school for students (teacher workdays) |
| Wednesday, Nov. 11 | Veterans Day holiday |
| Monday, Nov. 23, to Friday, Nov. 27 | Thanksgiving break |
| Wednesday, Dec. 9 | Early release |
| Monday, Dec. 21, to Friday, Jan. 1 | Winter break |
| Monday, Jan. 18, and Tuesday, Jan. 19 | MLK Day holiday, then a teacher workday |
| Wednesday, Feb. 10 | No school for students (teacher workday) |
| Monday, March 22, to Friday, March 26 | Spring break |
| Monday, April 5, and Wednesday, April 28 | No school for students (teacher workdays) |
| Monday, May 31 | Memorial Day holiday |
| Wednesday, June 9 | Last day of school, early release |
The district’s bell schedule page lists start and end times by school.
School board meetings
The seven-member Board of Education is nonpartisan: one member at large, four from districts and two from consolidated districts, for four-year staggered terms. Work sessions start at 5:30 p.m. and regular meetings at 6:30 p.m. at the Fuller Administration Building, 511 Cleveland St., and stream on the board’s YouTube channel. Public comment is in person; sign up on site.
Coming up, from the meeting schedule:
- Monday, Oct. 12: board retreat, 9 a.m., Durham Chamber of Commerce (not streamed, no public comment)
- Tuesday, Oct. 13: joint meeting with City Council and the county commissioners, 9:30 a.m., City Hall
- Thursday, Nov. 5: work session; Thursday, Nov. 19: regular meeting
- Thursday, Dec. 10: work session
Agendas are on the board’s Diligent Community portal.
What this means for you
- New to Durham? Find your base school with your address, then enroll online.
- Thanksgiving break is the full week of Nov. 23; winter break runs Dec. 21 to Jan. 1.
- Compare schools on the state report cards before the magnet lottery opens.
More: moving to Durham, Friday night football and property taxes.
Which schools 12 Durham neighborhoods are zoned for is in our neighborhoods guide.
Frequently asked questions
What school district is Durham in?
Durham Public Schools serves the city of Durham and all of Durham County. Its central office is the Fuller Administration Building at 511 Cleveland St.; the main number is 919-560-2000.
How do I find my child’s school in Durham?
Use the school locator on the city-county map site with your address, or call the DPS Office of Student Assignment at 919-560-2059. DPS also runs a lottery for magnet and application schools.
When is the last day of school for Durham Public Schools?
On the 2026-27 traditional calendar, the last day of school is Wednesday, June 9, 2027, an early release day. Year-round schools follow a separate calendar.
How do Durham Public Schools test scores compare?
In 2025-26, DPS students scored at grade level on 53.2% of state tests, compared with 59.2% statewide, according to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. The four-year graduation rate was 80.5%.
When does the Durham school board meet?
The Board of Education holds work sessions at 5:30 p.m. and regular meetings at 6:30 p.m., generally on Thursdays, at the Fuller Administration Building. The next work session is Thursday, Nov. 5, and the next regular meeting is Thursday, Nov. 19.
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