Middle Schools in Davidson County Schools

Davidson County Schools operates six middle schools serving grades 6-8, enrolling roughly 3,858 students total, with school sizes ranging from about 528 students at Tyro Middle to 727 at Oak Grove Middle. The district performs at or slightly above state averages in most EOG subjects, and the clearest pattern divides the three lower-poverty schools — Ledford Middle, North Davidson Middle, and Oak Grove Middle — which post average proficiency around 63-65%, from the three higher-poverty schools — Central Davidson Middle, E Lawson Brown Middle, and Tyro Middle — though Central Davidson outpaces its high-poverty peers.

Ledford Middle is the current academic leader with a 64.7% average proficiency, a 4-star rating, and the district's top statewide ranking at #222, while improving by more than 5 points in a single year. Oak Grove and North Davidson remain strong options with averages near 63%, but both have slipped in state rankings; North Davidson notably fell 3.7 points, driven by sharp drops in 6th- and 7th-grade math. The most encouraging story is E Lawson Brown, which has improved its ranking three consecutive years and raised its average by nearly 6 points, including a 17-point jump in 8th-grade science. Central Davidson performs above expectations for a school with nearly universal poverty, averaging 59.6% proficiency. Tyro Middle is the district's highest-risk school, ranked #503 with a 49.9% average and weak scores in reading and math.

For parents, the key takeaways are that 8th-grade science is a clear district strength, with five of six schools at or above the state average, while 6th-grade reading is the main weakness — the district trails the state, and the gap between Ledford (60.4%) and Tyro (40.6%) approaches 20 points. Chronic absenteeism is relatively low across all schools compared with the state rate of 24.2%. Notably, spending and class size do not determine outcomes: Ledford spends the least per student yet leads the district academically, while Central Davidson has the lowest student-teacher ratio but mid-tier results. The school to watch is E Lawson Brown, which is steadily climbing despite serving a student body with a 98.4% poverty rate.