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Needs Improvement

#2447 of 2,648 schools in NC

Charles H Darden Middle

Middle School · Wilson County Schools · Wilson, NC

A Wilson County Schools middle school where students score 13 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1665 Lipscomb Road, Wilson, NC 27893

  • Math 28% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 39% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 16.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.6Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.21 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.3Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency28.3% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency38.2% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-28.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-14 pts
Overall Proficiency33% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-13.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile14th
Resources & Environment4.6Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.9:1
District spending per student$12,450
Chronic Absenteeism31.6%

Students at Charles H Darden Middle score 33% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency28%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency39%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 13 points since 2020, reaching 34% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
73%
ELA
58%
2010
Math
80%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
77%
ELA
69%
2012
Math
9%
ELA
20%
2013
Math
5%
ELA
22%
2014
Math
9%
ELA
19%
2015
Math
9%
ELA
22%
2016
Math
15%
ELA
19%
2017
Math
26%
ELA
24%
2018
Math
24%
ELA
28%
2019
Math
24%
ELA
28%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
25%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
25%
2022
Math
17%
ELA
27%
2025
Math
28%
ELA
39%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 29% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 34% (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

99.2%

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 Charles H Darden 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 29Car-Dependent
  • Bike 35Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,011/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Wilson), 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

$40,180

Median home value

$153,000

Median rent

$894/mo

College educated

14.5%

Homeownership

42.5%

Poverty rate

30.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27893; 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
Eastern Nc School for the DeafEnrollment path unverified5.9K–120.6 mi42Compare →
Sallie B Howard SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified6.2K–120.9 mi1,251Compare →
Milton M Daniels Learning CenterEnrollment path unverified5.23–121.3 mi73Compare →
Wilson Academy of Virtual EducationEnrollment path unverified5.24–121.5 mi51Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Wilson County Schools

Schools in district
25
Rank in district
#24 of 25
District spending per student
$12,450NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
27.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Charles H Darden Middle is listed in Wilson County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Charles H Darden Middle

Charles H Darden Middle is a public middle school in Wilson, NC, part of Wilson County Schools, serving approximately 389 students in grades 6th-8th with a 16.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.7 out of 10 and ranks #2,447 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 29% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Charles H Darden Middle

What grades does Charles H Darden Middle serve?

Charles H Darden Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Charles H Darden Middle?

Charles H Darden Middle has an enrollment of approximately 389 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Charles H Darden Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Charles H Darden Middle is 16.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Charles H Darden Middle rank in NC?

Charles H Darden Middle ranks #2,447 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Charles H Darden Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Charles H Darden Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.7 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 Charles H Darden Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Charles H Darden Middle has 29% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Charles H Darden Middle a charter school?

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

Is Charles H Darden Middle a Title I school?

No, Charles H Darden Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Charles H Darden Middle?

99.2% of students at Charles H Darden 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
389
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
23
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Town
County
Wilson County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
31.6%
Area population (ZIP 27893)
38,626
Area average commute
20.2 min
Area median age
37.8
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 27893; 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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