Douglas Byrd Middle

Douglas Byrd Middle is one of the larger public middle schools in Fayetteville, NC, serving 855 students in grades 6 through 8 within the Cumberland County Schools district. The school serves an almost entirely economically disadvantaged population—98.25% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch—and faces a major attendance challenge: 53.4% of students were chronically absent in 2024–2025, far above the state rate of 24.2%. Douglas Byrd's 2025–2026 state ranking places the school at the 27th percentile of North Carolina middle schools, a low rating but one that marks meaningful progress from its previous standing in the bottom quarter over the past decade.

Academically, Douglas Byrd lags district and state averages in every tested subject, but the shortfall grows sharply as students advance. Sixth graders arrive close to state benchmarks—52.6% proficient in math versus 59.2% statewide—but by 8th grade the gap stretches to roughly 20 points in math and 16 points in reading. Science is a relative bright spot, with 59.7% of 8th graders scoring proficient. Encouragingly, the most recent testing year brought broad gains: 8th-grade math proficiency jumped from 15.6% to 33.1%, and 8th-grade science rose from 39.0% to 59.7%.

Compared with nearby schools that serve similarly high-poverty populations, Douglas Byrd's results are mixed. New Century International Middle and Anne Chesnutt Middle, which have comparable free/reduced-price lunch rates, achieve considerably stronger outcomes and far lower chronic absenteeism—notably, Anne Chesnutt posts 8th-grade reading proficiency of 57.5% versus Douglas Byrd's 39.9%. Attendance appears to be the starkest differentiator: schools with lower chronic absenteeism consistently outperform. Given its elevated spending and a 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio, Douglas Byrd's primary opportunity for growth lies less in resources than in engaging students consistently and continuing the positive momentum of this past year.