Summary:
Transylvania County Schools, a district in the mountains of western North Carolina, operates two public middle schools — Brevard Middle and Rosman Middle — both serving grades 6 through 8 and enrolling nearly 660 students combined. The district as a whole is ranked 55th out of 246 districts in the state with a 4-star SchoolDigger rating. Both schools serve very high-need populations: about 99% of students at each school qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite those similar demographics, the two schools produce noticeably different academic outcomes.
Brevard Middle is the clear standout. In 2025-26 it ranked 217th out of 778 North Carolina middle schools, placing it in the 72nd percentile with a 4-star rating. Brevard scored above both the district and state in every reported EOG subject and grade, including 8th grade math (69.5% proficient versus 53.0% statewide) and 8th grade science (77.9% versus 68.6%). Its overall EOG proficiency average climbed to about 65.3%, up from 54.5% the prior year. Rosman Middle, by comparison, ranked 415th out of 778 middle schools (47th percentile, 2 stars) and trails Brevard in nearly every subject, with overall proficiency around 56.1%.
Rosman does have bright spots. Its 8th grade science proficiency of 77.4% is nearly identical to Brevard's, and its 7th grade math proficiency matches the district average. However, reading is Rosman's biggest challenge — proficiency in all three grades fell below both district and state averages in 2025-26. Rosman also has a higher chronic absenteeism rate (30.3% versus 24.3% at Brevard), and because of its smaller enrollment (about 187 students), its scores tend to swing more sharply from year to year. The two schools were nearly tied in 2024-25, but the gap widened to more than nine percentage points in 2025-26, suggesting that differences in programming, staffing, or cohort dynamics within the same district can have a significant impact on student outcomes.
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