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Needs Improvement

#2449 of 2,648 schools in NC

Southern Alamance Middle

Middle School · Alamance-burlington Schools · Graham, NC

An Alamance-burlington Schools middle school where students score 19 points below what's typical for similar communities.

771 Southern High Road, Graham, NC 27253

  • Math 40% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 41% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 21:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.0Below Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.07 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.7Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency40.3% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency41% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-16.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-11.2 pts
Overall Proficiency41% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)60% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-19.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile18th
Resources & Environment2.9Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio21:1
District spending per student$11,925
Chronic Absenteeism22.3%

Students at Southern Alamance Middle score 41% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 60%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency40%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency41%(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 41% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
68%
2010
Math
86%
ELA
70%
2011
Math
89%
ELA
70%
2012
Math
37%
ELA
42%
2013
Math
38%
ELA
41%
2014
Math
42%
ELA
42%
2015
Math
43%
ELA
43%
2016
Math
48%
ELA
45%
2017
Math
45%
ELA
50%
2018
Math
44%
ELA
49%
2019
Math
44%
ELA
49%
2020*
Math
34%
ELA
44%
2021*
Math
34%
ELA
44%
2022
Math
44%
ELA
42%
2025
Math
40%
ELA
41%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 49% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 48% (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

55.3%

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 Southern Alamance 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 24Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,248/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$62,020

Median home value

$212,300

Median rent

$975/mo

College educated

24.3%

Homeownership

66.4%

Poverty rate

13.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27253; 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
River Mill AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified6.9K–122.9 mi768Compare →
Bible Wesleyan Christian SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–124.2 mi29Compare →
Graham MiddleEnrollment path unverified2.06–84.4 mi469Compare →
Alamance Virtual SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.34–12Not available234Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

Alamance-burlington Schools

Schools in district
38
Rank in district
#25 of 36
District spending per student
$11,925NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Southern Alamance Middle is listed in Alamance-Burlington Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Southern Alamance Middle

Southern Alamance Middle is a public middle school in Graham, NC, part of Alamance-burlington Schools, serving approximately 861 students in grades 6th-8th with a 21:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.6 out of 10 and ranks #2,449 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Southern Alamance Middle

What grades does Southern Alamance Middle serve?

Southern Alamance Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Southern Alamance Middle?

Southern Alamance Middle has an enrollment of approximately 861 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Alamance Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Southern Alamance Middle is 21:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Southern Alamance Middle rank in NC?

Southern Alamance Middle ranks #2,449 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Southern Alamance Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Southern Alamance Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.6 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 Southern Alamance Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Southern Alamance Middle has 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Southern Alamance Middle a charter school?

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

Is Southern Alamance Middle a Title I school?

No, Southern Alamance Middle is not currently a Title I school.

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

55.3% of students at Southern Alamance 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
861
Student-Teacher Ratio
21:1
Teachers (FTE)
41
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Alamance County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
22.3%
Area population (ZIP 27253)
32,688
Area average commute
25.4 min
Area median age
38.9
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 27253; 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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