Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle Schools

Best Middle Schools
in Durham Public Schools

This page covers 9 middle schools in Durham Public Schools. Rankings use a composite of neighborhood opportunity, class sizes, and per-student investment — signals available consistently from federal data across all US public schools. Schools in this district score below the national median on neighborhood opportunity. Use these rankings as a starting point; pair them with school visits and conversations with local parents before making any enrollment decision.

9
Schools Ranked
North Carolina
State
None
Charter Schools
RankingsHow We RankFAQAbout Data

Middle Schools Rankings

Showing 9 of 9
1
rank
Lakewood Montessori Middle
Grades 06–08303 students
Ranked for: above-average investment ($17,524/student)
61
/100
Student:Teacher
15.0:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$17,524
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
29%
Low economic need
2
rank
Rogers-Herr Middle
Grades 06–08643 students
Ranked for: above-average investment ($17,524/student)
57
/100
Student:Teacher
15.2:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$17,524
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
46%
Near nat'l 52.2%
3
rank
James E Shepard Middle
Grades 06–08381 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (12.1:1) · above-average investment ($17,524/student)
55
/100
Student:Teacher
12.1:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$17,524
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
76%
High economic need
4
rank
Sherwood Githens Middle
Grades 06–08763 students
Ranked for: above-average investment ($17,524/student)
55
/100
Student:Teacher
14.8:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$17,524
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
57%
Near nat'l 52.2%
5
rank
George L Carrington Middle
Grades 06–08755 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (12.7:1) · above-average investment ($17,524/student)
50
/100
Student:Teacher
12.7:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
40/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$17,524
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
73%
High economic need
6
rank
Lowe's Grove Middle
Grades 06–08700 students
Ranked for: above-average investment ($17,524/student)
49
/100
Student:Teacher
15.1:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
45/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$17,524
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
75%
High economic need
7
rank
Lucas Middle
Grades 06–08371 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (10.3:1) · above-average investment ($17,524/student)
49
/100
Student:Teacher
10.3:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
32/100
Below nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$17,524
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
70%
High economic need
8
rank
Neal Middle
Grades 06–08789 students
Ranked for: above-average investment ($17,524/student)
41
/100
Student:Teacher
13.9:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
32/100
Below nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$17,524
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
100%
High economic need
9
rank
Brogden Middle
Grades 06–08742 students
Ranked for: above-average investment ($17,524/student)
41
/100
Student:Teacher
14.6:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
32/100
Below nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$17,524
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
100%
High economic need
How We Rank Middle Schools

Each school receives a composite score (0–100) built from 4 federal data signals, weighted to reflect what matters most at the middle school level. All signals are normalised against national benchmarks so a school's score reflects its standing across the entire US, not just within this district.

Neighborhood Opportunity
35%
Harvard Opportunity Atlas score for the school's neighbourhood. Reflects long-run economic outcomes for children raised in this area.
Student-Teacher Ratio
30%
Lower ratio = smaller classes. Particularly important during the middle years when academic and social needs are at their most complex.
Per-Pupil Expenditure
20%
Annual district spending per enrolled student from the NCES F-33 Finance Survey. Compared against national average.
Free Lunch Rate
15%
Percentage of students qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch. Reflects the economic profile of the community the school serves.
Test scores are excluded: they are not published as consistent open federal data across all states, making reliable cross-district comparison impossible with this signal alone.
District at a Glance
9
Middle Schools
55
Total Schools
61
#1 Score
51
Avg Score
Top Ranked Middle School
Compare Durham Public Schools with neighbouring districts
⇄ Compare districts
Frequently Asked Questions
About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets: NCES Common Core of Data (enrollment, school characteristics, student-teacher ratios), NCES F-33 Finance Survey (per-pupil expenditure), Harvard Opportunity Atlas (neighbourhood opportunity scores). Federal data is published on an annual cycle and may not reflect the very latest school-year changes. Rankings reflect available data and should be used as a starting point — not a substitute for visiting schools or consulting district resources directly. What this ranking does not measure: teacher quality, classroom culture, extracurricular programmes, school safety, or parent and student satisfaction.