Best Middle Schools in Graham, NC

Graham, North Carolina is home to two public middle schools—Southern Alamance Middle and Graham Middle—both serving grades 6 through 8 under the Alamance-Burlington Schools district. Southern Alamance is clearly the stronger performer, holding a 2-star rating and ranking in the 32nd percentile statewide, while Graham Middle carries a 0-star rating and sits near the very bottom of North Carolina middle schools. In terms of overall proficiency, Southern Alamance averages 47.8% across math, reading, and science, compared to just 27.2% at Graham Middle—a striking 20-point gap that puts these two schools in very different realities despite being in the same city.

Test scores show that Southern Alamance consistently outperforms Graham in every subject and grade level. For example, 8th-grade science is the strongest subject at both schools, yet Southern Alamance reaches 62% proficiency while Graham Middle only manages 33.5%. Math is the weakest area at both schools, with Southern Alamance averaging 42.4% and Graham Middle just 25.3% across grades 6–8. Poverty and attendance tell a similar story: at Graham Middle, 99.5% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and 43.6% are chronically absent—nearly double the state rate. Southern Alamance has a lower, but still elevated, 58.2% poverty rate and 35% chronic absenteeism. Graham Middle actually spends slightly more per student ($9,053 vs. $8,216), but the additional resources have not closed the gap, likely because of the far greater economic and attendance challenges its students face.

There is some encouraging news: both schools improved from the previous year, and Southern Alamance has been climbing steadily, rising from the 23rd percentile in 2023–24 to the 32nd percentile in 2025–26. Graham Middle has also inched upward from the 2nd to 5th percentile, but it still has an enormous hill to climb. For parents comparing these schools, the choice is clear: Southern Alamance Middle offers far stronger academics and a more supportive overall environment. Yet even its scores trail the state average, especially in math. Given that chronic absenteeism is a major issue district-wide, reducing missed days and strengthening math instruction are the most urgent priorities for improving outcomes at both Graham middle schools.