Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 20 schools in district

Phoenix Academy High

750 S Merritt Mill Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27516Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 08–12Non-Charter
25
Students
Total enrolled
52%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 40% vs nat'l
$17,566
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 22% vs nat'l
1.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 87% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 25 students in grades 08–12 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
22% above average funding
District spends $17,566 per pupil, 22% more than the national average of $14,347.
1.9 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

Phoenix Academy High is a small high in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, serving grades 08–12 with 25 students. The district invests $17,566 per student — 22% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 1.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 88% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The 52% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at Phoenix Academy High

25
Total Students
1.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
88%
Free Lunch
13
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (08–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution10 male · 15 female
40%
60%
Male 40%Female 60%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility88%
National avg 52% · 22 students
Student Composition
12%
20%
56%
12%
White12%
Hispanic / Latino20%
Black56%
Multiracial12%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370072003157

Academic Outcomes at Phoenix Academy High

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
50-54
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
52%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$17,566Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$17,566
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,729
Student Support$3,338
Administration$2,108
Operations$2,635
Other$1,757
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $17,566 spent per student, an estimated $7,782 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
43%
46%
State government
43.3%
Local (property tax)
46.2%
Federal programs
10.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $17,566/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 1.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 52% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • 88% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
FPG ElementaryCarrboro ElementarySeawell ElementaryMcDougle Elementary
+7 more
↓
Middle
Smith MiddleMcDougle MiddleCulbreth MiddlePhillips Middle
↓
High School
Chapel Hill HighEast Chapel Hill HighCarrboro High
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades08 – 12
Location—
CountyOrange County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictChapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools →
Phone: (919)918-2300
NCES ID: 370072003157
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Chapel Hill seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
High
Chapel Hill High
1,597 students · 09–12
25% FRL
High
East Chapel Hill High
1,447 students · 09–12
● 44 opp21% FRL
High
Carrboro High
870 students · 09–12
● 34 opp29% FRL
Mid
Smith Middle
768 students · 06–08
24% FRL
Mid
McDougle Middle
752 students · 06–08
28% FRL
Mid
Culbreth Middle
656 students · 06–08
33% FRL
Mid
Phillips Middle
609 students · 06–08
● 44 opp30% FRL
Elem
FPG Elementary
528 students · PK–05
40% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
750 S Merritt Mill Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.