Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 28 schools in district

Western Harnett High

10637 NC Hwy 27 West, Lillington, NC 27546Harnett County Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,386
Students
Total enrolled
86%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$11,473
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 20% vs nat'l
18.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 23% vs nat'l
33/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 34% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,386 students in grades 09–12 in Lillington, North Carolina.
20% below average funding
District spends $11,473 per pupil, 20% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 33th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Western Harnett High is a very large high in Lillington, North Carolina, serving grades 09–12 with 1,386 students. The district invests $11,473 per student — 20% below the national average of $14,347, with a 18.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 60% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 33/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Western Harnett High

1,386
Total Students
18.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
60%
Free Lunch
73
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution702 male · 684 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility60%
National avg 52% · 827 students
Student Composition
48%
27%
17%
Asian1%
White48%
Hispanic / Latino27%
Black17%
Multiracial6%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370201000894

Academic Outcomes at Western Harnett High

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
86
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
86%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
33
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 33th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 6th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 27546

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,473Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,473
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,048
Student Support$2,180
Administration$1,377
Operations$1,721
Other$1,147
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,473 spent per student, an estimated $5,082 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
62%
State government
62.0%
Local (property tax)
13.4%
Federal programs
24.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 86% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $11,473/student, 20% less than the national average
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (33/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Benhaven ElementaryOverhills ElementaryHighland ElementaryDunn Elementary
+11 more
↓
Middle
Harnett Central MiddleHighland MiddleWestern Harnett MiddleOverhills Middle
+2 more
↓
High School
Overhills HighHarnett Central HighTriton HighHarnett County Early College
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyHarnett County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictHarnett County Schools →
Phone: (919)499-5113
NCES ID: 370201000894
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Lillington seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Harnett County Schools
High
Overhills High
1,971 students · 09–12
47% FRL
High
Harnett Central High
1,474 students · 09–12
56% FRL
High
Triton High
1,287 students · 09–12
● 34 opp63% FRL
Elem
Benhaven Elementary
1,030 students · PK–05
45% FRL
Mid
Harnett Central Middle
1,024 students · 06–08
63% FRL
Elem
Overhills Elementary
930 students · PK–05
53% FRL
Elem
Highland Elementary
891 students · KG–05
● 38 opp53% FRL
Mid
Highland Middle
875 students · 06–08
64% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
10637 NC Hwy 27 West, Lillington, NC 27546
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.