Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle Schools

Best Middle Schools
in New Hanover County Schools

This page covers 7 middle schools in New Hanover County 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 near 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.

7
Schools Ranked
North Carolina
State
None
Charter Schools
RankingsHow We RankFAQAbout Data

Middle Schools Rankings

Showing 7 of 7
1
rank
M C S Noble Middle
Grades 06–08652 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
55
/100
Student:Teacher
16.4:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$14,481
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
33%
Low economic need
2
rank
Charles P Murray Middle
Grades 06–08882 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
55
/100
Student:Teacher
16.4:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$14,481
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
34%
Low economic need
3
rank
Roland-Grise Middle
Grades 06–08860 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
53
/100
Student:Teacher
16.7:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
51/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$14,481
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
32%
Low economic need
4
rank
Myrtle Grove Middle
Grades 06–08645 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
50
/100
Student:Teacher
15.6:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
47/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$14,481
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
56%
Near nat'l 52.2%
5
rank
Williston Middle
Grades 06–08683 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (12.7:1)
45
/100
Student:Teacher
12.7:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$14,481
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
100%
High economic need
6
rank
Emma B Trask Middle
Grades 06–08673 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
43
/100
Student:Teacher
14.1:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$14,481
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
100%
High economic need
7
rank
Holly Shelter Middle
Grades 06–08858 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
41
/100
Student:Teacher
15.6:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$14,481
Near 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
7
Middle Schools
42
Total Schools
55
#1 Score
49
Avg Score
Top Ranked Middle School
1
M C S Noble Middle
Score: 55/100
Other School Levels
Compare New Hanover County 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.