Walter R Johnson Middle

Summary:

Walter R Johnson Middle is a public middle school in Morganton, North Carolina, serving 465 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Burke County Schools district, which is ranked 110 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

Walter R Johnson Middle faces significant academic challenges, consistently underperforming compared to state and district averages in both mathematics and reading proficiency across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 6th-grade mathematics proficiency was 45.2%, compared to the district's 62.3% and the state's 54.3%. The school has been ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina middle schools, with a ranking of 598 out of 793 in the 2023-2024 school year, and has maintained a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with the school's African American students performing relatively well, while the Hispanic, White, and multi-racial students all perform poorly.

Compared to nearby middle schools in the McDowell County Schools and Caldwell County Schools districts, Walter R Johnson Middle consistently underperforms, particularly in mathematics and reading proficiency. The school also faces significant socioeconomic challenges, with 90.11% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year. Addressing these issues will likely require a comprehensive, data-driven approach that focuses on targeted interventions, professional development for teachers, and increased resources and support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 701 Lenoir Road
       Morganton, NC  28655


(828) 430-7340

District: Burke County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
598th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,789 Help


Students who attend Walter R Johnson Middle usually attend:

High:    Freedom High

Feeder schools for Walter R Johnson Middle:

Elementary:    Hillcrest Elementary
    Mountain View Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  14.2 Help
Number of students:  439

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
59.9%
White:
25.3%
African American:
6.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.3% Help


 See top rated North Carolina middle schools

 Compare Walter R Johnson Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Walter R Johnson Middle ranks worse than 75.4% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks last among 5 ranked middle schools in the Burke County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.52. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Walter R Johnson Middle has the smallest middle school student body size in the Burke County Schools District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (59.9%), White (25.3%), African American (6.8%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 99.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Walter R Johnson Middle is 14.2, which is the lowest among 5 middle schools in the Burke County Schools District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Walter R Johnson Middle employs 30.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Walter R Johnson Middle is $8,789, which is the 2nd highest among 5 middle schools in the Burke County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Walter R Johnson Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Walter R Johnson Middle 598th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Walter R Johnson Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Burke County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Burke County Schools 110th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Walter R Johnson Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 60.10 261st 598 56.4%
2007 66.66 204th 606 66.3%
2008 70.71 168th 620 72.9%
2009 64.18 242nd 630 61.6%
2010 67.28 214th 640 66.6%
2011 66.74 226th 648 65.1%
2012 63.72 270th 662 59.2%
2013 55.57 280th 673 58.4%
2014 64.84 190th 627 69.7%
2015 65.23 225th 705 68.1%
2016 59.83 275th 692 60.3%
2017 54.82 327th 694 52.9%
2018 54.27 333rd 691 51.8%
2019 41.09 460th 737 37.6%
2021 29.63 521st 741 29.7%
2022 24.32 614th 786 21.9%
2023 26.98 584th 784 25.5%
2024 26.52 598th 793 24.6%
See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.46 10th 221 95.5%
2019 29.27 191st 237 19.4%
2022 14.04 272nd 283 3.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.55 82nd 151 45.7%
2019 35.54 137th 211 35.1%
2022 20.13 296th 312 5.1%
2023 22.78 292nd 318 8.2%
2024 37.52 220th 356 38.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 40.08 250th 473 47.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.42 95th 604 84.3%
2019 55.78 250th 639 60.9%
2021 52.30 249th 633 60.7%
2022 41.09 397th 689 42.4%
2023 41.87 427th 735 41.9%
2024 42.60 413th 743 44.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.74 380th 656 42.1%
2019 31.36 511th 684 25.3%
2021 19.08 594th 706 15.9%
2022 19.48 623rd 733 15.0%
2023 20.83 607th 731 17.0%
2024 23.74 589th 738 20.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.28 332nd 475 30.1%
2019 25.39 432nd 504 14.3%
2021 36.15 318th 478 33.5%
2022 41.05 222nd 449 50.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 49.70 282nd 416 32.2%
2021 34.81 366th 448 18.3%
2022 52.44 267th 450 40.7%
2023 42.84 340th 452 24.8%
2024 44.79 338th 461 26.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.37 289th 665 56.5%
2019 47.23 387th 697 44.5%
2021 39.29 430th 711 39.5%
2022 27.44 557th 748 25.5%
2023 31.18 526th 747 29.6%
2024 27.91 565th 751 24.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 37.66 345th 519 33.5%
2021 51.83 195th 533 63.4%
2023 60.39 158th 559 71.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.34 209th 472 55.7%
2019 36.69 342nd 493 30.6%
2021 32.31 374th 522 28.4%
2022 21.93 463rd 541 14.4%
2023 33.01 401st 553 27.5%
2024 34.00 399th 564 29.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Walter R Johnson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.48 285th 596 52.2%
2019 51.29 304th 624 51.3%
2021 31.55 452nd 632 28.5%
2022 28.83 506th 658 23.1%
2023 12.27 624th 656 4.9%
2024 22.68 535th 652 17.9%
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.

Walter R Johnson Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
0%

50%

0%

50%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, March 14, 2022

Open Quote It was an excellent school before tablets were added and books were taken away. The children have a hard time remembering what is on a tablet, a book they can reference back to so much easier. Close Quote


by a parent
Friday, September 12, 2014

Open Quote I've given 2 stars based on first impressions. I hope they improve. Open house revealed a school that seemed unprepared for the school
year. Schedules for children were not ready, no locks in and other than home room teacher assignment no clear idea who other teachers
would be. Each teacher sent a "syllabus" home outlining rules for classroom. It would seem more advisable that teachers for each grade
would together have a standardized set of rules thus eliminating countless paper and confusion as to what is expected of students in each
class. Each teacher had their own bathroom use rule, one teacher had instructions on runny noses and tissue use, paper cuts and bandages,
use of classroom phone etc etc. Students not allowed use of locker between classes, tho when weighing my child's backpack it weighed 19
pounds. More than a fourth of her body weight. On her first week when she went to place her lunch bag in locker (despite still not having
locks) after lunch, a teacher told her she didn't need to be in locker and she should bring her lunch bag with her to class. I'm not sure what
the purpose of a locker is when access is extremely limited. The school has countless rules. I wasn't sure if we were sending her to
school or to military boot camp. I asked a teacher about specific tutoring programs and was given a non specific answer. These are just
a few of the instances that left me with less than impressed impression of school. It is early yet so maybe things will improve and if they do
I will improve my rating. The proof is in the pudding as they say. I will see how well they teach my child, if they engage her in the learning
process or if it is dry as dust. (One quick observation, while waiting in parking lot at school one day as I arrived early to pick up child, a
class came out to fly paper airplanes for an experiment of sorts. The teacher spent his time on cell phone instead of engaging with students.
Very disappointing. Time will tell. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Walter R Johnson Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2004 345 107 19 74 1 n/a n/a 0 546
2005 388 102 27 76 0 n/a n/a 0 593
2006 366 97 28 91 0 n/a n/a 0 582
2007 329 99 27 95 0 n/a n/a 23 573
2008 323 92 25 94 0 n/a n/a 22 556
2009 275 127 19 102 2 n/a n/a 0 525
2010 276 105 14 97 2 n/a n/a 0 494
2011 234 58 12 120 1 0 30 0 455
2012 258 63 9 123 1 0 25 0 479
2013 234 61 7 134 0 0 29 0 465
2014 229 53 9 130 0 0 21 0 442
2015 212 48 10 150 0 0 23 0 443
2016 197 40 11 166 0 4 25 0 443
2017 178 32 10 218 0 1 26 0 465
2018 145 30 8 253 0 3 25 0 464
2019 154 32 11 304 0 1 26 0 528
2020 139 31 12 316 0 1 32 0 531
2021 133 42 9 306 0 0 30 0 520
2022 138 38 6 279 0 0 28 0 489
2023 116 33 10 283 0 0 23 0 465
2024 111 30 8 263 0 0 27 0 439

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 Walter R Johnson Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 546 50.0 10.9 52.7
2005 593 47.0 12.6 53
2006 582 47.0 12.4 52.9
2007 573 39.9 14.4 59.6
2008 556 38.0 14.6 56.9
2009 525 39.4 13.3 60.2
2010 494 37.7 13.1 65
2011 455 34.2 13.2 67.9
2012 479 28.7 16.6 65.1
2013 465 33.1 14.0 71.2
2014 442 32.4 13.6 71.7
2015 443 30.0 14.7 71.3
2016 443 29.0 15.2 69.5
2017 465 29.5 15.7 76.1
2018 464 30.0 15.4 80.2
2019 528 33.1 15.9 81.3
2020 531 33.4 15.8 82.7
2021 520 34.2 15.1 72.9
2022 489 32.2 15.1 70.8
2023 465 32.5 14.2 90.1
2024 439 30.7 14.2 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 Walter R Johnson Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 546 50.0 10.9 52.7
2005 593 47.0 12.6 53
2006 582 47.0 12.4 52.9
2007 573 39.9 14.4 59.6
2008 556 38.0 14.6 56.9
2009 525 39.4 13.3 60.2
2010 494 37.7 13.1 65
2011 455 34.2 13.2 67.9
2012 479 28.7 16.6 65.1
2013 465 33.1 14.0 71.2
2014 442 32.4 13.6 71.7
2015 443 30.0 14.7 71.3
2016 443 29.0 15.2 69.5
2017 465 29.5 15.7 76.1
2018 464 30.0 15.4 80.2
2019 528 33.1 15.9 81.3
2020 531 33.4 15.8 82.7
2021 520 34.2 15.1 72.9
2022 489 32.2 15.1 70.8
2023 465 32.5 14.2 90.1
2024 439 30.7 14.2 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 Walter R Johnson Middle

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,074 (12.2%) $7,715 (87.8%) $8,788

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Walter R Johnson 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 460th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 584th of 784 Middle schools
 12.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Walter R Johnson Middle)45.841.6
 4.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Burke County Schools)60.257.1
 3.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Walter R Johnson Middle)52.631.7
 20.9%
   6th Grade Reading (Burke County Schools)6346.3
 16.7%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Walter R Johnson Middle)52.424.3
 28.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Burke County Schools)65.551.4
 14.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (Walter R Johnson Middle)51.533.8
 17.7%
   7th Grade Reading (Burke County Schools)59.647
 12.6%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Walter R Johnson Middle)59.337.6
 21.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Burke County Schools)5651.6
 4.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (Walter R Johnson Middle)48.837.2
 11.6%
   8th Grade Reading (Burke County Schools)57.553.2
 4.3%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (Walter R Johnson Middle)70.363.7
 6.6%
   8th Grade Science (Burke County Schools)83.276.1
 7.1%
   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 Students528465
 11.9%
African American3233
 3.1%
American Indian00
Asian1110
 9.1%
Hispanic304283
 6.9%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White154116
 24.7%
Two or More Races2623
 11.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients81.3%90.1%
 8.9%


Schools Near Walter R Johnson Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Walter R Johnson Middle

Students who attend Walter R Johnson Middle usually go on to attend Freedom High

In the 2023-24 school year, 439 students attended Walter R Johnson Middle.

Walter R Johnson Middle ranks in the bottom 24.6% of North Carolina middle schools.

Students at Walter R Johnson Middle are 60% Hispanic, 25% White, 7% African American, 6% Two or more races, 2% Asian.


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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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