Shallotte Middle

Shallotte Middle is a mid-sized public school in Shallotte, NC, serving 627 students in grades 6–8 as part of Brunswick County Schools. It recently ranked 257th out of 778 North Carolina middle schools — the 67th percentile — earning a solid 3-star rating. That puts it well above nearby South Brunswick Middle (41st percentile) and Cedar Grove Middle (44th percentile), and is especially notable for a school where about 99.5% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Shallotte's academic results stand out given this level of economic disadvantage. It beat district and state averages on 6 of 7 end-of-grade tests, with particularly strong showings in 7th- and 8th-grade math and reading. For example, 8th-grade math proficiency reached 64.1%, compared with 50.8% for the district and 53.0% for the state — a gap of more than ten points. The school is also on an upward trajectory: it climbed from the 47th percentile in 2021–22 to its current 67th-percentile ranking, and every grade and subject improved over that time span.

The two biggest challenges are attendance and uneven outcomes across student groups. About 29.9% of students were chronically absent in 2024–25 — above the district's 24.5% — and Shallotte's improvement in this area has lagged behind the district's overall gains. While low-income students and White students perform well in statewide comparisons, achievement gaps remain for African American students, English language learners, and special education students, who rank below the state median in effectiveness data. With continued academic momentum, a stronger focus on attendance, and more targeted supports for these groups, Shallotte Middle is well positioned to keep climbing.