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Very Good

#899 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 34% in state

Lucas Middle

Middle School · Durham Public Schools · Durham, NC

A Durham Public Schools middle school where students score 6 points below what's typical for similar communities.

923 Snow Hill Road, Durham, NC 27704

  • Math 36% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 44% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.3Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change+0.31 pts/yr
Data Period2012–2025
TrendStable
Academics4.5Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency36% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency44.2% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-21.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-8 pts
Overall Proficiency40% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-6.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile26th
Resources & Environment7.4Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.9:1
District spending per student$15,239
Chronic Absenteeism47.2%

Students at Lucas Middle score 40% 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 Proficiency36%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency44%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 14-year record (2012–2025), then recovered 18 points since 2020, reaching 40% in 2025.

Show all 12 years
2012
Math
32%
ELA
42%
2013
Math
26%
ELA
34%
2014
Math
23%
ELA
35%
2015
Math
24%
ELA
27%
2016
Math
25%
ELA
27%
2017
Math
28%
ELA
30%
2018
Math
30%
ELA
36%
2019
Math
30%
ELA
36%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
27%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
27%
2022
Math
29%
ELA
35%
2025
Math
36%
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 28% (multi-year average, 2012-2025) · reading/ELA 36% (multi-year average, 2012-2025)

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

Based on 30 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.3%

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 Lucas 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 3Car-Dependent
  • Bike 18Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,431/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$62,435

Median home value

$270,000

Median rent

$1,306/mo

College educated

33.2%

Homeownership

58.1%

Poverty rate

13.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27704; 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
Discovery CharterCharter · enrollment unverified7.96–101.4 mi412Compare →
George L Carrington MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.46–82.3 mi738Compare →
Liberty Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition7.3privateK–123.9 mi295Compare →
Excelsior Classical AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified4.4K–124.4 mi1,029Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

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

Durham Public Schools

Schools in district
56
Rank in district
#27 of 54
District spending per student
$15,239NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

Lucas Middle is listed in Durham Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Lucas Middle

Lucas Middle is a public middle school in Durham, NC, part of Durham Public Schools, serving approximately 413 students in grades 6th-8th with a 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.1 out of 10 and ranks #899 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 28% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2012-2025) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2012-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Lucas Middle

What grades does Lucas Middle serve?

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

How many students attend Lucas Middle?

Lucas Middle has an enrollment of approximately 413 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Lucas Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Lucas Middle is 12.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Lucas Middle rank in NC?

Lucas Middle ranks #899 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Lucas Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Lucas Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.1 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 Lucas Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Lucas Middle has 28% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2012-2025) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2012-2025).

Is Lucas Middle a charter school?

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

Is Lucas Middle a Title I school?

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

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

99.3% of students at Lucas 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
413
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
32
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Durham County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
47.2%
Area population (ZIP 27704)
41,346
Area average commute
25 min
Area median age
35.8
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 27704; 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, 2012-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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