Durham County, North Carolina, created in 1992 with the merger of Durham's previous two districts.
Durham's schools are traditionally named after notable members of the local community (such as George Watts or Rogers-Herr) or the area they are built in (such as Bethesda or Eno Valley), with exceptions for Jordan High and the Josephine Dobbs Clement Early College High School.
There are currently 46 public schools in the system, consisting of 28 elementary (K-5), 8 middle (6-8), 2 secondary (6-12), 7 high (9-12), and 1 hospital school. It is the 8th largest school system in the North Carolina.
Formation
In 1927, Hope Valley School was built for grades 1 through 11. It was the first government-run school in Southwestern Durham. Changes to the Hope Valley School facility were made in 1941 and 1952. the school was subsequently downgraded to an elementary school with the opening of Southern High School in the fall of 1956. In 1964, Jordan High School on Garrett Road was constructed.
Merger history
Prior to integration, it was commonly thought that the most prominent people attended the Durham City School System: 'whites' attended Durham High School and 'blacks' attended Hillside High School.
In 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke at Hillside High School, which was one of the Southeast's highest-ranked black high schools.
In 1957, the parents of Joycelyn McKissick and Elaine Richardson sued for their daughters to be reassigned to Durham High School of the Durham City School System.
In 1958, Rencher N. Harris became the first black member of Durham City Board of Education.
In 1959, the Durham City School Board allowed reassignment of eight black pupils to previously all-white schools. The first black students to integrate were Anita Brame and Lucy Jones at Brogden Junior High (now Brogden Middle School). In 1959, Joycelyn McKissick became the first African American student at Durham High School.
In 1968, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) sued the Durham County School System in order to integrate its schools. The Durham County School Board's integration plan was accepted by the Federal District Court in Greensboro. The plan stated that all high schools and junior high schools would be integrated in the fall of 1969. The Federal District Judge gave an extra year for elementary schools due to space limitations and the need to purchase mobile units.
Durham County School System's principals had all been hired during legal segregation, so there was much discussion in the community about how successful integration would be in Durham County. One problem that existed was at Southern High School whose principal was Sidney Ray. Southern High School's mascot was the Rebel, and the high school used the confederate flag. The mascot was later changed to the Spartan. There was less concern about Jordan High School because it had been attended by more affluent families of all colors.
In 1969, the U.S. Supreme Court in Alexander vs. Holmes County Board of Education reversed the decision of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, ruling that continued operation of segregated schools in Mississippi was no longer permissible. The NAACP filed suit in the Court of Appeals in Richmond saying, based on Alexander-Holmes Decision, they wanted all of Durham's elementary schools integrated. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to hear the case in December. The judge stated that Durham County and City Schools had been given 15 years to accomplish integration and had failed. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled integration would happen immediately.
In the fall of 1969, all three high schools (Southern, and C.E. Jordan, and Northern) and junior high schools were integrated as ordered. Durham City Schools' high schools were Durham High School and Hillside High School, which were at this time were still the largest public schools in both the city and county of Durham.
In 1970, Durham County elementary schools were fully integrated.
Durham City schools began to decline after integration. Middle- and upper-class began emigrating out of the Durham City School System to the Durham County School System. The Durham City School System became populated with poorer people. Hillside High School, almost entirely black, maintained a good number of middle-class blacks. Due to immense migration, blacks began to control the Durham City School System and elected a majority black school board and a black superintendent.
A merger attempt of the Durham City School System and the Durham County School System was made in 1972. There were several more attempt that failed to gain support. Finally, in 1992 an agreement was reached. During the merge, the Durham County School System's junior high (grades 7, 8 & 9) and senior high (10, 11, & 12) format was abolished and the Durham City School System's format of middle schools (grades 6, 7 and 8) and high schools (grades 9, 10, 11 and 12) was implemented.
In 1992, the Durham County School System and the Durham City School System merged to form Durham Public Schools.
Superintendency
January 2010 - June 2010 H. Hank Hurd (Interim Superintendent)
2006-2009 Dr. Carl E. Harris
1997-2006 Dr. Ann T. Denlinger
1994-2006 Theodore R. Drain
1992-1993 C. Owen Phillips
1992 Kenneth Brunson
Statistics
Durham Public Schools employs 4,600 people (2,300 of them teachers) and had 31,130 students as of the 20th day of school in 2006.
- Pre-Kindergarten: 257
- Grades K-5: 14,775
- Grades 6-8: 7,206
- Grades 9-12: 9,501
Teacher salaries range from $28,698 to $64,658.
32.6% of the government schools have made Adequate Yearly Progress toward No Child Left Behind's goals.
The government utilizes more than 300 school buses to transport over 16,000 students throughout Durham every day.
Demographics
- 55.1% "Black"
- 25.2% "White"
- 14.0% Hispanic
- 2.3% Asian
- 0.2% Native Indian
- 3.2% "Other"
Schools
High Schools (9-12)
Hillside
Main article: Hillside High School (Durham, North Carolina)Hillside High School (abbreviated HHS) is a four-year government high school. Of more than 300 historically black high schools that once operated in the state before desegregation, only five remain today, with Hillside being the oldest. Hillside is accredited by the Southern Association of Schools & Colleges. The school mascot is the hornet. Hillside is also known for their Performing Arts Department such as their award winning Marching Band and Drama Department.
Jordan
Main article: Charles E. Jordan High SchoolCharles E. Jordan High School (generally referred to as Jordan) is located on Garrett Road near Hope Valley Road in southwest Durham. The school mascot is the falcon. Jordan students come from many area middle schools such as Shepard, Githens, Lowe's Grove, and Rogers-Herr.
Northern
Main article: Northern High School (North Carolina)Northern High School is a four-year government high school located in the northern part of Durham. Northern's current principal is John Colclough. Approximately 1633 students are currently enrolled at Northern. Northern is one of Durham's seven government high schools. Students take 4 classes each day. Northern's mascot is a knight.
Riverside
Main article: Riverside High School (North Carolina)Riverside High School is a four-year government high school located in Northern Durham. The current principal is James F. Key III. Opened in 1991, the school currently has approximately 1935 students and is one of seven high schools in the Durham Public School System.
Southern
Main article: Southern High School (North Carolina)Southern High School is a four-year government high school located in southern Durham. Southern is a 4A school, and has prominent football, baseball, and basketball programs as well as the Symphonic Soul of the South Marching Band. There are currently 1574 students. Southern is, academically, one of the lower performing schools in Durham.
Middle College
Main article: Middle College High School at DTCCMiddle College High School is located on the campus of Durham Tech. This high school is only for juniors and seniors. There are currently 109 students.
Other High Schools
- Josephine Dobbs Clement Early College
District Website — Durham Public Schools
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