Best Public Schools in Smithfield, NC

Smithfield, North Carolina has 9 schools — two elementary, two middle, three high, and two alternative schools — serving about 4,842 students, nearly all within Johnston County Public Schools except Neuse Charter School, which operates as its own district. Nearly every school serves a high-poverty population, with free/reduced lunch rates between 96.9% and 99.8%, yet results vary sharply. The top performers are specialized programs: The Innovation Academy at South Campus (95th percentile, 5 stars), Johnston County Early College Academy (95th percentile), and Johnston County Schools Career Technical (97th percentile). By contrast, Smithfield Middle sits in the 15th percentile, Smithfield-Selma High is in the bottom third of high schools, and West Smithfield Elementary and South Smithfield Elementary are in the bottom quarter of elementary schools.

The starkest comparison is between two district middle schools: The Innovation Academy at South Campus posts 93.5% proficiency in 7th grade math versus 33.6% at Smithfield Middle, with chronic absenteeism of 15.4% versus 32.7%. Chronic absenteeism is a clear warning sign across Smithfield — every traditional neighborhood school exceeds the state average of 24.2%, led by Choice Plus Academy at 48.1% and Smithfield-Selma High at 41.5%. The only schools with low absenteeism, Innovation Academy and Neuse Charter School, are also the only ones with consistently strong test scores. Neuse Charter posts excellent results, including 93.7% proficiency in 8th grade science and a 93.0% graduation rate.

Some positive momentum exists: Smithfield-Selma High raised Math I proficiency from 19.2% to 42.4% in one year and holds an 89.3% graduation rate, above the state average. However, early literacy is a serious concern — fewer than half of 3rd graders read proficiently at West Smithfield Elementary (40.7%) and South Smithfield Elementary (45.9%), versus 55.6% statewide. The takeaway is that Smithfield's excellence is concentrated in smaller specialized programs like Johnston County Schools Career Technical, Johnston County Early College Academy, The Innovation Academy at South Campus, and Neuse Charter School, while larger neighborhood schools need the most attention, especially around absenteeism and early literacy. High-poverty schools like Innovation Academy prove that economic disadvantage is not destiny.