Smith Middle

Smith Middle is a highly rated public middle school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, serving 763 students in grades 6–8 as part of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. The school currently ranks 76th out of 778 middle schools statewide, placing it in the 90th percentile with a five-star rating, and it has stayed at that top level in every year on record. Among its district peers, it is the strongest overall by test scores and academic ranking.

Academic results are the headline. On the most recent state exams, Smith's proficiency rates ranged from 73.5 percent in sixth-grade reading to 80.9 percent in eighth-grade science, all well above the North Carolina state averages of roughly 55 to 69 percent. The eighth-grade results are particularly striking: 77.7 percent of students scored proficient in math, compared with 53.0 percent statewide, and 76.7 percent scored proficient in reading, versus 56.1 percent statewide. In these same tests, Smith also outpaces its same-district neighbors — Culbreth Middle, McDougle Middle, and Phillips Middle — by sizable margins.

The school also stands out for its consistency and attendance. Its 13.8 percent chronic absenteeism rate is about half the statewide figure of 24.2 percent and well below the district average of 19.2 percent. Among nearby alternatives, Margaret B. Pollard Middle in neighboring Chatham County posts nearly identical overall results, though Smith has maintained its elite standing more steadily over time. Still, subgroup data point to areas for growth: special education, multiracial, and white students at Smith perform very strongly compared with their peers statewide (92nd–94th percentile), while economically disadvantaged students, English learners, and several other subgroups currently sit near or below the statewide median after several years of stronger rankings. For parents, Smith offers an excellent overall education and a dedicated learning environment — with room to narrow internal achievement gaps.