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H J MacDonald Middle

Public Grades 6-8
372nd
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 773 North Carolina Middle Schools
Better than 52% of North Carolina middle schools
Summary

H J MacDonald Middle is a public middle school in New Bern, North Carolina, serving 695 students in grades 6-8 and part of the Craven County Board of Education district.

The school has shown mixed academic performance, with proficiency rates in Mathematics and Reading generally higher than state and district averages in some grade levels, but declining in recent years. For example, the 8th grade Mathematics proficiency rate dropped from 46.9% at the state level to only 35.6% at H J MacDonald Middle in 2023-2024. The school has also struggled with the performance of certain student subgroups, such as Asian, Special Education, and Gifted and Talented students, ranking in the bottom 20% of North Carolina middle schools for these populations. However, the school has performed relatively well for White students and English Language Learners.

Compared to nearby higher-performing schools like Tucker Creek Middle and Grover C. Fields Middle, H J MacDonald Middle's academic performance is generally lower, with significantly higher proficiency rates in Mathematics and Reading. Even Pamlico County Middle, which serves a similarly high-poverty student population, outperforms H J MacDonald Middle in several academic areas. Addressing these challenges and implementing strategies to improve student learning and support across all subgroups should be a priority for the school and district.

632
Students ?
14.3
Student/teacher ratio ?
$8,411
Per pupil spending ?
99.2%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 3127 Elizabeth Avenue
       New Bern, NC  28562-2509

(252) 514-6450

District: Craven County Board of Education


Students who attend H J MacDonald Middle usually attend:

High:    New Bern High

Feeder schools for H J MacDonald Middle:

Elementary:    Albert H Bangert Elementary
    Ben D. Quinn Elementary
    J.T. Barber Elementary
    Trent Park Elementary
Racial breakdown:

African American:
35.0%
White:
26.9%
Hispanic:
14.1%
more
 See top rated North Carolina middle schools

 Compare H J MacDonald Middle to nearby middle schools!
At a glance
Ranking trend: Rebounding — 32nd percentile in 2019 → 52nd in 2025
Strengths
Ranking is rebounding — up to 52nd (2025) from a 32nd-percentile low (2019)
Above the North Carolina median (52nd percentile)
Worth a look
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school53%
District avg54%
North Carolina avg54%
372nd of 773
North Carolina public middle schools ?
Top 48%▼ down 10 pts since 2015
From top 38% (2015) to top 48% (2025)
See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
3rd of 5Middle Schools in the Craven County Board of Education
128th of 242Craven County Board of Education among North Carolina districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202551.8372 of 77351.9%★★★☆☆
202446.9423 of 79346.7%★★☆☆☆
202345.5409 of 78447.8%★★☆☆☆
202242.3449 of 78642.9%★★☆☆☆
202144.2401 of 74145.9%★★☆☆☆
201936.4498 of 73732.4%★★☆☆☆
201847.8387 of 69144.0%★★☆☆☆
201770.3190 of 69472.6%★★★★☆
201661.8257 of 69262.9%★★★☆☆
201561.0267 of 70562.1%★★★☆☆
201454.3269 of 62757.1%★★★☆☆
201366.9181 of 67373.1%★★★★☆
201259.5314 of 66252.6%★★★☆☆
201163.0270 of 64858.3%★★★☆☆
201059.5314 of 64050.9%★★★☆☆
200965.0237 of 63062.4%★★★☆☆
200864.3235 of 62062.1%★★★☆☆
200763.7240 of 60660.4%★★★☆☆
200653.4327 of 59845.3%★★☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202547.0254 of 54653.5%★★★☆☆
202434.2376 of 56032.9%★★☆☆☆
202339.5323 of 55942.2%★★☆☆☆
202239.2313 of 55043.1%★★☆☆☆
202135.9341 of 53336.0%★★☆☆☆
201928.8414 of 51920.2%★☆☆☆☆
201841.0309 of 49437.4%★★☆☆☆

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202527.087 of 11121.6%★☆☆☆☆
202416.396 of 11012.7%★☆☆☆☆
202320.793 of 11015.5%★☆☆☆☆
202216.795 of 10912.8%★☆☆☆☆
202123.483 of 9916.2%★☆☆☆☆
201920.593 of 1028.8%☆☆☆☆☆
201835.272 of 9524.2%★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202243.7201 of 44955.2%★★★☆☆
202148.7198 of 47858.6%★★★☆☆
201923.5451 of 50410.5%★☆☆☆☆
201833.2335 of 47529.5%★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202555.799 of 37173.3%★★★★☆
202463.962 of 35682.6%★★★★☆
202362.455 of 31882.7%★★★★☆
202247.2129 of 31258.7%★★★☆☆
202157.443 of 23681.8%★★★★☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202556.1301 of 73358.9%★★★☆☆
202445.1409 of 73844.6%★★☆☆☆
202342.1418 of 73142.8%★★☆☆☆
202241.7426 of 73341.9%★★☆☆☆
202145.5367 of 70648.0%★★☆☆☆
201935.9476 of 68430.4%★★☆☆☆
201847.8390 of 65640.5%★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202573.264 of 45886.0%★★★★☆
202452.6283 of 46138.6%★★☆☆☆
202324.6422 of 4526.6%☆☆☆☆☆
202229.8412 of 4508.4%☆☆☆☆☆
202139.0342 of 44823.7%★☆☆☆☆
201918.4400 of 4163.8%☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202536.2374 of 56233.5%★★☆☆☆
202445.4308 of 56445.4%★★☆☆☆
202344.3301 of 55345.6%★★☆☆☆
202247.1277 of 54148.8%★★☆☆☆
202160.4153 of 52270.7%★★★★☆
201932.4371 of 49324.7%★☆☆☆☆
201850.2224 of 47252.5%★★★☆☆

Homeless

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
201956.825 of 7164.8%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202546.4379 of 72948.0%★★☆☆☆
202439.5453 of 74339.0%★★☆☆☆
202339.9445 of 73539.5%★★☆☆☆
202236.9442 of 68935.8%★★☆☆☆
202143.2340 of 63346.3%★★☆☆☆
201941.1402 of 63937.1%★★☆☆☆
201852.3277 of 60454.1%★★★☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202546.1396 of 73346.0%★★☆☆☆
202446.5398 of 75147.0%★★☆☆☆
202346.6383 of 74748.7%★★☆☆☆
202241.5439 of 74841.3%★★☆☆☆
202141.8402 of 71143.5%★★☆☆☆
201933.9492 of 69729.4%★☆☆☆☆
201846.1383 of 66542.4%★★☆☆☆

Military Connected

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202566.319 of 6470.3%★★★★☆
201930.837 of 4822.9%★☆☆☆☆
201839.930 of 4533.3%★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202551.1150 of 32854.3%★★★☆☆
202437.9194 of 30636.6%★★☆☆☆
202338.9195 of 30235.4%★★☆☆☆
202248.8135 of 28352.3%★★★☆☆
202164.561 of 24875.4%★★★★☆
201952.599 of 23758.2%★★★☆☆
201830.1181 of 22118.1%★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202530.6359 of 47824.9%★☆☆☆☆
202437.6267 of 47343.6%★★☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNorth Carolina percentileRating
202567.9197 of 64969.6%★★★☆☆
202467.5188 of 65271.2%★★★★☆
202361.2237 of 65663.9%★★★☆☆
202251.0313 of 65852.4%★★★☆☆
202155.8252 of 63260.1%★★★☆☆
201946.2354 of 62443.3%★★☆☆☆
201864.8203 of 59665.9%★★★☆☆
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
Gifted and Talented (2025)86th percentile+34 vs school
English Language Learner (2025)73rd percentile+21 vs school
Military Connected (2025)70th percentile+18 vs school
White (2025)70th percentile+18 vs school
Homeless (2019)65th percentile+32 vs school
Female (2025)59th percentile+7 vs school
Disabled (2022)55th percentile+12 vs school
Multi-racial (2025)54th percentile~ school
African American (2025)53rd percentile~ school
Low Socio Economic Status (2025)48th percentile-4 vs school
Male (2025)46th percentile-6 vs school
Hispanic (2025)33rd percentile-18 vs school
Special Education (2025)25th percentile-27 vs school
Asian (2025)22nd percentile-30 vs school
By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?
Science63%+3 vs state
Reading53%~ state avg
Mathematics51%~ state avg

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Frequently Asked Questions about H J MacDonald Middle

Students at H J MacDonald Middle are 35% African American, 27% White, 14% Hispanic, 14% Asian, 10% Two or more races.

In the 2024-25 school year, 632 students attended H J MacDonald Middle.

Students who attend H J MacDonald Middle usually go on to attend New Bern High

H J MacDonald Middle ranks 372nd of 773 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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