Middle Schools in Durham Public Schools

The Durham Public Schools district in North Carolina is home to 9 middle schools serving grades 6-8, with a diverse range of academic performance and student demographics. While some schools like Rogers-Herr Middle and Lakewood Montessori Middle consistently rank among the top middle schools in the state, others like Lowe's Grove Middle and James E Shepard Middle struggle with lower test scores and higher rates of economic disadvantage.

The data reveals significant disparities in academic performance and other key metrics across the district's middle schools. The highest-performing schools, which are magnet programs, post exceptional test scores with 60-90% of students proficient or better in core subjects. In contrast, some schools have less than 30% of students meeting proficiency standards. This performance gap is closely tied to the schools' socioeconomic makeup, with the highest-poverty schools also having the lowest test scores.

Other notable findings include wide variations in student-teacher ratios, ranging from 10:1 to 15:1, and a diverse range of racial demographics across the schools. The Durham Public Schools district must address these inequities to ensure all students have access to a high-quality education, regardless of their school or background.