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Public middle school · Avery County Schools · Elk Park, North Carolina

Cranberry Middle

Cranberry Middle rates 7.6, among the strongest middle schools in Avery County Schools, where the rated median is 6.0.

Middle schools, 1 to 10This campus against public middle schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
7.6this school

7.6 on a one-to-ten scale; the Avery County Schools median is 6.0.

#463 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina · Avery County Schools: 2 middle schools rated, median 6.0

The brief

An Avery County Schools middle school where students score 21 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 463 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina and 1 of 8 in Avery County Schools.

Cranberry Middle is listed in Avery County Schools, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math79%22 points above the North Carolina average of 57%2026 NC
Reading64%8 points above the North Carolina average of 56%2026 NC
In 2026, 79% of students were proficient in math and 64% in reading, against North Carolina averages of 57% and 56%.2026 NC; 60 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
5.3
40% of the rating
Academics
9.0
35% of the rating
Resources & Environment
9.5
25% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 67% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 60% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

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 · 2026 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 · 2026 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)
State assessments · 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 28622; 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, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Cranberry Middle and the 20 nearest middle schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$45,169
Median home value
$171,100
Median rent
$702/mo
College educated
12.8%
Homeownership
77.1%
Poverty rate
23%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28622; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
10
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
1
Somewhat Bikeable

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
98.4%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Cranberry Middle serve?

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

How many students attend Cranberry Middle?

Cranberry Middle has an enrollment of approximately 184 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Cranberry Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Cranberry Middle is 13.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Cranberry Middle rank in NC?

Cranberry Middle ranks #463 of 2,660 schools in NC.

What is Cranberry Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Cranberry Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.6 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 Cranberry Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Cranberry Middle has 67% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 60% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is Cranberry Middle a charter school?

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

Is Cranberry Middle a Title I school?

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

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

98.4% of students at Cranberry 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 facts

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
184
Student-teacher ratio
13.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
14
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Avery County
Rank in district
#1 of 8
Schools in district
8
District spending per student
$15,513
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.2%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 28622)
2,701
Area average commute
21.3 min
Area median age
47.2

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, North Carolina Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.