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Below Average

#2151 of 2,648 schools in NC

Erwin Middle

Middle School · Buncombe County Schools · Asheville, NC

A Buncombe County Schools middle school where students score 14 points below what's typical for similar communities.

20 Erwin Middle School Road, Asheville, NC 28806

  • Math 32% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • Reading 34% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.9Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.11 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.2Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency31.4% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency34.2% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-22.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-17.7 pts
Overall Proficiency33% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-13.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile14th
Resources & Environment7.8Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.8:1
District spending per student$13,585
Chronic Absenteeism39%

Students at Erwin 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 Proficiency32%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency34%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 37 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 33% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
63%
2010
Math
77%
ELA
61%
2011
Math
75%
ELA
60%
2012
Math
29%
ELA
41%
2013
Math
31%
ELA
42%
2014
Math
31%
ELA
34%
2015
Math
36%
ELA
39%
2016
Math
33%
ELA
35%
2017
Math
34%
ELA
32%
2018
Math
29%
ELA
32%
2019
Math
29%
ELA
32%
2020*
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
36%
ELA
39%
2025
Math
32%
ELA
34%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 40% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 40% (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 34 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.4%

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 Erwin 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 39Car-Dependent
  • Bike 27Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,723/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$59,925

Median home value

$335,800

Median rent

$1,224/mo

College educated

44.5%

Homeownership

57.2%

Poverty rate

14%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28806; 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
Eliada AcademyPrivate · tuitionNot rated1–111.4 mi12Compare →
French Broad River Academy-girls CampusPrivate · tuition6.26–81.7 mi69Compare →
French Broad River Academy-boysPrivate · tuition6.16–82.1 mi72Compare →
Temple Baptist SchoolPrivate · tuition4.5PK–123.0 mi171Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Buncombe County Schools

Schools in district
45
Rank in district
#37 of 45
District spending per student
$13,585NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Erwin Middle

Erwin Middle is a public middle school in Asheville, NC, part of Buncombe County Schools, serving approximately 536 students in grades 7th-8th with a 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 out of 10 and ranks #2,151 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 40% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Erwin Middle

What grades does Erwin Middle serve?

Erwin Middle serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend Erwin Middle?

Erwin Middle has an enrollment of approximately 536 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Erwin Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Erwin Middle is 12.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Erwin Middle rank in NC?

Erwin Middle ranks #2,151 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Erwin Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Erwin Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 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 Erwin Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Erwin Middle has 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 40% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Erwin Middle a charter school?

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

Is Erwin Middle a Title I school?

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

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

99.4% of students at Erwin 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
7th – 8th
Enrollment
536
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
42
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Buncombe County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
39.0%
Area population (ZIP 28806)
45,644
Area average commute
20.7 min
Area median age
38.2
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 28806; 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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