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Below Average

#2099 of 2,648 schools in NC

Bowman Middle

Middle School · Mitchell County Schools · Bakersville, NC

A Mitchell County Schools middle school serving grades 5th – 8th.

PO Box 46, Bakersville, NC 28705

  • Math 39% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 49% proficient (2022)
  • 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.5Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-3.4 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics5.3Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency39.4% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency48.9% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency44% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-2.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile35th
Resources & Environment9.5Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.6:1
District spending per student$14,405
Chronic Absenteeism27%

Students at Bowman Middle score 44% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency39%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency49%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 14-year record (2009–2022), then recovered 11 points since 2019, reaching 44% in 2022.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
72%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
79%
2011
Math
84%
ELA
77%
2012
Math
43%
ELA
52%
2013
Math
47%
ELA
50%
2014
Math
44%
ELA
57%
2015
Math
43%
ELA
43%
2016
Math
27%
ELA
46%
2017
Math
30%
ELA
46%
2018
Math
22%
ELA
44%
2019
Math
22%
ELA
44%
2020*
Math
33%
ELA
46%
2021*
Math
33%
ELA
46%
2022
Math
39%
ELA
49%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 54% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

98.4%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Bowman Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 37Car-Dependent
  • Bike 12Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$54,350

Median home value

$202,200

Median rent

$855/mo

College educated

21.7%

Homeownership

80.1%

Poverty rate

10.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28705; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

1 in Mitchell County Schools

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Harris MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.46–8Not available222Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Mitchell County Schools

Schools in district
7
Rank in district
#7 of 7
District spending per student
$14,405NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Bowman Middle is listed in Mitchell County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Bowman Middle

Bowman Middle is a public middle school in Bakersville, NC, part of Mitchell County Schools, serving approximately 189 students in grades 5th-8th with a 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 out of 10 and ranks #2,099 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Bowman Middle

What grades does Bowman Middle serve?

Bowman Middle serves students in grades 5th through 8th.

How many students attend Bowman Middle?

Bowman Middle has an enrollment of approximately 189 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Bowman Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Bowman Middle is 12.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Bowman Middle rank in NC?

Bowman Middle ranks #2,099 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Bowman Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Bowman Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Bowman Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Bowman Middle has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Bowman Middle a charter school?

No, Bowman Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Bowman Middle a Title I school?

No, Bowman Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Bowman Middle?

98.4% of students at Bowman Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
5th – 8th
Enrollment
189
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
15
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Mitchell County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
27.0%
Area population (ZIP 28705)
6,733
Area average commute
27 min
Area median age
49.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 28705; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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