Best Public Schools in Benson, NC

Benson, North Carolina is served by five public schools in Johnston County Public Schools, including one high school, two middle schools, and two elementary-designated schools that together enroll about 4,062 students.

If you’re looking at school options in Benson, the standout is McGee's Crossroads Middle, which ranks in the 74th percentile statewide and outperforms its district and the state in every tested subject. Meadow School is officially an elementary school, but its middle grades are remarkable, especially 7th-grade math at 87.7% proficiency and 8th-grade science at 84.1%. That said, Meadow’s overall elementary rank (60th percentile) hides its upper-grade strength. West Johnston High posts a strong 95% graduation rate and solid English II results, but only 35.7% of students are proficient in Math I. Benson Elementary shines in early-grade math but fades by 5th grade, where reading proficiency drops to 47.2%. Benson Middle, while improving, remains the most fragile, with 25% chronic absenteeism and 7th-grade reading proficiency at just 47.7%.

All five schools have free/reduced-price lunch rates between 98.3% and 99.6%, yet performance varies widely. McGee’s Crossroads and Meadow’s middle grades show that high poverty doesn’t prevent above-average achievement. However, chronic absenteeism is closely tied to outcomes: Benson Middle and Meadow School have the highest absenteeism (25.0% and 24.5%), while McGee’s Crossroads has the lowest (16.6%). School configuration likely matters, too — Meadow’s PK–8 model gives it an advantage in middle school, but its 6th-grade reading (50%) and Benson Elementary’s 5th-grade drop suggest that transition years are consistent trouble spots. West Johnston is improving in biology and math, but algebra readiness remains its biggest academic weakness. For parents, McGee’s Crossroads offers the most consistent results, Meadow is a hidden gem for middle-grades math and science, and Benson Middle plus Benson Elementary need closer attention around attendance and grade-level transitions.