Western Harnett Middle

Summary:

Western Harnett Middle is a public middle school in Lillington, North Carolina, serving around 820 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Harnett County Schools district, which is ranked 188 out of 242 districts in the state.

Western Harnett Middle consistently outperforms the Harnett County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in standardized test scores across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 63.3% of 6th-grade students at Western Harnett Middle were proficient or better in EOG Mathematics, compared to 44.7% for the Harnett County Schools district and 54.3% for North Carolina. The school also has a relatively diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 48.29% White, 19.39% African American, and 25.49% Hispanic.

However, Western Harnett Middle's performance varies across different student subgroups, ranking highly (top 25%) for African American and multi-racial students, but lower (bottom 25%) for Hispanic and special education students. Compared to nearby schools in the Harnett County Schools district, such as Harnett Central Middle and Overhills Middle, Western Harnett Middle generally outperforms them in academic measures. But when compared to schools in other districts, such as Crain's Creek Middle in Moore County or Reid Ross Classical Middle in Cumberland County, Western Harnett Middle's performance is less impressive.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 11135 NC Hwy 27 West
       Lillington, NC  27546-9608


(919) 499-4497

District: Harnett County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
434th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,179 Help


Students who attend Western Harnett Middle usually attend:

High:    Western Harnett High

Feeder schools for Western Harnett Middle:

Elementary:    Boone Trail Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  16.0 Help
Number of students:  766

Racial breakdown:

White:
46.6%
Hispanic:
26.4%
African American:
17.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  57.3% Help


 See top rated North Carolina middle schools

 Compare Western Harnett Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Western Harnett Middle ranks worse than 54.7% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks first among 6 ranked middle schools in the Harnett County Schools District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.44. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Western Harnett Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (46.6%), Hispanic (26.4%), African American (17.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 57.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Harnett County Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Western Harnett Middle is 16, which is the 3rd best among 6 middle schools in the Harnett County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Western Harnett Middle employs 47.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Western Harnett Middle is $8,179, which is the 3rd highest among 6 middle schools in the Harnett County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Western Harnett Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Western Harnett Middle 434th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Western Harnett 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:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Harnett County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Harnett County Schools 188th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Western Harnett Middle?

Rank History for Western Harnett Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 60.14 260th 598 56.5%
2007 63.97 238th 606 60.7%
2008 57.02 288th 620 53.5%
2009 44.52 412th 630 34.6%
2010 34.12 486th 640 24.1%
2011 39.69 450th 648 30.6%
2012 40.93 456th 662 31.1%
2013 38.55 414th 673 38.5%
2014 34.29 407th 627 35.1%
2015 34.72 475th 705 32.6%
2016 49.76 360th 692 48.0%
2017 53.75 336th 694 51.6%
2018 52.29 350th 691 49.3%
2019 49.65 390th 737 47.1%
2021 46.84 379th 741 48.9%
2022 48.69 388th 786 50.6%
2023 44.85 415th 784 47.1%
2024 45.44 434th 793 45.3%
See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.09 162nd 221 26.7%
2019 30.43 189th 237 20.3%
2021 58.23 77th 248 69.0%
2022 66.07 74th 283 73.9%
2023 51.44 131st 302 56.6%
2024 42.42 180th 306 41.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 43.29 101st 211 52.1%
2021 51.28 68th 236 71.2%
2022 39.91 170th 312 45.5%
2023 41.88 164th 318 48.4%
2024 32.39 248th 356 30.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 28.67 353rd 473 25.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.82 224th 604 62.9%
2019 47.86 339th 639 46.9%
2021 56.07 225th 633 64.5%
2022 41.11 395th 689 42.7%
2023 43.89 405th 735 44.9%
2024 38.93 459th 743 38.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.04 323rd 656 50.8%
2019 46.94 389th 684 43.1%
2021 52.70 313th 706 55.7%
2022 50.72 354th 733 51.7%
2023 49.18 370th 731 49.4%
2024 51.55 344th 738 53.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.82 346th 475 27.2%
2019 41.86 278th 504 44.8%
2021 34.97 330th 478 31.0%
2022 26.13 360th 449 19.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 63.73 149th 416 64.2%
2021 62.01 191st 448 57.4%
2022 58.19 218th 450 51.6%
2023 65.40 147th 452 67.5%
2024 67.00 120th 461 74.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.07 28th 45 37.8%
2019 47.94 28th 48 41.7%
2021 48.45 36th 57 36.8%
2022 57.16 28th 58 51.7%
2023 47.96 29th 54 46.3%
2024 54.78 30th 58 48.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.67 360th 665 45.9%
2019 48.86 369th 697 47.1%
2021 39.52 428th 711 39.8%
2022 43.99 415th 748 44.5%
2023 39.05 458th 747 38.7%
2024 37.70 478th 751 36.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.43 195th 494 60.5%
2019 61.20 137th 519 73.6%
2021 57.30 151st 533 71.7%
2022 61.02 148th 550 73.1%
2023 50.27 230th 559 58.9%
2024 49.45 237th 560 57.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.03 138th 472 70.8%
2019 50.47 234th 493 52.5%
2021 44.20 289th 522 44.6%
2022 36.41 362nd 541 33.1%
2023 41.48 335th 553 39.4%
2024 31.78 414th 564 26.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Western Harnett Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.17 403rd 596 32.4%
2019 32.82 466th 624 25.3%
2021 35.27 409th 632 35.3%
2022 40.81 398th 658 39.5%
2023 35.39 448th 656 31.7%
2024 43.47 375th 652 42.5%
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.

Western Harnett 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)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, December 24, 2015

Open Quote This school offered an amazing amount of clubs and my child's scores improved by a lot when he went to this school. The teachers are amazing and should be ranked higher than what it is, this school brought people together. I'm a proud parent of a child that goes to Western Harnett. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, March 18, 2013

Open Quote I have two children that attend this school. Both are in the 7th grade, one regular education and the other special needs. I am highly disappointed in the special needs program, and more so the lack of compassion these teachers have for these special children. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Western Harnett Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1992 583 250 4 18 10 n/a n/a 0 865
1993 633 277 4 17 11 n/a n/a 0 942
1994 646 278 5 23 12 n/a n/a 0 964
1995 785 319 10 62 19 n/a n/a 0 1195
1996 785 319 10 62 19 n/a n/a 0 1195
1997 837 357 13 49 19 n/a n/a 0 1275
1998 894 387 12 61 14 n/a n/a 0 1368
1999 946 455 8 74 20 n/a n/a 0 1503
2000 980 466 6 96 17 n/a n/a 0 1565
2001 581 225 3 58 7 n/a n/a 0 874
2002 582 295 3 57 7 n/a n/a 0 944
2003 582 295 3 57 7 n/a n/a 0 944
2004 568 289 1 73 4 n/a n/a 0 935
2005 579 321 1 90 14 n/a n/a 0 1005
2006 572 284 3 105 13 n/a n/a 0 977
2007 573 243 4 116 13 n/a n/a 60 1009
2008 558 221 5 141 8 n/a n/a 54 987
2009 569 277 7 145 8 n/a n/a 0 1006
2010 574 263 6 141 10 n/a n/a 0 994
2011 588 220 3 175 15 3 42 0 1046
2012 592 212 6 183 11 6 51 0 1061
2013 636 217 11 192 8 5 62 0 1131
2014 610 198 10 189 11 2 63 0 1083
2015 520 166 7 167 12 2 51 0 925
2016 374 120 3 140 8 0 42 0 687
2017 401 104 3 151 8 2 43 0 712
2018 404 112 2 162 7 2 41 0 730
2019 452 116 1 202 7 2 39 0 819
2020 426 121 7 183 8 2 53 0 800
2021 420 124 6 209 9 1 50 0 819
2022 382 139 5 216 3 0 50 0 795
2023 396 159 3 209 4 0 49 0 820
2024 357 137 4 202 5 0 61 0 766

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 Western Harnett Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 865 50.0 17.3 28.7
1993 942 53.0 17.8 34.9
1994 964 62.0 15.5 35.2
1995 1195 73.0 16.4 32.1
1996 1195 73.0 16.4 32.1
1997 1275 79.0 16.1 35.1
1998 1368 89.0 15.4 33.6
1999 1503 89.0 16.9 48.1
2000 1565 89.0 17.6 48.5
2001 874 89.0 9.8 92.6
2002 944 60.0 15.7 51.5
2003 944 60.0 15.7 51.5
2004 935 60.0 15.6 51.7
2005 1005 58.0 17.3 52.5
2006 977 61.0 16.0 n/a
2007 1009 62.1 16.2 52.6
2008 987 61.0 16.2 58.8
2009 1006 63.2 15.9 48.8
2010 994 59.5 16.6 53.1
2011 1046 59.5 17.5 53.5
2012 1061 59.2 17.9 56.9
2013 1131 61.8 18.2 58.5
2014 1083 70.2 15.4 58.4
2015 925 54.0 17.1 59.1
2016 687 43.0 15.9 58.2
2017 712 44.1 16.1 55.9
2018 730 43.9 16.6 53.3
2019 819 47.4 17.2 50.3
2020 800 42.9 18.6 48.3
2021 819 44.1 18.5 39.1
2022 795 47.3 16.8 30.2
2023 820 49.1 16.6 57.3
2024 766 47.7 16.0 57.3

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 Western Harnett Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 865 50.0 17.3 28.7
1993 942 53.0 17.8 34.9
1994 964 62.0 15.5 35.2
1995 1195 73.0 16.4 32.1
1996 1195 73.0 16.4 32.1
1997 1275 79.0 16.1 35.1
1998 1368 89.0 15.4 33.6
1999 1503 89.0 16.9 48.1
2000 1565 89.0 17.6 48.5
2001 874 89.0 9.8 92.6
2002 944 60.0 15.7 51.5
2003 944 60.0 15.7 51.5
2004 935 60.0 15.6 51.7
2005 1005 58.0 17.3 52.5
2006 977 61.0 16.0 n/a
2007 1009 62.1 16.2 52.6
2008 987 61.0 16.2 58.8
2009 1006 63.2 15.9 48.8
2010 994 59.5 16.6 53.1
2011 1046 59.5 17.5 53.5
2012 1061 59.2 17.9 56.9
2013 1131 61.8 18.2 58.5
2014 1083 70.2 15.4 58.4
2015 925 54.0 17.1 59.1
2016 687 43.0 15.9 58.2
2017 712 44.1 16.1 55.9
2018 730 43.9 16.6 53.3
2019 819 47.4 17.2 50.3
2020 800 42.9 18.6 48.3
2021 819 44.1 18.5 39.1
2022 795 47.3 16.8 30.2
2023 820 49.1 16.6 57.3
2024 766 47.7 16.0 57.3

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 Western Harnett Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $745 (9.1%) $7,434 (90.9%) $8,179

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Western Harnett 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 390th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 415th of 784 Middle schools
 0%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Western Harnett Middle)57.553.4
 4.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Harnett County Schools)53.435.2
 18.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Western Harnett Middle)60.543.3
 17.2%
   6th Grade Reading (Harnett County Schools)5638
 18%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Western Harnett Middle)60.141.7
 18.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Harnett County Schools)51.235.2
 16%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (Western Harnett Middle)53.841.4
 12.4%
   7th Grade Reading (Harnett County Schools)50.840.5
 10.3%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Western Harnett Middle)46.342.1
 4.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Harnett County Schools)4533.3
 11.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (Western Harnett Middle)50.845.4
 5.4%
   8th Grade Reading (Harnett County Schools)45.739
 6.7%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (Western Harnett Middle)76.672.1
 4.5%
   8th Grade Science (Harnett County Schools)72.965.9
 7%
   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 Students819820
 0.1%
African American116159
 37.1%
American Indian74
 42.9%
Asian13
 200%
Hispanic202209
 3.5%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White452396
 12.4%
Two or More Races3949
 25.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients50.3%57.3%
 7%


Schools Near Western Harnett Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Western Harnett Middle

In the 2023-24 school year, 766 students attended Western Harnett Middle.

Western Harnett Middle ranks 434th of 793 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Western Harnett Middle usually go on to attend Western Harnett High

Students at Western Harnett Middle are 47% White, 26% Hispanic, 18% African American, 8% 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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