The reported proficiency rate for Science is 10%.
Original Research by School Decision on H L Trigg Community
H L Trigg Community is a small alternative public school in Elizabeth City serving grades 9 through 12. The school has an enrollment of about three dozen students, making it a highly compact setting. Almost all students enrolled qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a population with substantial economic need. The student body is diverse by race and ethnicity, with roughly equal shares of Black, White, and Hispanic students.
The school occupies a distinctive position in the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools district. Alternative schools serve students who, for various reasons, thrive better outside a traditional classroom structure. Parents considering H L Trigg should understand that this is a specialized pathway, not a general high school, and the school works with the students it enrolls rather than drawing from the full secondary population.
State testing data for the school is limited and uneven. Science results from 2016-17 showed proficiency near the very low end. Math and reading (ELA) data from 2018-19 fall below even the lowest reportable range, meaning fewer than a handful of students achieved proficiency in either subject that year. These numbers reflect both the small student population taking tests and the reality that alternative-school students often enter with significant academic gaps. State testing is not the full measure of what an alternative school does; the school's purpose includes re-engagement and credits toward graduation for students who have struggled in mainstream settings. A parent interested in whether the school is helping students progress, graduate, or move toward postsecondary pathways would want to ask the school directly about outcomes beyond state test scores, such as graduation completion, credit recovery, and post-school placement.
The school sits in Elizabeth City, a historic port town along the Pasquotank River anchored by the U.S. Coast Guard presence, Elizabeth City State University, and a newly rebuilt Sentara hospital. The downtown core has undergone revitalization in recent years with new restaurants and shops along the waterfront, and suburban development is active on the city's edge with new home construction in communities like Tooley Harbor and Stockbridge. The housing market is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks, with median home values and rents both roughly below state comparables.
The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank district has experienced enrollment decline over the past several years, leading to the closure of Pasquotank Elementary at the end of 2023-24 and reassignment of its students to other buildings. The district is also rolling out a Spanish Dual Language Immersion program starting in kindergarten at all elementary schools, with a planned K-12 pathway including middle school International Baccalaureate and high school IB diploma options. These changes reshape the district's elementary and secondary offerings but do not directly alter the position or purpose of H L Trigg.
For families weighing H L Trigg, the central question is fit: whether an alternative-school model, with its focus on individualized pacing and credit recovery, matches a student's needs and learning style. The small size and economic profile of the enrollment suggest a school built for students facing substantial barriers in traditional high school, not a general option for all secondary students.
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