Northwest Middle

Summary:

Northwest Middle is a public middle school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 887. The school is part of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools district, which is ranked 164 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Northwest Middle has a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (41.38%) and Hispanic (40.25%) students compared to the district and state averages. However, the school consistently underperforms compared to the district and state in standardized test scores, with only 35.1% of 6th-grade students proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 45.7% in the district and 54.3% statewide. Northwest Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of North Carolina middle schools, with a 0 or 1-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past several years, and its performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as male students, Hispanic students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

When comparing Northwest Middle to other nearby schools in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools district, it becomes clear that Northwest Middle is an outlier in terms of academic performance and student demographics. For example, Meadowlark Middle and Lewisville Middle, which are also in the district, consistently outperform Northwest Middle and rank in the top quartile of North Carolina middle schools. The high percentage of economically disadvantaged students and the racial/ethnic composition of the student population at Northwest Middle may be contributing factors to the school's low academic performance, but the data suggests that there is room for improvement with targeted interventions and support.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 5501 Murray Road
       Winston Salem, NC  27106-9633


(336) 703-4161

District: Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
749th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,092 Help


Students who attend Northwest Middle usually attend:

High:    Early College of Forsyth County
    Middle College of Forsyth County
    North Forsyth High

Feeder schools for Northwest Middle:

Elementary:    Gibson Elementary
    Old Richmond Elementary
    Rural Hall Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  17.9 Help
Number of students:  887

Racial breakdown:

African American:
41.4%
Hispanic:
40.2%
White:
12.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.7% Help


 See top rated North Carolina middle schools

 Compare Northwest Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Northwest Middle ranks worse than 94.5% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 12th among 14 ranked middle schools in the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.9. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Northwest Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (41.4%), Hispanic (40.2%), White (12.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 99.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northwest Middle is 17.9. 13 middle schools in the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Northwest Middle employs 49.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northwest Middle is $9,092, which is the 7th highest among 14 middle schools in the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northwest Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Northwest Middle 749th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Northwest 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:


Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools 164th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Northwest Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 60.08 262nd 598 56.2%
2007 50.21 361st 606 40.4%
2008 52.04 330th 620 46.8%
2009 55.46 339th 630 46.2%
2010 56.02 342nd 640 46.6%
2011 53.23 362nd 648 44.1%
2012 47.72 414th 662 37.5%
2013 33.84 460th 673 31.6%
2014 24.08 488th 627 22.2%
2015 36.34 457th 705 35.2%
2016 24.33 539th 692 22.1%
2017 18.55 581st 694 16.3%
2018 18.85 581st 691 15.9%
2019 25.44 588th 737 20.2%
2021 9.96 687th 741 7.3%
2022 13.81 705th 786 10.3%
2023 15.14 691st 784 11.9%
2024 7.90 749th 793 5.5%
See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.86 194th 221 12.2%
2019 19.30 213th 237 10.1%
2021 23.92 214th 248 13.7%
2022 35.08 191st 283 32.5%
2023 31.80 223rd 302 26.2%
2024 12.40 297th 306 2.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.09 125th 151 17.2%
2019 32.16 154th 211 27.0%
2021 23.86 221st 236 6.4%
2022 26.39 263rd 312 15.7%
2023 28.75 255th 318 19.8%
2024 25.81 300th 356 15.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 25.07 401st 473 15.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.03 527th 604 12.7%
2019 27.79 501st 639 21.6%
2021 14.29 590th 633 6.8%
2022 24.81 568th 689 17.6%
2023 18.36 656th 735 10.7%
2024 9.88 715th 743 3.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.58 594th 656 9.5%
2019 24.25 562nd 684 17.8%
2021 10.00 664th 706 5.9%
2022 15.61 649th 733 11.5%
2023 16.65 645th 731 11.8%
2024 9.75 700th 738 5.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.39 361st 475 24.0%
2019 20.02 469th 504 6.9%
2022 28.17 339th 449 24.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 42.80 332nd 416 20.2%
2024 4.28 460th 461 0.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.72 552nd 665 17.0%
2019 24.05 567th 697 18.7%
2021 10.19 664th 711 6.6%
2022 11.92 693rd 748 7.4%
2023 12.52 681st 747 8.8%
2024 6.14 729th 751 2.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.34 355th 494 28.1%
2019 42.35 302nd 519 41.8%
2021 16.38 501st 533 6.0%
2022 28.35 428th 550 22.2%
2023 27.00 449th 559 19.7%
2024 18.44 500th 560 10.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.46 428th 472 9.3%
2019 26.54 408th 493 17.2%
2021 15.24 491st 522 5.9%
2022 15.03 507th 541 6.3%
2023 17.40 502nd 553 9.2%
2024 10.24 547th 564 3.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Northwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.36 439th 596 26.3%
2019 37.15 425th 624 31.9%
2021 10.52 599th 632 5.2%
2022 10.88 636th 658 3.3%
2023 19.95 568th 656 13.4%
2024 5.05 642nd 652 1.5%
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.

Northwest 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: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, December 24, 2012

Open Quote I'm really looking forward to my son joining your school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Northwest Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 452 255 1 0 1 n/a n/a -2 707
1989 438 263 2 0 1 n/a n/a 0 704
1990 460 257 2 4 0 n/a n/a -5 718
1991 465 279 4 3 0 n/a n/a 2 753
1992 485 277 2 4 1 n/a n/a 0 769
1993 472 258 3 5 1 n/a n/a 0 739
1994 511 257 4 6 5 n/a n/a 0 783
1995 540 276 6 7 5 n/a n/a 0 834
1996 540 276 6 7 5 n/a n/a 0 834
1997 545 285 6 17 3 n/a n/a 0 856
1998 598 297 6 26 4 n/a n/a 0 931
1999 644 323 6 23 2 n/a n/a 0 998
2000 598 349 5 23 1 n/a n/a 0 976
2001 597 397 3 30 1 n/a n/a 0 1028
2002 576 495 1 39 3 n/a n/a 0 1114
2003 576 495 1 39 3 n/a n/a 0 1114
2004 537 412 2 45 1 n/a n/a 0 997
2005 484 409 4 68 1 n/a n/a 0 966
2006 450 371 2 75 1 n/a n/a 0 899
2007 437 369 4 98 2 n/a n/a 35 945
2008 405 356 7 127 2 n/a n/a 47 944
2009 378 389 6 135 3 n/a n/a 0 911
2010 373 356 6 169 0 n/a n/a 0 904
2011 349 308 1 198 3 2 29 0 890
2012 308 309 4 253 2 1 35 0 912
2013 316 310 7 272 1 0 30 0 936
2014 300 304 6 285 0 2 52 0 949
2015 301 311 8 300 0 3 34 0 957
2016 244 326 8 330 2 4 36 0 950
2017 216 340 11 352 1 4 41 0 965
2018 180 337 8 376 1 5 38 0 945
2019 168 332 8 388 1 6 37 0 940
2020 166 346 5 377 0 8 33 0 935
2021 165 322 7 348 1 8 31 0 882
2022 128 302 5 305 2 7 38 0 787
2023 112 367 5 357 2 3 41 0 887

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 Northwest Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 707 38.0 18.6 8.6
1989 704 38.0 18.5 11.8
1990 718 38.0 18.8 12.4
1991 753 38.0 19.8 11.8
1992 769 47.0 16.3 8.2
1993 739 48.0 15.4 14.6
1994 783 48.0 16.3 13.3
1995 834 55.0 15.2 14.5
1996 834 55.0 15.2 14.5
1997 856 54.0 15.9 28.6
1998 931 62.0 15.0 23.7
1999 998 62.0 16.1 24
2000 976 62.0 15.7 28.6
2001 1028 62.0 16.6 24.3
2002 1114 62.0 18.0 40.4
2003 1114 62.0 18.0 40.4
2004 997 62.0 16.1 39.2
2005 966 62.0 15.6 43.2
2006 899 62.0 14.5 43.8
2007 945 61.0 15.5 53.7
2008 944 65.9 14.3 56.4
2009 911 66.8 13.6 56.2
2010 904 64.5 14.0 62.5
2011 890 65.7 13.5 68.3
2012 912 58.1 15.6 68.1
2013 936 58.2 16.0 68.3
2014 949 62.8 15.1 70.5
2015 957 62.0 15.4 75.2
2016 950 63.0 15.0 98.7
2017 965 64.4 14.9 99.7
2018 945 61.4 15.3 98.7
2019 940 61.3 15.3 99.3
2020 935 63.8 14.6 99.7
2021 882 54.3 16.2 99.7
2022 787 51.2 15.3 68.4
2023 887 49.5 17.9 99.7

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 Northwest Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 707 38.0 18.6 8.6
1989 704 38.0 18.5 11.8
1990 718 38.0 18.8 12.4
1991 753 38.0 19.8 11.8
1992 769 47.0 16.3 8.2
1993 739 48.0 15.4 14.6
1994 783 48.0 16.3 13.3
1995 834 55.0 15.2 14.5
1996 834 55.0 15.2 14.5
1997 856 54.0 15.9 28.6
1998 931 62.0 15.0 23.7
1999 998 62.0 16.1 24
2000 976 62.0 15.7 28.6
2001 1028 62.0 16.6 24.3
2002 1114 62.0 18.0 40.4
2003 1114 62.0 18.0 40.4
2004 997 62.0 16.1 39.2
2005 966 62.0 15.6 43.2
2006 899 62.0 14.5 43.8
2007 945 61.0 15.5 53.7
2008 944 65.9 14.3 56.4
2009 911 66.8 13.6 56.2
2010 904 64.5 14.0 62.5
2011 890 65.7 13.5 68.3
2012 912 58.1 15.6 68.1
2013 936 58.2 16.0 68.3
2014 949 62.8 15.1 70.5
2015 957 62.0 15.4 75.2
2016 950 63.0 15.0 98.7
2017 965 64.4 14.9 99.7
2018 945 61.4 15.3 98.7
2019 940 61.3 15.3 99.3
2020 935 63.8 14.6 99.7
2021 882 54.3 16.2 99.7
2022 787 51.2 15.3 68.4
2023 887 49.5 17.9 99.7

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 Northwest Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,130 (12.4%) $7,962 (87.6%) $9,092

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwest 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 588th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 691st of 784 Middle schools
 8.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Northwest Middle)32.327.7
 4.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)52.741.7
 11%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Northwest Middle)41.424.7
 16.7%
   6th Grade Reading (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)54.840
 14.8%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Northwest Middle)4830.5
 17.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)5340.8
 12.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (Northwest Middle)43.725.5
 18.2%
   7th Grade Reading (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)57.741.7
 16%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Northwest Middle)40.215.4
 24.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)50.737.9
 12.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (Northwest Middle)41.835.1
 6.7%
   8th Grade Reading (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)5645.8
 10.2%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (Northwest Middle)70.356.7
 13.6%
   8th Grade Science (Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools)75.862.8
 13%
   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 Students940887
 5.6%
African American332367
 10.5%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian85
 37.5%
Hispanic388357
 8%
Pacific Islander63
 50%
White168112
 33.3%
Two or More Races3741
 10.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.3%99.7%
 0.4%


Schools Near Northwest Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Northwest Middle

Students who attend Northwest Middle usually go on to attend Early College of Forsyth County

In the 2022-23 school year, 887 students attended Northwest Middle.

Students at Northwest Middle are 41% African American, 40% Hispanic, 13% White, 5% Two or more races.

Northwest Middle ranks in the bottom 5.5% of North Carolina middle schools.


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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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