Middle Schools in Beaufort County Schools

Middle schools in Beaufort County Schools serve grades 5–8 across two schools in eastern North Carolina, with high-poverty populations and higher-than-average chronic absenteeism. Chocowinity Middle is the clear standout: it ranks in the 60th percentile statewide (3 stars) and outperforms P S Jones Middle in nearly every subject in grades 6–8. For example, Chocowinity’s 6th-grade math proficiency is 82.4% versus 38.2% at P S Jones, and its overall 6–8 math average is 70.6% compared to 46.7%. Chocowinity also beats district and state averages in several areas, while P S Jones has lingered near the 30th percentile for three straight years and generally falls below both district and state averages.

Both schools serve almost identical, extremely high-poverty student bodies — around 99% free/reduced lunch — yet their outcomes differ dramatically, suggesting that school-level factors matter. Chocowinity’s reading and math averages are substantially higher, with its 6–8 math average roughly 24 points above P S Jones. Even in 8th-grade science, Chocowinity’s 56% proficiency tops P S Jones’s 54.1%, but both remain below the state average of 68.6%. Chronic absenteeism is a shared concern: about one in three students is chronically absent at each school, compared to the state average of 24.2%. Chocowinity also shows some grade-level volatility, particularly in 7th-grade math, which dipped to 47.3% before rebounding to 69.9%.

For parents, the bottom line is that Chocowinity Middle offers the stronger academic environment, especially in math, despite similar poverty levels and staffing ratios. P S Jones Middle is the higher-priority school for improvement, with low proficiency rates and persistent bottom-third rankings. Its best current result is 7th-grade math at 55.2%, barely below the state’s 56.2%, and its 8th-grade science improved this year. However, with chronic absenteeism nearly nine points above the state average, addressing attendance and learning from Chocowinity’s successful practices could be key strategies for the district.