Neal Middle

Summary:

Neal Middle is a public magnet middle school in Durham, North Carolina, serving 789 students in grades 6-8. The school has a diverse student population, with a high percentage of African American and Hispanic students, and consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of North Carolina middle schools.

Neal Middle faces significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates on state tests that are well below the district and state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 27% of 6th-grade students were proficient in mathematics, compared to 46.4% in the Durham Public Schools district and 54.3% statewide. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students (over 99%) eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high concentration of students from low-income families. Despite this, Neal Middle's per-student spending of $12,097 is higher than most nearby schools, which range from $8,836 to $11,998 per student.

Interestingly, there are significant racial disparities in academic performance at Neal Middle. In the 2023-2024 school year, the proficiency rate for African American students in mathematics was 263 out of 560 North Carolina middle schools, while the rate for Hispanic students was 499 out of 564 schools. This suggests that the school may need to focus on addressing the unique needs and challenges faced by different student subgroups. Nearby schools, particularly the magnet schools like Rogers-Herr Middle and Lakewood Montessori Middle, demonstrate significantly higher academic performance than Neal Middle across all subject areas and grade levels, highlighting the potential impact of school choice and specialized programs on student outcomes.


Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

 201 Baptist Road
       Durham, NC  27704-8570


(919) 560-3955

District: Durham Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
677th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,097 Help


Students who attend Neal Middle usually attend:

High:    Southern School of Energy and Sustainabi

Feeder schools for Neal Middle:

Elementary:    Merrick-Moore Elementary
    Oak Grove Elementary
    Spring Valley Elementary
    Y E Smith Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  13.9 Help
Number of students:  789

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
50.4%
African American:
40.1%
White:
4.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.6% Help


 See top rated North Carolina middle schools

 Compare Neal Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Neal Middle ranks worse than 85.4% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 7th among 9 ranked middle schools in the Durham Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.99. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Neal Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Durham Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (50.4%), African American (40.1%), White (4.4%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 99.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Neal Middle is 13.9, which is the 4th best among 9 middle schools in the Durham Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Neal Middle employs 56.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Neal Middle is $12,097, which is the 3rd highest among 9 middle schools in the Durham Public Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Neal Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Neal Middle 677th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Neal 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:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Durham Public Schools:

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

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Neal Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 13.31 545th 598 8.9%
2007 7.44 572nd 606 5.6%
2008 5.16 586th 620 5.5%
2009 7.79 586th 630 7.0%
2010 11.10 595th 640 7.0%
2011 13.97 592nd 648 8.6%
2012 15.45 592nd 662 10.6%
2013 14.60 592nd 673 12.0%
2014 5.57 610th 627 2.7%
2015 11.49 631st 705 10.5%
2016 5.01 660th 692 4.6%
2017 6.98 657th 694 5.3%
2018 12.65 616th 691 10.9%
2019 12.45 665th 737 9.8%
2021 4.82 728th 741 1.8%
2022 8.25 738th 786 6.1%
2023 14.31 697th 784 11.1%
2024 17.99 677th 793 14.6%
See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 23.74 232nd 283 18.0%
2024 28.36 242nd 306 20.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 20.61 204th 211 3.3%
2022 14.68 309th 312 1.0%
2023 24.24 284th 318 10.7%
2024 26.57 293rd 356 17.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 25.68 392nd 473 17.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.16 504th 604 16.6%
2019 22.08 548th 639 14.2%
2021 7.12 624th 633 1.4%
2022 10.84 659th 689 4.4%
2023 19.68 642nd 735 12.7%
2024 23.66 623rd 743 16.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.96 607th 656 7.5%
2019 13.10 622nd 684 9.1%
2021 4.57 701st 706 0.7%
2022 8.46 702nd 733 4.2%
2023 12.07 680th 731 7.0%
2024 17.29 649th 738 12.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.17 378th 475 20.4%
2019 19.99 470th 504 6.7%
2021 29.58 371st 478 22.4%
2022 16.21 434th 449 3.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.35 118th 127 7.1%
2019 25.36 388th 416 6.7%
2022 10.06 443rd 450 1.6%
2023 26.39 418th 452 7.5%
2024 33.67 396th 461 14.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.30 601st 665 9.6%
2019 12.62 632nd 697 9.3%
2021 6.11 694th 711 2.4%
2022 9.34 705th 748 5.7%
2023 16.44 655th 747 12.3%
2024 18.22 639th 751 14.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.39 324th 494 34.4%
2019 26.74 423rd 519 18.5%
2021 15.86 503rd 533 5.6%
2022 28.60 427th 550 22.4%
2023 35.92 359th 559 35.8%
2024 47.25 263rd 560 53.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.48 441st 472 6.6%
2019 20.36 440th 493 10.8%
2021 6.54 516th 522 1.1%
2022 7.04 533rd 541 1.5%
2023 15.48 513th 553 7.2%
2024 19.35 499th 564 11.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Neal Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.40 459th 596 23.0%
2019 19.35 557th 624 10.7%
2022 44.01 373rd 658 43.3%
2023 32.58 466th 656 29.0%
2024 27.78 509th 652 21.9%
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.

Neal 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: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Monday, December 16, 2019

Open Quote I was once a student here, and let me just tell you that the staff, students, and administration are all so utterly poor that I suffered a severe mental breakdown here, to the point where I had to take a week off of school, and eventually up and leave in the end because it was all so bad. I wouldn't even send my worst enemy here. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Neal Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 400 161 1 0 2 n/a n/a 0 564
1989 411 244 5 3 2 n/a n/a 0 665
1990 425 297 8 1 2 n/a n/a 0 733
1991 413 322 7 1 2 n/a n/a 0 745
1992 426 359 6 3 0 n/a n/a 0 794
1993 430 375 7 8 2 n/a n/a 0 822
1994 399 404 6 15 1 n/a n/a 0 825
1995 304 485 5 18 2 n/a n/a 0 814
1996 304 485 5 18 2 n/a n/a 0 814
1997 291 469 4 21 1 n/a n/a 0 786
1998 275 506 4 34 0 n/a n/a 0 819
1999 259 509 7 72 1 n/a n/a 0 848
2000 245 514 5 82 1 n/a n/a 0 847
2001 231 546 3 84 0 n/a n/a 0 864
2002 167 569 2 67 3 n/a n/a 0 808
2003 167 569 2 67 3 n/a n/a 0 808
2004 138 589 4 82 0 n/a n/a 0 813
2005 120 591 3 95 2 n/a n/a 0 811
2006 85 642 2 109 2 n/a n/a 0 840
2007 55 575 1 125 4 n/a n/a 13 773
2008 37 497 2 139 4 n/a n/a 22 701
2009 30 447 3 140 2 n/a n/a 0 622
2010 34 459 1 134 0 n/a n/a 0 628
2011 34 415 1 153 0 0 15 0 618
2012 33 394 2 167 1 0 20 0 617
2013 41 494 1 229 0 0 10 0 775
2014 49 529 1 281 1 0 21 0 882
2015 49 470 6 310 2 4 16 0 857
2016 42 425 4 281 0 2 30 0 784
2017 41 374 8 307 1 3 25 0 759
2018 37 365 8 332 1 2 19 0 764
2019 35 362 9 362 1 3 17 0 789
2020 31 397 12 408 2 0 25 0 875
2021 34 387 8 381 2 0 19 0 831
2022 34 370 8 382 1 1 24 0 820
2023 35 316 12 398 0 1 27 0 789

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 Neal Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 564 47.0 12.0 16.5
1989 665 44.0 15.1 20.5
1990 733 57.0 12.8 16.5
1991 745 60.0 12.4 16.2
1992 794 61.0 13.0 18.8
1993 822 58.0 14.2 24.1
1994 825 58.0 14.2 27.3
1995 814 59.0 13.8 28.3
1996 814 59.0 13.8 28.3
1997 786 59.0 13.3 35.2
1998 819 66.0 12.4 33.8
1999 848 66.0 12.8 50.7
2000 847 66.0 12.8 44.2
2001 864 66.0 13.1 44.6
2002 808 66.0 12.2 0
2003 808 66.0 12.2 0
2004 813 66.0 12.3 53.9
2005 811 66.0 12.3 58
2006 840 66.0 12.7 58.3
2007 773 53.5 14.4 59.2
2008 701 50.3 13.9 72.9
2009 622 56.6 11.0 61.9
2010 628 46.5 13.5 73.9
2011 618 39.5 15.6 79.3
2012 617 44.0 14.0 82
2013 775 55.0 14.0 87.1
2014 882 59.0 14.9 84.8
2015 857 60.0 14.2 83.1
2016 784 62.0 12.6 79.1
2017 759 62.2 12.2 82.9
2018 764 57.2 13.3 73.4
2019 789 56.3 14.0 75.9
2020 875 56.4 15.5 99.7
2021 831 63.8 13.0 99.6
2022 820 62.6 13.0 99.6
2023 789 56.6 13.9 99.6

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 Neal Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 564 47.0 12.0 16.5
1989 665 44.0 15.1 20.5
1990 733 57.0 12.8 16.5
1991 745 60.0 12.4 16.2
1992 794 61.0 13.0 18.8
1993 822 58.0 14.2 24.1
1994 825 58.0 14.2 27.3
1995 814 59.0 13.8 28.3
1996 814 59.0 13.8 28.3
1997 786 59.0 13.3 35.2
1998 819 66.0 12.4 33.8
1999 848 66.0 12.8 50.7
2000 847 66.0 12.8 44.2
2001 864 66.0 13.1 44.6
2002 808 66.0 12.2 0
2003 808 66.0 12.2 0
2004 813 66.0 12.3 53.9
2005 811 66.0 12.3 58
2006 840 66.0 12.7 58.3
2007 773 53.5 14.4 59.2
2008 701 50.3 13.9 72.9
2009 622 56.6 11.0 61.9
2010 628 46.5 13.5 73.9
2011 618 39.5 15.6 79.3
2012 617 44.0 14.0 82
2013 775 55.0 14.0 87.1
2014 882 59.0 14.9 84.8
2015 857 60.0 14.2 83.1
2016 784 62.0 12.6 79.1
2017 759 62.2 12.2 82.9
2018 764 57.2 13.3 73.4
2019 789 56.3 14.0 75.9
2020 875 56.4 15.5 99.7
2021 831 63.8 13.0 99.6
2022 820 62.6 13.0 99.6
2023 789 56.6 13.9 99.6

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 Neal Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $2,570 (21.2%) $9,527 (78.8%) $12,097

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Neal 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 665th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 697th of 784 Middle schools
 1.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Neal Middle)34.521.8
 12.7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Durham Public Schools)48.645
 3.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Neal Middle)34.136.4
 2.3%
   6th Grade Reading (Durham Public Schools)51.846.3
 5.5%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Neal Middle)33.126.8
 6.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Durham Public Schools)45.743.9
 1.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (Neal Middle)41.531.1
 10.4%
   7th Grade Reading (Durham Public Schools)49.445.7
 3.7%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Neal Middle)269.6
 16.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Durham Public Schools)43.937.4
 6.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (Neal Middle)34.729.4
 5.3%
   8th Grade Reading (Durham Public Schools)47.647.4
 0.2%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (Neal Middle)55.252.4
 2.8%
   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 Students789789
African American362316
 12.7%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian912
 33.3%
Hispanic362398
 9.9%
Pacific Islander31
 66.7%
White3535
Two or More Races1727
 58.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients75.9%99.6%
 23.7%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Neal Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 789 students attended Neal Middle.

Neal Middle ranks in the bottom 14.6% of North Carolina middle schools.

Students at Neal Middle are 50% Hispanic, 40% African American, 4% White, 3% 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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