Skip to main content

Average

#1139 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 43% in state

Burns Middle

Middle School · Cleveland County Schools · Lawndale, NC

A Cleveland County Schools middle school where students score 9 points above what's typical for similar communities.

215 Shady Grove Road, Lawndale, NC 28090

  • Math 56% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 55% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 18:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.8Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.04 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics7.3Very Good35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency55.5% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency54.7% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-1.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+2.5 pts
Overall Proficiency55% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+8.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile61th
Resources & Environment4.0Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio18:1
District spending per student$12,540
Chronic Absenteeism31.5%

Students at Burns Middle score 55% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency56%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency55%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 25 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 55% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
85%
ELA
74%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
72%
2011
Math
86%
ELA
73%
2012
Math
30%
ELA
41%
2013
Math
28%
ELA
45%
2014
Math
32%
ELA
39%
2015
Math
37%
ELA
43%
2016
Math
40%
ELA
48%
2017
Math
45%
ELA
48%
2018
Math
50%
ELA
50%
2019
Math
50%
ELA
50%
2020*
Math
53%
ELA
54%
2021*
Math
53%
ELA
54%
2022
Math
55%
ELA
49%
2025
Math
56%
ELA
55%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 53% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 53% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

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

Based on 36 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.6%

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 Burns 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 4Car-Dependent
  • Bike 11Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average637/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

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

Median income

$52,224

Median home value

$140,200

Median rent

$680/mo

College educated

19.3%

Homeownership

73.1%

Poverty rate

15.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28090; 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

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Charity Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition4.8privateK–122.9 mi40Compare →
Cleveland InnovationEnrollment path unverified7.0K–12Not available164Compare →
Crest MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.06–8Not available833Compare →
Kings Mountain IntermediateEnrollment path unverified6.15–6Not available632Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Cleveland County Schools

Schools in district
28
Rank in district
#9 of 28
District spending per student
$12,540NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Burns Middle

Burns Middle is a public middle school in Lawndale, NC, part of Cleveland County Schools, serving approximately 756 students in grades 6th-8th with a 18:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 out of 10 and ranks #1,139 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 53% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Burns Middle

What grades does Burns Middle serve?

Burns Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Burns Middle?

Burns Middle has an enrollment of approximately 756 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Burns Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Burns Middle is 18:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Burns Middle rank in NC?

Burns Middle ranks #1,139 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Burns Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Burns Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 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 Burns Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Burns Middle has 53% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Burns Middle a charter school?

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

Is Burns Middle a Title I school?

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

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

99.6% of students at Burns 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
756
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
Teachers (FTE)
42
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Cleveland County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
31.5%
Area population (ZIP 28090)
7,422
Area average commute
30.3 min
Area median age
43.3
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 · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • 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 · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • 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 28090; 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.