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Needs Improvement

#2387 of 2,648 schools in NC

Smithfield Middle

Middle School · Johnston County Public Schools · Smithfield, NC

A Johnston County Public Schools middle school where students score 12 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1455 Buffalo Rd, Smithfield, NC 27577

  • Math 27% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 41% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 12.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.0Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.77 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.5Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency27.1% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency41.4% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-30.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-10.8 pts
Overall Proficiency34% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-12.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile16th
Resources & Environment7.4Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.3:1
District spending per student$11,352
Chronic Absenteeism34.5%

Students at Smithfield Middle score 34% 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 Proficiency27%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency41%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 8 points since 2020, reaching 34% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
86%
ELA
73%
2010
Math
86%
ELA
71%
2011
Math
86%
ELA
71%
2012
Math
26%
ELA
37%
2013
Math
23%
ELA
32%
2014
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2015
Math
28%
ELA
34%
2016
Math
29%
ELA
36%
2017
Math
20%
ELA
36%
2018
Math
21%
ELA
34%
2019
Math
21%
ELA
34%
2020*
Math
20%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
20%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
33%
ELA
40%
2025
Math
27%
ELA
41%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 35% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 42% (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

99.4%

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 Smithfield Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Raleigh map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 12Car-Dependent
  • Bike 43Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,069/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$56,237

Median home value

$230,200

Median rent

$802/mo

College educated

21.5%

Homeownership

67.2%

Poverty rate

21%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27577; 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
Jcps Virtual AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.9K–120.0 mi333Compare →
Neuse Charter SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified5.5K–120.8 mi912Compare →
Choice Plus AcademyEnrollment path unverified3.6K–121.9 mi70Compare →
The Innovation Academy at South CampusEnrollment path unverified9.46–81.9 mi262Compare →

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.

Johnston County Public Schools

Schools in district
48
Rank in district
#47 of 48
District spending per student
$11,352NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
12.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Smithfield Middle is listed in Johnston County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Smithfield Middle

Smithfield Middle is a public middle school in Smithfield, NC, part of Johnston County Public Schools, serving approximately 530 students in grades 6th-8th with a 12.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.9 out of 10 and ranks #2,387 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 35% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Smithfield Middle

What grades does Smithfield Middle serve?

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

How many students attend Smithfield Middle?

Smithfield Middle has an enrollment of approximately 530 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Smithfield Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Smithfield Middle is 12.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Smithfield Middle rank in NC?

Smithfield Middle ranks #2,387 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Smithfield Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Smithfield Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.9 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 Smithfield Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Smithfield Middle has 35% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Smithfield Middle a charter school?

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

Is Smithfield Middle a Title I school?

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

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

99.4% of students at Smithfield 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
530
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
43
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Johnston County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
34.5%
Area population (ZIP 27577)
26,946
Area average commute
27.6 min
Area median age
40.7
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 27577; 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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