Connections Academy

Summary:

Connections Academy is a small public middle school in Cary, North Carolina, serving just 21 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Wake County Schools district, which is ranked 59th out of 242 school districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

While Connections Academy has a very low student-teacher ratio, this does not translate to strong academic performance. The school consistently ranks among the lowest-performing middle schools in North Carolina, with only 15.4% of 6th-grade students proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 66.7% in the Wake County Schools district and 54.3% statewide. Connections Academy's student population is also significantly different from nearby schools, with a much higher percentage of African American and Hispanic students, as well as a very high rate of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 85.71%.

The nearby schools, such as Oberlin Middle, Lufkin Road Middle, and Salem Middle, demonstrate much stronger academic performance, with many ranking in the top 20% of North Carolina middle schools. This suggests that the Wake County Schools district is generally providing a high-quality education, but Connections Academy appears to be an outlier within the district, particularly in its low performance for African American and Hispanic student subgroups.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1280 Buck Jones Rd
Cary, NC 27606

(919) 694-8910

District: Wake County Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $38,998

Student/teacher ratio: 1.6

Number of students: 21

Racial breakdown:

African American:

52.4%

Hispanic:

14.3%

Two or more races:

14.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 85.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Connections Academy ranks worse than 98.4% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks last among 38 ranked middle schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 2.36. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Connections Academy has the smallest middle school student body size in the Wake County Schools District. Student population at Connections Academy is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (52.4%), Hispanic (14.3%), two or more races (14.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 85.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Connections Academy is 1.6, which is the 2^nd best among 38 middle schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Connections Academy employs 12.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Connections Academy is $38,998, which is the highest among 38 middle schools in the Wake County Schools District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Connections Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Connections Academy 780^th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Connections Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

Wake County Schools:

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

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Rank History for Connections Academy

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Rank History for all students at Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	1.50	725^th	737	1.6%
2022	1.32	784^th	786	0.3%
2023	1.34	777^th	784	0.9%
2024	2.36	780^th	793	1.6%

See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	25.48	398^th	473	15.9%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	2.61	628^th	639	1.7%
2024	4.32	734^th	743	1.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	1.25	691^st	697	0.9%
2022	1.40	747^th	748	0.1%
2023	1.96	741^st	747	0.8%
2024	1.90	747^th	751	0.5%

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

Rank History for African American students at Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	3.33	512^th	519	1.3%
2022	4.59	549^th	550	0.2%
2023	6.35	557^th	559	0.4%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	1.11	491^st	493	0.4%

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

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Enrollment information for Connections Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2018	2	6	0	2	0	0	10
2019	3	5	0	4	0	0	12
2020	1	6	0	2	0	0	9
2021	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
2022	1	3	0	2	0	0	6
2023	1	11	2	3	1	3	21

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 Connections Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	10	6.0	1.6	70
2019	12	11.0	1.0	75
2020	9	12.0	0.7	66.7
2021	1	12.0	0.0	n/a
2022	6	12.4	0.4	n/a
2023	21	12.5	1.6	85.7

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 Connections Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	10	6.0	1.6	70
2019	12	11.0	1.0	75
2020	9	12.0	0.7	66.7
2021	1	12.0	0.0	n/a
2022	6	12.4	0.4	n/a
2023	21	12.5	1.6	85.7

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 Connections Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,698 (4.4%)	$37,300 (95.6%)	$38,998

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Connections Academy

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 725^th of 737 Middle schools	Ranks 777^th of 784 Middle schools	0.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Reading (Connections Academy)	30	9.1	20.9%
6th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)	67.8	61.6	6.2%
6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	60	49.3	10.7%
7th Grade Reading (Connections Academy)	18.8	15.4	3.4%
7th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)	67.3	61.6	5.7%
7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	58.8	50.2	8.6%
8th Grade Reading (Connections Academy)	10	6.7	3.3%
8th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)	64.8	60.9	3.9%
8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	55.6	51	4.6%
8th Grade Science (Connections Academy)	25.6	17.9	7.7%
8th Grade Science (Wake County Schools)	82.4	76.3	6.1%
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	12	21	75%
African American	5	11	120%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	4	3	25%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	3	1	66.7%
Two or More Races	0	3
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	75%	85.7%	10.7%

Schools Near Connections Academy

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				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	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
Connections Academy	Public	6-8	1280 Buck Jones Rd	Cary	27606	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 694-8910	21	13	1.6	85.7%	1 (4.8%)	11 (52.4%)	3 (14.3%)	2 (9.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.8%)	3 (14.3%)	2.4	780^th of 793 public middle schools	1.6%		1.3	777^th of 784 public middle schools	0.9%	3	15.4	13.0	5.6	16.7	13.0		9.1	$38,998	$1,698	$37,300
Dillard Drive Middle	Public	6-8	5200 Dillard Drive	Raleigh	27606	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 233-4228	970	66	14.8	50.4%	390 (40.2%)	238 (24.5%)	252 (26.0%)	42 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (4.8%)	46.6	425^th of 793 public middle schools	46.4%		41.2	449^th of 784 public middle schools	42.7%	24	48.5	46.6	41.5	45.7	48.8	46.5	69.3	$8,594	$467	$8,126
East Cary Middle	Public	6-8	1111 SE Maynard Road	Cary	27511	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 466-4377	627	47	13.2	35.2%	331 (52.8%)	90 (14.4%)	137 (21.9%)	33 (5.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.4%)	80.9	123^rd of 793 public middle schools	84.5%		80.8	134^th of 784 public middle schools	82.9%	11	79.6	65.2	47.5	73.3	67.3	65.7	82.8	$10,391	$516	$9,875
Centennial Campus Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1900 Main Campus Drive	Raleigh	27606	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 233-4217	509	41	12.4	66.2%	111 (21.8%)	232 (45.6%)	131 (25.7%)	20 (3.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.6%)	21.5	644^th of 793 public middle schools	18.8%		34.4	519^th of 784 public middle schools	33.8%	125	34.5	37.7	24.1	29.1	41.7	35.4	49.4	$11,386	$725	$10,660
Reedy Creek Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	930 Reedy Creek Road	Cary	27513	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 460-3504	768	55	14.0	39.8%	316 (41.1%)	170 (22.1%)	157 (20.4%)	95 (12.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	28 (3.6%)	76.7	155^th of 793 public middle schools	80.5%		75.3	170^th of 784 public middle schools	78.3%	15	60.7	66.1	59.4	66.3	60.3	59.4	83.1	$9,572	$485	$9,087
West Cary Middle	Public	6-8	1000 Evans Road	Cary	27513	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 460-3528	860	51	16.8	25.6%	270 (31.4%)	130 (15.1%)	105 (12.2%)	327 (38.0%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	22 (2.6%)	89.2	69^th of 793 public middle schools	91.3%		90.5	61^st of 784 public middle schools	92.2%	8	76.4	77.7	74.4	68.8	69.6	70.2	86.6	$7,509	$324	$7,185
Martin Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1701 Ridge Rd	Raleigh	27607	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 881-4970	958	67	14.3	27.9%	456 (47.6%)	184 (19.2%)	129 (13.5%)	161 (16.8%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (2.6%)	84.2	103^rd of 793 public middle schools	87.0%		80.5	137^th of 784 public middle schools	82.5%	34	73.5	65.3	64.1	70.8	67.0	69.2	81.1	$9,504	$524	$8,981
Oberlin Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2816 Oberlin Rd	Raleigh	27608	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 881-4860	1,076	74	14.5	32.5%	597 (55.5%)	256 (23.8%)	167 (15.5%)	15 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (3.7%)	80.4	129^th of 793 public middle schools	83.7%		79.8	142^nd of 784 public middle schools	81.9%	13	68.1	61.2	60.7	66.7	67.5	64.7	82.6	$8,583	$379	$8,204
Lufkin Road Middle	Public	6-8	1002 Lufkin Road	Apex	27539	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 387-4465	995	64	15.5	32.1%	481 (48.3%)	135 (13.6%)	210 (21.1%)	123 (12.4%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	41 (4.1%)	80.9	125^th of 793 public middle schools	84.2%		82.6	114^th of 784 public middle schools	85.5%	11	66.3	58.2	73.0	66.2	58.1	75.1	83.1	$9,106	$406	$8,700
Salem Middle	Public	6-8	6150 Old Jenks Road	Apex	27523	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 363-1870	1,071	64	16.6	20.2%	592 (55.3%)	80 (7.5%)	159 (14.8%)	196 (18.3%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	39 (3.6%)	91.2	55^th of 793 public middle schools	93.1%		91.6	55^th of 784 public middle schools	93.0%		85.2	77.4	77.4	71.9	72.1	73.4	85.1	$9,372	$511	$8,861

Frequently Asked Questions about Connections Academy

What district is Connections Academy in?

Wake County Schools

What is the racial makeup of Connections Academy?

Students at Connections Academy are 52% African American, 14% Hispanic, 14% Two or more races, 10% Asian, 5% White, 5% Pacific Islander.

Is Connections Academy a good school?

Connections Academy ranks in the bottom 1.6% of North Carolina middle schools.

How many students attend Connections Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 21 students attended Connections Academy.

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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.