Is Lucas Middle a good school?

Lucas Middle ranks in the bottom 19.7% of North Carolina middle schools.

How many students attend Lucas Middle?

In the 2022-23 school year, 371 students attended Lucas Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Lucas Middle?

Students at Lucas Middle are 48% African American, 33% Hispanic, 13% White, 5% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Lucas Middle attend?

Students who attend Lucas Middle usually go on to attend Northern High

Lucas Middle

Summary:

Lucas Middle is a public middle school located in Durham, North Carolina, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 371 students. The school is part of the Durham Public Schools district, which is ranked 163 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Lucas Middle faces significant academic challenges, as evidenced by its consistently low state rankings, test scores, and performance compared to nearby schools. The school has a diverse student population, with 47.71% African American, 33.42% Hispanic, and 13.21% White students. However, its academic performance, as measured by state standardized test scores, is consistently lower than the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of 8th-grade students proficient or better in Mathematics was 24%, compared to 40.8% for the district and 46.9% for the state. Additionally, Lucas Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom third of North Carolina middle schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most years.

When comparing Lucas Middle to other nearby schools in the Durham Public Schools district, it becomes evident that the school is underperforming academically compared to its peers. For example, Rogers-Herr Middle and Lakewood Montessori Middle, both magnet schools, have significantly higher test scores and state rankings than Lucas Middle. The high percentage of students from low-income families, as indicated by the free and reduced-lunch rates ranging from 53% to 69.81%, may be a contributing factor to the school's academic struggles. Additionally, the school's diverse racial composition and the performance gaps between subgroups suggest that addressing equity and inclusion could be important areas of focus for improvement.

Detail:

Public 6-8

923 Snow Hill Road
Durham, NC 27704

(919) 560-3843

District: Durham Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
637^th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,258

Students who attend Lucas Middle usually attend:

High:

Northern High

Feeder schools for Lucas Middle:

Elementary:	Eastway Elementary
	Little River K-8 School
	Mangum Elementary
	Sandy Ridge Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 10.2

Number of students: 371

Racial breakdown:

African American:

47.7%

Hispanic:

33.4%

White:

13.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 69.8%

See top rated North Carolina middle schools

Compare Lucas Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Lucas Middle ranks worse than 80.3% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 6^th among 9 ranked middle schools in the Durham Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.62. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Lucas Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (47.7%), Hispanic (33.4%), White (13.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 69.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lucas Middle is 10.2, which is the lowest among 9 middle schools in the Durham Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Lucas Middle employs 36 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lucas Middle is $11,258. 6 middle schools in the Durham Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Lucas Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Lucas Middle 637^th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Lucas 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:

White students:

Durham Public Schools:

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

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Lucas Middle

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Rank History for all students at Lucas Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2014	22.47	497^th	627	20.7%
2015	35.96	461^st	705	34.6%
2016	22.43	550^th	692	20.5%
2017	16.33	589^th	694	15.1%
2018	18.34	582^nd	691	15.8%
2019	27.58	573^rd	737	22.3%
2021	15.15	644^th	741	13.1%
2022	25.33	602^nd	786	23.4%
2023	23.35	630^th	784	19.6%
2024	22.62	637^th	793	19.7%

See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Lucas Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	16.44	209^th	211	0.9%
2022	33.39	214^th	312	31.4%
2023	37.18	195^th	318	38.7%
2024	25.76	301^st	356	15.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Lucas Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	39.84	251^st	473	46.9%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lucas Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	12.85	567^th	604	6.1%
2019	25.27	527^th	639	17.5%
2021	21.43	537^th	633	15.2%
2022	29.23	518^th	689	24.8%
2023	26.79	574^th	735	21.9%
2024	30.17	558^th	743	24.9%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Lucas Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	16.92	578^th	656	11.9%
2019	27.06	549^th	684	19.7%
2021	18.70	596^th	706	15.6%
2022	21.99	601^st	733	18.0%
2023	27.82	552^nd	731	24.5%
2024	25.83	571^st	738	22.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Lucas Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	38.25	279^th	475	41.3%
2019	46.12	244^th	504	51.6%
2022	45.39	189^th	449	57.9%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Lucas Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	41.14	99^th	127	22.0%
2019	44.20	318^th	416	23.6%
2022	59.20	208^th	450	53.8%
2023	34.25	385^th	452	14.8%
2024	41.35	365^th	461	20.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Lucas Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	17.20	580^th	665	12.8%
2019	24.66	562^nd	697	19.4%
2021	16.54	621^st	711	12.7%
2022	29.64	541^st	748	27.7%
2023	18.93	636^th	747	14.9%
2024	19.62	633^rd	751	15.7%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Lucas Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	25.59	408^th	494	17.4%
2019	44.32	281^st	519	45.9%
2021	33.56	360^th	533	32.5%
2022	32.90	383^rd	550	30.4%
2023	34.12	379^th	559	32.2%
2024	33.52	387^th	560	30.9%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Lucas Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	17.38	429^th	472	9.1%
2019	19.17	447^th	493	9.3%
2021	10.60	510^th	522	2.3%
2022	24.99	442^nd	541	18.3%
2023	19.07	489^th	553	11.6%
2024	28.30	436^th	564	22.7%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Lucas Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	77.73	107^th	596	82.0%
2019	60.20	240^th	624	61.5%
2021	43.32	352^nd	632	44.3%
2022	65.46	209^th	658	68.2%
2023	54.38	280^th	656	57.3%
2024	42.62	381^st	652	41.6%

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.

Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

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Enrollment information for Lucas Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2013	104	161	3	84	3	0	15	370
2014	167	291	7	130	3	2	18	618
2015	170	309	11	149	6	0	13	658
2016	141	300	10	146	4	0	17	618
2017	107	254	7	143	1	0	19	531
2018	81	235	3	136	0	0	19	474
2019	99	242	4	150	1	0	16	512
2020	97	249	5	166	1	0	21	539
2021	89	222	3	155	2	0	12	483
2022	75	188	3	137	0	0	17	420
2023	49	177	2	124	0	0	19	371

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 Lucas Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	370	28.5	12.9	65.1
2014	618	39.0	15.8	63.9
2015	658	44.0	14.9	57.1
2016	618	44.0	14.0	60.8
2017	531	37.5	14.1	63.8
2018	474	34.5	13.7	58.2
2019	512	34.5	14.8	61.9
2020	539	35.6	15.1	61.6
2021	483	39.0	12.3	53
2022	420	40.5	10.3	55
2023	371	36.0	10.2	69.8

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 Lucas Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	370	28.5	12.9	65.1
2014	618	39.0	15.8	63.9
2015	658	44.0	14.9	57.1
2016	618	44.0	14.0	60.8
2017	531	37.5	14.1	63.8
2018	474	34.5	13.7	58.2
2019	512	34.5	14.8	61.9
2020	539	35.6	15.1	61.6
2021	483	39.0	12.3	53
2022	420	40.5	10.3	55
2023	371	36.0	10.2	69.8

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 Lucas Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,302 (11.6%)	$9,956 (88.4%)	$11,258

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lucas 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 573^rd of 737 Middle schools	Ranks 630^th of 784 Middle schools	2.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Lucas Middle)	36	34.5	1.5%
6th Grade Mathematics (Durham Public Schools)	48.6	45	3.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)	58.8	52.3	6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Lucas Middle)	40.7	38.8	1.9%
6th Grade Reading (Durham Public Schools)	51.8	46.3	5.5%
6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	60	49.3	10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Lucas Middle)	50	36.7	13.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Durham Public Schools)	45.7	43.9	1.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)	58.4	50.1	8.3%
7th Grade Reading (Lucas Middle)	52.2	37.8	14.4%
7th Grade Reading (Durham Public Schools)	49.4	45.7	3.7%
7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	58.8	50.2	8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Lucas Middle)	35.3	23.1	12.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Durham Public Schools)	43.9	37.4	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)	52.6	44.8	7.8%
8th Grade Reading (Lucas Middle)	47	36.4	10.6%
8th Grade Reading (Durham Public Schools)	47.6	47.4	0.2%
8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	55.6	51	4.6%
8th Grade Science (Lucas Middle)	67.5	52.3	15.2%
8th Grade Science (Durham Public Schools)	68.5	63.6	4.9%
8th Grade Science (North Carolina)	78.6	70.3	8.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	512	371	27.5%
African American	242	177	26.9%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	4	2	50%
Hispanic	150	124	17.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	99	49	50.5%
Two or More Races	16	19	18.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	61.9%	69.8%	7.9%

Schools Near Lucas Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOC Biology (2024)	EOC English II (2024)	EOC Math I (2024)	EOG Mathematics (2024)			EOG Reading (2024)			EOG Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lucas Middle	Public	6-8	923 Snow Hill Road	Durham	27704	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 560-3843	371	36	10.2	69.8%	49 (13.2%)	177 (47.7%)	124 (33.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.1%)	22.6	637^th of 793 public middle schools	19.7%		23.4	630^th of 784 public middle schools	19.6%	7				40.6	37.1	24.0	42.0	33.3	33.6	42.4	$11,258	$1,302	$9,956
Discovery Charter	Public, Charter	6-10	501 Orange Factory Road	Bahama	27503	Durham County	Discovery Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(984) 888-5504	332	23	14.1		162 (48.8%)	110 (33.1%)	34 (10.2%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.3%)	55.9	323^rd of 793 public middle schools	59.3%		57.3	311^th of 784 public middle schools	60.3%	12	36.8	50.0	8.2	54.3	42.6	32.7	58.7	56.4	58.4	73.3
George L Carrington Middle	Public	6-8	227 Milton Road	Durham	27712	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 560-3916	755	60	12.6	73.2%	91 (12.1%)	312 (41.3%)	304 (40.3%)	12 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (4.8%)	25.5	611^th of 793 public middle schools	23.0%		35.7	501^st of 784 public middle schools	36.1%	110				37.5	36.7	38.1	32.0	34.3	38.1	55.1	$10,263	$957	$9,306
Brogden Middle	Public	6-8	1001 Leon Street	Durham	27704	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 560-3906	742	51	14.5	99.6%	84 (11.3%)	305 (41.1%)	309 (41.6%)	14 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.0%)	17.2	686^th of 793 public middle schools	13.5%		18	664^th of 784 public middle schools	15.3%	22				32.1	37.1	32.9	25.2	26.1	33.0	45.9	$12,887	$1,406	$11,481
Butner-Stem Middle	Public	6-8	501 East D St	Butner	27509	Granville County	Granville County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 575-9429	433	24	18.3	76.2%	130 (30.0%)	112 (25.9%)	176 (40.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.2%)	30.6	560^th of 793 public middle schools	29.4%		27.2	582^nd of 784 public middle schools	25.8%	22				41.9	32.9	23.7	36.3	44.1	39.5	68.4	$9,853	$996	$8,857
Lakewood Montessori Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2119 Chapel Hill Rd	Durham	27707	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 560-2894	303	20	14.9	29.4%	155 (51.2%)	64 (21.1%)	66 (21.8%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.6%)	93.4	42^nd of 793 public middle schools	94.7%		93.4	38^th of 784 public middle schools	95.2%	4				81.7	85.7	72.8	79.8	84.9	76.9	84.6	$14,182	$1,909	$12,273
Rogers-Herr Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	911 Cornwallis Road	Durham	27707	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 560-3970	643	42	15.2	46.2%	169 (26.3%)	260 (40.4%)	164 (25.5%)	17 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (5.0%)	79.7	134^th of 793 public middle schools	83.1%		82.6	115^th of 784 public middle schools	85.3%	19				70.6	69.5	57.3	68.0	67.3	58.9	78.1	$11,594	$781	$10,812
James E Shepard Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2401 Dakota Street	Durham	27707	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 560-3938	381	32	12.0	75.6%	9 (2.4%)	235 (61.7%)	126 (33.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.4%)	47.7	416^th of 793 public middle schools	47.5%		50.2	378^th of 784 public middle schools	51.8%	38				48.4	39.0	62.2	47.6	48.5	46.2	62.2	$11,998	$1,606	$10,392
Neal Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	201 Baptist Road	Durham	27704	Durham County	Durham Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 560-3955	789	57	13.9	99.6%	35 (4.4%)	316 (40.1%)	398 (50.4%)	12 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	27 (3.4%)	18	677^th of 793 public middle schools	14.6%		14.3	697^th of 784 public middle schools	11.1%	20				27.0	35.2	23.0	30.5	37.3	33.5	49.5	$12,097	$2,570	$9,527
Orange Middle	Public	6-8	308 Orange High Rd	Hillsborough	27278	Orange County	Orange County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 732-6121	525	37	14.1	40.0%	323 (61.5%)	75 (14.3%)	89 (17.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.7%)	65	249^th of 793 public middle schools	68.6%		60.8	286^th of 784 public middle schools	63.5%	37				67.7	59.1	53.5	61.1	49.7	49.7	72.4	$10,665	$408	$10,256

Lucas Middle

Lucas Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Durham Public Schools:

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Rank History for Lucas Middle

Rank History for all students at Lucas Middle

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Lucas Middle

Rank History for Special Education students at Lucas Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lucas Middle

Rank History for Female students at Lucas Middle

Rank History for Disabled students at Lucas Middle

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Lucas Middle

Rank History for Male students at Lucas Middle

Rank History for African American students at Lucas Middle

Rank History for Hispanic students at Lucas Middle

Rank History for White students at Lucas Middle

Review counts

Enrollment information for Lucas Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Lucas Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Lucas Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Lucas Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Lucas Middle

Rankings

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Student Body

Schools Near Lucas Middle

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