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Very Good

#1005 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 38% in state

Central Middle

Middle School · Whiteville City Schools · Whiteville, NC

A Whiteville City Schools middle school where students score 4 points above what's typical for similar communities.

310 S Martin L King Jr Ave, Whiteville, NC 28472

  • Math 55% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 47% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 14:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.5Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.48 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.6Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency55.4% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency46.6% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-1.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-5.6 pts
Overall Proficiency51% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+4.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile51th
Resources & Environment8.3Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14:1
District spending per student$14,346
Chronic Absenteeism31.2%

Students at Central Middle score 51% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency55%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency47%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 6 points since 2020, reaching 51% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
69%
2010
Math
88%
ELA
69%
2011
Math
82%
ELA
71%
2012
Math
47%
ELA
47%
2013
Math
42%
ELA
40%
2014
Math
44%
ELA
42%
2015
Math
40%
ELA
43%
2016
Math
46%
ELA
48%
2017
Math
51%
ELA
52%
2018
Math
48%
ELA
52%
2019
Math
48%
ELA
52%
2020*
Math
46%
ELA
45%
2021*
Math
46%
ELA
45%
2022
Math
55%
ELA
47%
2025
Math
55%
ELA
47%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 55% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 51% (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

98.3%

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 Central 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 46Car-Dependent
  • Bike 41Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High8,530/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Whiteville), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$48,963

Median home value

$141,000

Median rent

$788/mo

College educated

17.9%

Homeownership

70.7%

Poverty rate

16.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28472; 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

0 from verified nearby records

No verified same-level alternatives

The available nearby set has no same-level school with a verified grade span.

Whiteville City Schools

Schools in district
5
Rank in district
#3 of 4
District spending per student
$14,346NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
26.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Central Middle is listed in Whiteville City Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Central Middle

Central Middle is a public middle school in Whiteville, NC, part of Whiteville City Schools, serving approximately 461 students in grades 6th-8th with a 14:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 out of 10 and ranks #1,005 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 55% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 51% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Central Middle

What grades does Central Middle serve?

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

How many students attend Central Middle?

Central Middle has an enrollment of approximately 461 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Central Middle is 14:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Central Middle rank in NC?

Central Middle ranks #1,005 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Central Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Central Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 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 Central Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Central Middle has 55% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 51% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Central Middle a charter school?

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

Is Central Middle a Title I school?

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

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

98.3% of students at Central 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
461
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
Teachers (FTE)
33
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Columbus County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
31.2%
Area population (ZIP 28472)
17,833
Area average commute
25.7 min
Area median age
40.5
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 · 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 28472; 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

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