Middle Schools in Haywood County Schools

Haywood County Schools in North Carolina is home to three middle schools: Waynesville Middle, Canton Middle, and Bethel Middle. These schools serve students in grades 6-8 and are part of the Haywood County Schools district, which is ranked 54 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Among the three middle schools, Bethel Middle stands out as the top performer. Bethel Middle has consistently ranked among the top middle schools in North Carolina, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. In the 2024-2025 school year, Bethel Middle is projected to have the highest proficiency rates in mathematics and reading, significantly outperforming the Haywood County and North Carolina averages. Additionally, Bethel Middle has the lowest student-teacher ratio and the highest per-student spending among the three schools.

While all three middle schools face the challenge of a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 98.8% at Bethel Middle to 99.58% at Waynesville Middle, Bethel Middle's strong academic performance suggests that the school is effectively supporting its students and providing a high-quality education. The differences in per-student spending and student-teacher ratios between the schools may contribute to the performance gap, with Bethel Middle benefiting from higher funding and more favorable staffing ratios.