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Below Average

#2165 of 2,648 schools in NC

W C Friday Middle School

Middle School · Gaston County Schools · Dallas, NC

A Gaston County Schools middle school where students score 5 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1221 Ratchford Drive, Dallas, NC 28034

  • Math 39% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 43% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 19.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.2Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.8 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics4.7Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency39.1% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency43% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-18.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-9.2 pts
Overall Proficiency41% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-5.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile28th
Resources & Environment3.4Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio19.7:1
District spending per student$12,190
Chronic Absenteeism26.3%

Students at W C Friday Middle School score 41% 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 Proficiency39%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency43%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 35 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 41% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
69%
2010
Math
78%
ELA
72%
2011
Math
80%
ELA
72%
2012
Math
24%
ELA
36%
2013
Math
24%
ELA
40%
2014
Math
26%
ELA
32%
2015
Math
36%
ELA
38%
2016
Math
39%
ELA
38%
2017
Math
43%
ELA
39%
2018
Math
44%
ELA
40%
2019
Math
44%
ELA
40%
2020*
Math
38%
ELA
42%
2021*
Math
38%
ELA
42%
2022
Math
43%
2025
Math
39%
ELA
43%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 44% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 45% (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 35 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.5%

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 W C Friday Middle School 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 Charlotte map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 13Car-Dependent
  • Bike 21Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,072/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$59,969

Median home value

$221,000

Median rent

$841/mo

College educated

16.1%

Homeownership

73.4%

Poverty rate

10.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28034; 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
Stanley MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.06–85.0 mi606Compare →
Belmont MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.06–8Not available765Compare →
Cramerton MiddleEnrollment path unverified8.06–8Not available919Compare →
Gaston Virtual AcademyEnrollment path unverified5.9K–12Not available323Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Gaston County Schools

Schools in district
56
Rank in district
#38 of 56
District spending per student
$12,190NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

W C Friday Middle School is listed in Gaston County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About W C Friday Middle School

W C Friday Middle School is a public middle school in Dallas, NC, part of Gaston County Schools, serving approximately 612 students in grades 6th-8th with a 19.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 out of 10 and ranks #2,165 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 45% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about W C Friday Middle School

What grades does W C Friday Middle School serve?

W C Friday Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend W C Friday Middle School?

W C Friday Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 612 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at W C Friday Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at W C Friday Middle School is 19.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does W C Friday Middle School rank in NC?

W C Friday Middle School ranks #2,165 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is W C Friday Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

W C Friday Middle School 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 W C Friday Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, W C Friday Middle School has 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 45% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is W C Friday Middle School a charter school?

No, W C Friday Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is W C Friday Middle School a Title I school?

No, W C Friday Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for W C Friday Middle School?

99.5% of students at W C Friday Middle School 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
612
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
31
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Gaston County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
26.3%
Area population (ZIP 28034)
19,470
Area average commute
26.3 min
Area median age
40.8
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 28034; 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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