Owen Middle

Summary:

Owen Middle is a public middle school located in Swannanoa, North Carolina, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 418. The school is part of the Buncombe County Schools district, which is ranked 107 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Owen Middle's academic performance, as measured by the percentage of students proficient or better on End-of-Grade (EOG) tests, is generally below the Buncombe County Schools and North Carolina state averages. The school's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from being ranked 246 out of 694 North Carolina middle schools in 2015-2016 to 544 out of 793 in 2023-2024, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with the school ranking particularly low for Hispanic, White, and English Language Learner students, but performing better for multi-racial and gifted and talented students.

When compared to the nearby middle schools in the Buncombe County Schools district, such as North Buncombe Middle and Cane Creek Middle, Owen Middle generally underperforms academically. The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Owen Middle (62.44%) is notably higher than the nearby schools, which range from 35.84% to 76.4%, suggesting that Owen Middle serves a more economically disadvantaged population, which may contribute to its lower academic performance. To address these challenges, the school and district may need to implement targeted interventions and support programs to improve student outcomes, particularly for underperforming subgroups.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 730 Old US 70
       Swannanoa, NC  28778


(828) 686-7739

District: Buncombe County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
544th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,287 Help


Students who attend Owen Middle usually attend:

High:    Middle College
    Nesbitt Discovery Academy
    Owen High

Feeder schools for Owen Middle:

Elementary:    Black Mountain Elementary
    Black Mountain Primary
    Williams Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  12.7 Help
Number of students:  435

Racial breakdown:

White:
70.6%
Hispanic:
18.4%
Two or more races:
4.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Owen Middle ranks worse than 68.6% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 6th among 7 ranked middle schools in the Buncombe County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33.56. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Owen Middle has the smallest middle school student body size in the Buncombe County Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (70.6%), Hispanic (18.4%), two or more races (4.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 99.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Owen Middle is 12.7, which is the 3rd best among 7 middle schools in the Buncombe County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Owen Middle employs 34.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Owen Middle is $10,287, which is the 3rd highest among 7 middle schools in the Buncombe County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Owen Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Owen Middle 544th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Owen Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Buncombe County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Buncombe County Schools 107th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Owen Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Owen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 72.10 142nd 598 76.3%
2007 71.42 154th 606 74.6%
2008 67.07 206th 620 66.8%
2009 57.40 322nd 630 48.9%
2010 54.32 356th 640 44.4%
2011 51.54 378th 648 41.7%
2012 49.54 403rd 662 39.1%
2013 63.34 208th 673 69.1%
2014 50.49 295th 627 53.0%
2015 54.09 321st 705 54.5%
2016 62.89 246th 692 64.5%
2017 63.23 246th 694 64.6%
2018 62.20 263rd 691 61.9%
2019 54.47 345th 737 53.2%
2021 51.11 344th 741 53.6%
2022 41.16 455th 786 42.1%
2023 37.78 484th 784 38.3%
2024 33.56 544th 793 31.4%
See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Owen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 33.45 175th 237 26.2%
2022 53.93 111th 283 60.8%
2024 57.13 117th 306 61.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Owen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 23.53 289th 318 9.1%
2024 19.14 335th 356 5.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Owen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 27.39 367th 473 22.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Owen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.82 162nd 604 73.2%
2019 64.17 181st 639 71.7%
2021 57.85 212th 633 66.5%
2022 48.16 323rd 689 53.1%
2023 35.39 499th 735 32.1%
2024 27.15 591st 743 20.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Owen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.93 268th 656 59.1%
2019 53.93 320th 684 53.2%
2021 45.59 366th 706 48.2%
2022 38.27 454th 733 38.1%
2023 37.11 457th 731 37.5%
2024 30.50 528th 738 28.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Owen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.26 114th 475 76.0%
2019 61.73 122nd 504 75.8%
2021 39.38 283rd 478 40.8%
2022 25.85 365th 449 18.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Owen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 51.09 268th 416 35.6%
2021 68.22 135th 448 69.9%
2022 60.48 198th 450 56.0%
2023 58.63 226th 452 50.0%
2024 53.22 274th 461 40.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Owen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.49 244th 665 63.3%
2019 52.05 339th 697 51.4%
2021 55.07 290th 711 59.2%
2022 43.22 422nd 748 43.6%
2023 36.61 478th 747 36.0%
2024 36.11 495th 751 34.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Owen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.59 180th 472 61.9%
2019 35.99 344th 493 30.2%
2021 37.94 341st 522 34.7%
2022 30.15 405th 541 25.1%
2023 32.87 402nd 553 27.3%
2024 20.46 492nd 564 12.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Owen Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.29 348th 596 41.6%
2019 36.46 432nd 624 30.8%
2021 33.56 426th 632 32.6%
2022 27.05 521st 658 20.8%
2023 22.48 549th 656 16.3%
2024 17.79 571st 652 12.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Owen Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Owen Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1992 637 31 11 0 1 n/a n/a 0 680
1993 680 30 13 0 1 n/a n/a 0 724
1994 679 38 15 0 2 n/a n/a 0 734
1995 691 42 5 1 1 n/a n/a 0 740
1996 691 42 5 1 1 n/a n/a 0 740
1997 686 34 6 2 2 n/a n/a 0 730
1998 733 36 4 3 2 n/a n/a 0 778
1999 744 44 6 9 1 n/a n/a 0 804
2000 700 53 6 10 0 n/a n/a 0 769
2001 649 53 4 10 2 n/a n/a 0 718
2002 607 49 3 11 3 n/a n/a 0 673
2003 607 49 3 11 3 n/a n/a 0 673
2004 605 55 2 16 5 n/a n/a 0 683
2005 599 57 2 21 4 n/a n/a 0 683
2006 618 51 4 29 3 n/a n/a 0 705
2007 589 34 1 31 3 n/a n/a 28 686
2008 554 27 3 35 3 n/a n/a 36 658
2009 525 62 7 37 4 n/a n/a 0 635
2010 527 59 8 44 2 n/a n/a 0 640
2011 478 32 8 59 5 0 22 0 604
2012 476 29 5 55 6 0 23 0 594
2013 462 28 3 60 6 0 29 0 588
2014 455 36 6 58 1 0 28 0 584
2015 458 31 7 60 1 0 27 0 584
2016 434 20 6 64 3 0 20 0 547
2017 419 23 2 62 4 0 19 0 529
2018 413 27 3 60 5 0 16 0 524
2019 410 23 2 77 4 0 22 0 538
2020 404 14 1 65 3 1 23 0 511
2021 356 13 2 68 1 1 24 0 465
2022 324 23 1 76 3 1 29 0 457
2023 295 23 4 77 3 1 15 0 418
2024 307 19 3 80 4 2 20 0 435

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Owen Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 680 25.0 27.2 16.6
1993 724 44.0 16.5 28
1994 734 44.0 16.7 32.6
1995 740 46.0 16.1 23.1
1996 740 46.0 16.1 23.1
1997 730 46.0 15.9 20.4
1998 778 49.0 15.9 21.6
1999 804 50.0 16.1 32.2
2000 769 58.0 13.3 34.9
2001 718 58.0 12.4 31.8
2002 673 58.0 11.6 38.5
2003 673 58.0 11.6 38.5
2004 683 58.0 11.8 39.7
2005 683 58.0 11.8 42
2006 705 58.0 12.2 43.1
2007 686 51.5 13.3 47.3
2008 658 49.3 13.3 49.7
2009 635 46.8 13.6 48.5
2010 640 46.0 13.9 55.6
2011 604 44.3 13.6 55.8
2012 594 43.7 13.5 57.1
2013 588 43.6 13.4 59.4
2014 584 43.9 13.2 62.3
2015 584 43.0 13.5 61.1
2016 547 42.0 13.0 59.2
2017 529 40.8 12.9 59.4
2018 524 38.8 13.5 55.9
2019 538 37.6 14.2 53.7
2020 511 38.7 13.2 53.4
2021 465 38.0 12.2 41.7
2022 457 34.8 13.1 49.5
2023 418 36.1 11.5 62.4
2024 435 34.2 12.7 99.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Owen Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 680 25.0 27.2 16.6
1993 724 44.0 16.5 28
1994 734 44.0 16.7 32.6
1995 740 46.0 16.1 23.1
1996 740 46.0 16.1 23.1
1997 730 46.0 15.9 20.4
1998 778 49.0 15.9 21.6
1999 804 50.0 16.1 32.2
2000 769 58.0 13.3 34.9
2001 718 58.0 12.4 31.8
2002 673 58.0 11.6 38.5
2003 673 58.0 11.6 38.5
2004 683 58.0 11.8 39.7
2005 683 58.0 11.8 42
2006 705 58.0 12.2 43.1
2007 686 51.5 13.3 47.3
2008 658 49.3 13.3 49.7
2009 635 46.8 13.6 48.5
2010 640 46.0 13.9 55.6
2011 604 44.3 13.6 55.8
2012 594 43.7 13.5 57.1
2013 588 43.6 13.4 59.4
2014 584 43.9 13.2 62.3
2015 584 43.0 13.5 61.1
2016 547 42.0 13.0 59.2
2017 529 40.8 12.9 59.4
2018 524 38.8 13.5 55.9
2019 538 37.6 14.2 53.7
2020 511 38.7 13.2 53.4
2021 465 38.0 12.2 41.7
2022 457 34.8 13.1 49.5
2023 418 36.1 11.5 62.4
2024 435 34.2 12.7 99.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Owen Middle

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $730 (7.1%) $9,558 (92.9%) $10,287

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Owen Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 345th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 484th of 784 Middle schools
 14.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Owen Middle)6143.7
 17.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Buncombe County Schools)65.551.3
 14.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Owen Middle)54.545.2
 9.3%
   6th Grade Reading (Buncombe County Schools)61.847.9
 13.9%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Owen Middle)59.434.9
 24.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Buncombe County Schools)62.752.3
 10.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (Owen Middle)62.638.6
 24%
   7th Grade Reading (Buncombe County Schools)58.646.5
 12.1%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Owen Middle)51.231.6
 19.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Buncombe County Schools)54.652.8
 1.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (Owen Middle)51.247.8
 3.4%
   8th Grade Reading (Buncombe County Schools)54.452.2
 2.2%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (Owen Middle)82.572
 10.5%
   8th Grade Science (Buncombe County Schools)7973.5
 5.5%
   8th Grade Science (North Carolina)78.670.3
 8.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students538418
 22.3%
African American2323
American Indian43
 25%
Asian24
 100%
Hispanic7777
Pacific Islander01
White410295
 28%
Two or More Races2215
 31.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients53.7%62.4%
 8.7%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Owen Middle

Owen Middle ranks 544th of 793 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Owen Middle are 71% White, 18% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% African American.

In the 2023-24 school year, 435 students attended Owen Middle.

Students who attend Owen Middle usually go on to attend Middle College


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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