James E Shepard Middle

Summary:

James E Shepard Middle is a public magnet middle school serving grades 6-8 in Durham, North Carolina, with a student population of 381. The school is part of the Durham Public Schools district, which is ranked 163 out of 242 districts in the state.

James E Shepard Middle stands out for its diverse student body, with a significantly higher percentage of African American (61.68%) and Hispanic (33.07%) students compared to surrounding schools. While the school has struggled in the past, ranking in the bottom half of North Carolina middle schools, it has shown steady improvement in recent years, now ranking 378 out of 784 middle schools and earning a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's exceptional performance for its African American, Hispanic, and English Language Learner (ELL) student populations is a notable strength, suggesting the school is effectively addressing the needs of these historically underserved groups.

Despite the school's progress, it still faces socioeconomic challenges, with 75.59% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. When compared to other middle schools in the Durham Public Schools district, James E Shepard Middle generally performs better than schools like Lucas Middle, George L Carrington Middle, and Brogden Middle, but lags behind higher-performing schools like Sherwood Githens Middle and Rogers-Herr Middle. Focusing on improving math and reading proficiency for all students could be an area of focus for the school as it continues to enhance its overall academic performance.


Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

 2401 Dakota Street
       Durham, NC  27707-4215


(919) 560-3938

District: Durham Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
416th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,998 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  12.0 Help
Number of students:  381

Racial breakdown:

African American:
61.7%
Hispanic:
33.1%
White:
2.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  75.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details James E Shepard Middle ranks worse than 52.5% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 3rd among 9 ranked middle schools in the Durham Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 47.73. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (61.7%), Hispanic (33.1%), two or more races (2.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 75.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James E Shepard Middle is 12, which is the 2nd best among 9 middle schools in the Durham Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare James E Shepard Middle employs 31.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at James E Shepard Middle is $11,998, which is the 4th highest among 9 middle schools in the Durham Public Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

James E Shepard Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks James E Shepard Middle 416th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See James E Shepard 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:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


Durham Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Durham Public Schools 163rd of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for James E Shepard Middle

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Rank History for all students at James E Shepard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 42.33 408th 598 31.8%
2007 44.56 400th 606 34.0%
2008 40.88 408th 620 34.2%
2009 40.98 432nd 630 31.4%
2010 42.97 424th 640 33.8%
2011 36.03 474th 648 26.9%
2012 32.38 503rd 662 24.0%
2013 23.46 521st 673 22.6%
2014 10.83 575th 627 8.3%
2015 24.50 551st 705 21.8%
2016 11.60 628th 692 9.2%
2017 10.19 641st 694 7.6%
2018 9.47 637th 691 7.8%
2019 12.57 664th 737 9.9%
2021 14.61 649th 741 12.4%
2022 46.33 407th 786 48.2%
2023 50.25 378th 784 51.8%
2024 47.73 416th 793 47.5%
See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at James E Shepard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 43.77 99th 211 53.1%
2021 32.56 172nd 236 27.1%
2022 66.24 49th 312 84.3%
2023 58.59 71st 318 77.7%
2024 63.21 67th 356 81.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at James E Shepard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 48.21 186th 473 60.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James E Shepard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.60 552nd 604 8.6%
2019 21.17 551st 639 13.8%
2021 27.00 480th 633 24.2%
2022 61.13 217th 689 68.5%
2023 61.64 224th 735 69.5%
2024 54.75 304th 743 59.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at James E Shepard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.33 635th 656 3.2%
2019 7.29 654th 684 4.4%
2021 15.62 623rd 706 11.8%
2022 47.80 368th 733 49.8%
2023 43.66 408th 731 44.2%
2024 48.50 380th 738 48.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at James E Shepard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.32 472nd 475 0.6%
2019 20.06 468th 504 7.1%
2021 21.00 448th 478 6.3%
2022 52.15 142nd 449 68.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at James E Shepard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 2.33 127th 127 0.0%
2019 8.50 413th 416 0.7%
2021 21.59 415th 448 7.4%
2022 54.58 254th 450 43.6%
2023 76.94 15th 452 96.7%
2024 44.72 339th 461 26.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at James E Shepard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.21 608th 665 8.6%
2019 17.75 604th 697 13.3%
2021 15.35 629th 711 11.5%
2022 41.47 440th 748 41.2%
2023 54.56 314th 747 58.0%
2024 44.61 420th 751 44.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at James E Shepard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.96 424th 494 14.2%
2019 24.02 447th 519 13.9%
2021 26.15 421st 533 21.0%
2022 63.10 134th 550 75.6%
2023 71.64 101st 559 81.9%
2024 68.89 124th 560 77.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at James E Shepard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.02 390th 472 17.4%
2019 32.24 372nd 493 24.5%
2021 30.60 385th 522 26.2%
2022 75.88 78th 541 85.6%
2023 72.29 99th 553 82.1%
2024 72.16 100th 564 82.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic 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.

James E Shepard 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 James E Shepard Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1993 0 415 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 415
1994 0 394 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 396
1995 28 293 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 325
1996 28 293 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 325
1997 58 213 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 275
1998 101 204 6 2 0 n/a n/a 0 313
1999 127 230 8 4 0 n/a n/a 0 369
2000 125 258 6 9 0 n/a n/a 0 398
2001 104 293 7 8 0 n/a n/a 0 412
2002 68 351 15 6 3 n/a n/a 0 443
2003 68 351 15 6 3 n/a n/a 0 443
2004 51 346 12 11 3 n/a n/a 0 423
2005 52 358 14 19 2 n/a n/a 0 445
2006 33 376 9 24 1 n/a n/a 0 443
2007 21 354 6 28 0 n/a n/a 8 417
2008 13 354 4 39 0 n/a n/a 15 425
2009 10 394 3 44 0 n/a n/a 0 451
2010 5 356 4 47 0 n/a n/a 0 412
2011 5 376 4 47 0 0 3 0 435
2012 8 409 1 75 0 0 3 0 496
2013 6 399 5 106 0 0 3 0 519
2014 5 397 5 115 1 0 3 0 526
2015 4 390 6 118 0 0 6 0 524
2016 2 374 3 123 2 0 8 0 512
2017 4 293 4 142 1 0 8 0 452
2018 3 303 5 148 1 0 6 0 466
2019 7 284 4 152 1 0 5 0 453
2020 5 282 4 141 1 0 18 0 451
2021 8 268 5 146 0 0 10 0 437
2022 5 247 4 146 0 0 7 0 409
2023 9 235 2 126 0 0 9 0 381

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 James E Shepard Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 415 29.0 14.3 46.5
1994 396 32.0 12.4 55.8
1995 325 33.0 9.8 71.1
1996 325 33.0 9.8 71.1
1997 275 32.0 8.6 50.5
1998 313 35.0 8.9 34.2
1999 369 35.0 10.5 40.1
2000 398 35.0 11.4 28.4
2001 412 35.0 11.8 28.2
2002 443 35.0 12.7 0
2003 443 35.0 12.7 0
2004 423 35.0 12.1 48.9
2005 445 35.0 12.7 46.3
2006 443 35.0 12.7 48.1
2007 417 32.6 12.8 47.7
2008 425 31.6 13.4 54.9
2009 451 30.0 15.0 44.3
2010 412 29.5 13.9 59.2
2011 435 28.7 15.1 66.4
2012 496 30.0 16.5 69.4
2013 519 34.5 15.0 71.1
2014 526 35.5 14.8 72.6
2015 524 35.0 14.9 69.7
2016 512 33.0 15.5 75.2
2017 452 31.9 14.1 77.2
2018 466 31.8 14.6 74.5
2019 453 31.2 14.4 78.1
2020 451 32.5 13.8 67.2
2021 437 31.5 13.8 58.1
2022 409 32.5 12.5 58.7
2023 381 31.5 12.0 75.6

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 James E Shepard Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 415 29.0 14.3 46.5
1994 396 32.0 12.4 55.8
1995 325 33.0 9.8 71.1
1996 325 33.0 9.8 71.1
1997 275 32.0 8.6 50.5
1998 313 35.0 8.9 34.2
1999 369 35.0 10.5 40.1
2000 398 35.0 11.4 28.4
2001 412 35.0 11.8 28.2
2002 443 35.0 12.7 0
2003 443 35.0 12.7 0
2004 423 35.0 12.1 48.9
2005 445 35.0 12.7 46.3
2006 443 35.0 12.7 48.1
2007 417 32.6 12.8 47.7
2008 425 31.6 13.4 54.9
2009 451 30.0 15.0 44.3
2010 412 29.5 13.9 59.2
2011 435 28.7 15.1 66.4
2012 496 30.0 16.5 69.4
2013 519 34.5 15.0 71.1
2014 526 35.5 14.8 72.6
2015 524 35.0 14.9 69.7
2016 512 33.0 15.5 75.2
2017 452 31.9 14.1 77.2
2018 466 31.8 14.6 74.5
2019 453 31.2 14.4 78.1
2020 451 32.5 13.8 67.2
2021 437 31.5 13.8 58.1
2022 409 32.5 12.5 58.7
2023 381 31.5 12.0 75.6

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 James E Shepard Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,606 (13.4%) $10,392 (86.6%) $11,998

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

Impact of COVID-19 on James E Shepard 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 664th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 378th of 784 Middle schools
 41.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (James E Shepard Middle)35.949.6
 13.7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Durham Public Schools)48.645
 3.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (James E Shepard Middle)37.243.9
 6.7%
   6th Grade Reading (Durham Public Schools)51.846.3
 5.5%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (James E Shepard Middle)23.837.2
 13.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Durham Public Schools)45.743.9
 1.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (James E Shepard Middle)34.550
 15.5%
   7th Grade Reading (Durham Public Schools)49.445.7
 3.7%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (James E Shepard Middle)33.852.6
 18.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Durham Public Schools)43.937.4
 6.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (James E Shepard Middle)3250.4
 18.4%
   8th Grade Reading (Durham Public Schools)47.647.4
 0.2%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (James E Shepard Middle)60.171.4
 11.3%
   8th Grade Science (Durham Public Schools)68.563.6
 4.9%
   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 Students453381
 15.9%
African American284235
 17.3%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian42
 50%
Hispanic152126
 17.1%
Pacific Islander00
White79
 28.6%
Two or More Races59
 80%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients78.1%75.6%
 2.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about James E Shepard Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 381 students attended James E Shepard Middle.

James E Shepard Middle ranks 416th of 793 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at James E Shepard Middle are 62% African American, 33% Hispanic, 2% White, 2% Two or more races.


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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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