Salem Middle

Summary:

Salem Middle is a high-performing public middle school in Apex, North Carolina, serving 1,071 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Wake County Schools district, which is ranked 59 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Salem Middle consistently ranks among the top middle schools in North Carolina, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's students significantly outperform state and district averages in standardized test scores, with 85.2% of 6th-graders proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 66.7% in the Wake County Schools district and 54.3% statewide. Salem Middle also has a diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 55.28% White, 7.47% African American, 14.85% Hispanic, 18.3% Asian, and 3.64% two or more races.

While Salem Middle outperforms the state and district, nearby schools like Apex Friendship Middle and Davis Drive Middle also demonstrate exceptional academic performance, ranking among the top middle schools in North Carolina. This suggests a strong educational ecosystem in the Apex and Cary areas. However, there may be opportunities to further support the academic growth of certain subgroups, such as English Language Learners and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, whose performance, while still strong, lags behind the school's top-performing subgroups.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 6150 Old Jenks Road
       Apex, NC  27523


(919) 363-1870

District: Wake County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
55th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,372 Help


Students who attend Salem Middle usually attend:

High:    Apex High
    Wake Early College of Health and Science
    Wake STEM Early College High School
    Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
    More...

Feeder schools for Salem Middle:

Elementary:    Laurel Park Elementary
    Salem Elementary
    Turner Creek Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  16.6 Help
Number of students:  1,071

Racial breakdown:

White:
55.3%
Asian:
18.3%
Hispanic:
14.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  20.2% Help


 See top rated North Carolina middle schools

 Compare Salem Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Salem Middle ranks better than 93.1% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 6th among 38 ranked middle schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 91.25. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Salem Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (55.3%), Asian (18.3%), Hispanic (14.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 20.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Salem Middle is 16.6. 26 middle schools in the Wake County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Salem Middle employs 64.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Salem Middle is $9,372, which is the 13th highest among 38 middle schools in the Wake County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Salem Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Salem Middle 55th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Salem 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:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Wake County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wake County Schools 59th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Salem Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 91.58 6th 598 99.0%
2007 91.04 5th 606 99.2%
2008 95.71 4th 620 99.4%
2009 90.30 8th 630 98.7%
2010 87.69 16th 640 97.5%
2011 82.11 67th 648 89.7%
2012 80.74 83rd 662 87.5%
2013 94.43 29th 673 95.7%
2014 93.02 33rd 627 94.7%
2015 87.00 68th 705 90.4%
2016 89.26 48th 692 93.1%
2017 88.37 49th 694 92.9%
2018 87.00 55th 691 92.0%
2019 83.03 99th 737 86.6%
2021 91.41 51st 741 93.1%
2022 90.95 59th 786 92.5%
2023 91.57 55th 784 93.0%
2024 91.25 55th 793 93.1%
See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.50 28th 221 87.3%
2019 81.28 25th 237 89.5%
2022 91.87 11th 283 96.1%
2023 90.21 17th 302 94.4%
2024 92.95 12th 306 96.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.51 19th 151 87.4%
2019 85.57 12th 211 94.3%
2021 57.01 44th 236 81.4%
2022 60.26 66th 312 78.8%
2023 78.49 24th 318 92.5%
2024 82.08 22nd 356 93.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 81.77 26th 473 94.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.94 389th 604 35.6%
2019 37.90 432nd 639 32.4%
2021 62.91 172nd 633 72.8%
2022 52.13 288th 689 58.2%
2023 63.10 206th 735 72.0%
2024 69.55 159th 743 78.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.49 60th 656 90.9%
2019 80.89 106th 684 84.5%
2021 91.53 46th 706 93.5%
2022 90.75 53rd 733 92.8%
2023 93.46 34th 731 95.3%
2024 91.93 43rd 738 94.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.03 39th 475 91.8%
2019 75.55 60th 504 88.1%
2021 70.44 56th 478 88.3%
2022 84.16 30th 449 93.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 78.49 24th 448 94.6%
2022 77.68 15th 450 96.7%
2023 69.47 100th 452 77.9%
2024 71.98 57th 461 87.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.19 59th 665 91.1%
2019 83.45 91st 697 86.9%
2021 90.00 53rd 711 92.5%
2022 89.66 63rd 748 91.6%
2023 88.03 75th 747 90.0%
2024 89.36 62nd 751 91.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.83 15th 95 84.2%
2019 68.11 36th 102 64.7%
2021 76.49 32nd 99 67.7%
2022 76.49 34th 109 68.8%
2023 73.32 43rd 110 60.9%
2024 72.16 46th 110 58.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.05 189th 494 61.7%
2019 50.84 223rd 519 57.0%
2021 61.09 123rd 533 76.9%
2022 64.29 124th 550 77.5%
2023 63.89 135th 559 75.8%
2024 68.45 127th 560 77.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.68 179th 472 62.1%
2019 56.69 164th 493 66.7%
2021 57.46 175th 522 66.5%
2022 69.36 109th 541 79.9%
2023 68.09 129th 553 76.7%
2024 71.12 104th 564 81.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Salem Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.41 42nd 596 93.0%
2019 86.15 69th 624 88.9%
2021 92.17 33rd 632 94.8%
2022 88.46 58th 658 91.2%
2023 88.68 53rd 656 91.9%
2024 88.31 65th 652 90.0%
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.

Salem 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
Friday, February 5, 2021

Open Quote My son likes this school and he’s getting all A’s. I’m proud that he attends this school. Great teachers and you call to leave a voicemail and you’ll get a call back immediately. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Salem Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2005 525 73 38 18 2 n/a n/a 0 656
2006 722 78 64 19 2 n/a n/a 0 885
2007 835 63 88 27 2 n/a n/a 28 1043
2008 841 65 131 37 5 n/a n/a 47 1126
2009 919 125 153 31 4 n/a n/a 0 1232
2010 938 157 176 44 4 n/a n/a 0 1319
2011 675 129 126 105 2 0 59 0 1096
2012 678 131 147 99 1 0 60 0 1116
2013 779 105 149 123 1 0 56 0 1213
2014 797 117 143 132 3 2 45 0 1239
2015 809 98 132 151 4 3 41 0 1238
2016 695 92 142 144 0 0 39 0 1112
2017 657 100 147 164 0 0 41 0 1109
2018 589 123 165 167 0 2 51 0 1097
2019 578 138 165 179 0 2 46 0 1108
2020 541 87 150 190 0 3 44 0 1015
2021 555 97 164 184 3 3 38 0 1044
2022 577 86 181 178 0 4 40 0 1066
2023 592 80 196 159 2 3 39 0 1071

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 Salem Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2005 656 n/a n/a 8.1
2006 885 53.0 16.7 7.3
2007 1043 61.0 17.1 5.7
2008 1126 68.6 16.4 n/a
2009 1232 73.2 16.8 n/a
2010 1319 73.6 17.9 8.3
2011 1096 65.8 16.6 15.9
2012 1116 70.0 15.9 17.9
2013 1213 71.5 16.9 16.7
2014 1239 74.4 16.6 15.8
2015 1238 77.0 16.0 17.6
2016 1112 70.0 15.8 15.6
2017 1109 68.4 16.1 18.7
2018 1097 67.0 16.3 20.7
2019 1108 68.2 16.2 21.7
2020 1015 65.0 15.6 20.4
2021 1044 63.4 16.4 15.7
2022 1066 81.7 13.0 12.4
2023 1071 64.1 16.6 20.2

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 Salem Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2005 656 n/a n/a 8.1
2006 885 53.0 16.7 7.3
2007 1043 61.0 17.1 5.7
2008 1126 68.6 16.4 n/a
2009 1232 73.2 16.8 n/a
2010 1319 73.6 17.9 8.3
2011 1096 65.8 16.6 15.9
2012 1116 70.0 15.9 17.9
2013 1213 71.5 16.9 16.7
2014 1239 74.4 16.6 15.8
2015 1238 77.0 16.0 17.6
2016 1112 70.0 15.8 15.6
2017 1109 68.4 16.1 18.7
2018 1097 67.0 16.3 20.7
2019 1108 68.2 16.2 21.7
2020 1015 65.0 15.6 20.4
2021 1044 63.4 16.4 15.7
2022 1066 81.7 13.0 12.4
2023 1071 64.1 16.6 20.2

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 Salem Middle

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $511 (5.5%) $8,861 (94.5%) $9,372

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Salem 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 99th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 55th of 784 Middle schools
 6.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Salem Middle)7381.3
 8.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)66.163.8
 2.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Salem Middle)72.374.1
 1.8%
   6th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)67.861.6
 6.2%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Salem Middle)75.975.6
 0.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6662.3
 3.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (Salem Middle)77.171.6
 5.5%
   7th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)67.361.6
 5.7%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Salem Middle)74.476.3
 1.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)59.657
 2.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (Salem Middle)7176
 5%
   8th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)64.860.9
 3.9%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (Salem Middle)87.786.7
 1%
   8th Grade Science (Wake County Schools)82.476.3
 6.1%
   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 Students11081071
 3.3%
African American13880
 42%
American Indian02
Asian165196
 18.8%
Hispanic179159
 11.2%
Pacific Islander23
 50%
White578592
 2.4%
Two or More Races4639
 15.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients21.7%20.2%
 1.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Salem Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,071 students attended Salem Middle.

Yes. Salem Middle ranks in the top 6.9% of North Carolina middle schools.

Students at Salem Middle are 55% White, 18% Asian, 15% Hispanic, 7% African American, 4% Two or more races.

Students who attend Salem Middle usually go on to attend Apex High


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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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