Summary
Bladenboro Middle in Bladenboro, NC, serves 254 students in grades 5–8 and is part of Bladen County Schools, a district ranked 200th out of 246 North Carolina districts. For the 2025–2026 school year, Bladenboro Middle itself is ranked 701st out of 778 North Carolina middle schools, placing it in the 10th percentile with a 1-star rating. The school operates in a very high-need environment: roughly 98.8% of students qualify for free/reduced-price lunch, and chronic absenteeism is 35.4%, well above the state rate of 24.2%. The student-teacher ratio of 18.6 is also higher than many nearby schools.
Academically, the school's statewide rank has declined steadily, from the 46th percentile in 2017–2018 to the 10th percentile today. Math is the weakest subject, especially in 8th grade, where only 7.7% of students are proficient compared with 19% in the district and 53% statewide. Fifth and 6th grade math also trail district and state averages, while 7th grade math matches the district average. Reading is a relative strength: grades 5, 6, and 7 all meet or exceed district averages, though they remain below state levels. Science is another bright spot in 5th grade, where 66.2% of students are proficient—close to the state's 67.7%—but 8th grade science has declined to 46.2%.
Compared with nearby schools, Bladenboro Middle outperforms Elizabethtown Middle, Orrum Middle, Lumberton Junior, and Fairmont Middle, but it lags considerably behind Clarkton School of Discovery, a same-district school only about 8.6 miles away. Clarkton has a lower student-teacher ratio (12.2 vs. 18.6), lower chronic absenteeism, and far stronger test results, including 73.1% proficiency in 6th grade math versus 26.2% at Bladenboro. That comparison suggests improvement is possible even in similar circumstances. The school also has real strengths to build on: special education students ranked in the 57th percentile statewide with 3 stars, and reading in grades 5–7 is at or above district averages. The most urgent red flags remain the steep collapse in 8th grade math and chronically high absenteeism.
Thank you for your feedback!