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#1763 of 2,648 schools in NC

Western Harnett Middle

Middle School · Harnett County Schools · Lillington, NC

A Harnett County Schools middle school where students score 13 points below what's typical for similar communities.

11135 NC Hwy 27 West, Lillington, NC 27546

  • Math 51% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 44% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.7Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.07 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics4.7Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency50.1% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency43.4% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-7.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-8.8 pts
Overall Proficiency47% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)59% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-12.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile28th
Resources & Environment3.0Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.3:1
District spending per student$10,877
Chronic Absenteeism45.3%

Students at Western Harnett Middle score 47% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 59%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency51%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency44%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 9 points since 2020, reaching 47% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
68%
ELA
61%
2010
Math
71%
ELA
63%
2011
Math
70%
ELA
65%
2012
Math
25%
ELA
39%
2013
Math
28%
ELA
38%
2014
Math
26%
ELA
34%
2015
Math
40%
ELA
43%
2016
Math
43%
ELA
45%
2017
Math
38%
ELA
47%
2018
Math
37%
ELA
46%
2019
Math
37%
ELA
46%
2020*
Math
34%
ELA
43%
2021*
Math
34%
ELA
43%
2022
Math
42%
2025
Math
51%
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 44% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 46% (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

57.3%

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 Western Harnett 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 27Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Elevated1,237/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$61,781

Median home value

$227,000

Median rent

$1,079/mo

College educated

26%

Homeownership

65.4%

Poverty rate

21%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27546; 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
Highland MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.26–83.6 mi803Compare →
Coats-erwin MiddleEnrollment path unverified4.96–8Not available609Compare →
Dunn MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.36–8Not available399Compare →
Harnett Central MiddleEnrollment path unverified4.06–8Not available999Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Harnett County Schools

Schools in district
29
Rank in district
#12 of 27
District spending per student
$10,877NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Western Harnett Middle

Western Harnett Middle is a public middle school in Lillington, NC, part of Harnett County Schools, serving approximately 766 students in grades 6th-8th with a 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10 and ranks #1,763 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 46% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Western Harnett Middle

What grades does Western Harnett Middle serve?

Western Harnett Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Western Harnett Middle?

Western Harnett Middle has an enrollment of approximately 766 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Western Harnett Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Western Harnett Middle is 16.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Western Harnett Middle rank in NC?

Western Harnett Middle ranks #1,763 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Western Harnett Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Western Harnett Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 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 Western Harnett Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Western Harnett Middle has 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 46% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Western Harnett Middle a charter school?

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

Is Western Harnett Middle a Title I school?

No, Western Harnett Middle is not currently a Title I school.

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

57.3% of students at Western Harnett 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
766
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
47
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Harnett County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
45.3%
Area population (ZIP 27546)
20,802
Area average commute
30.7 min
Area median age
36.1
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 27546; 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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