Smithfield Middle

Smithfield Middle is a public school in Smithfield, NC, serving 573 students in grades 6–8 as part of Johnston County Public Schools. The school has struggled academically for years, earning a 1-star rating every year since 2019–2020 and ranking 660th out of 778 North Carolina middle schools in the most recent state comparison—placing it in the bottom 15% statewide and among the lowest-performing middle schools in the county.

Academically, Smithfield Middle falls well below district and state averages in every tested subject and grade. For example, only about 30% of 8th graders scored proficient in math, compared to roughly 53% statewide, and only about 47% of 8th graders were proficient in science versus about 69% statewide. Some scores improved recently—6th grade math rose from 31.6% to 44.6% in a single year—but large gaps remain. Chronic absenteeism is also a major concern: roughly one in three students was chronically absent in 2024–2025, about double the rate at several higher-performing area schools. Outcomes are especially weak for special education students, whose subgroup rating dropped to the bottom 4% of schools statewide, and for English language learners, who rank in the bottom 11%.

The most useful local comparisons are with two nearby schools. Selma Middle School, about 3.7 miles away, has a similarly low 1-star rating. But The Innovation Academy at South Campus—just 1.85 miles away—is a 5-star school ranked in the 95th percentile while serving a nearly identical high-poverty population. Other nearby schools like Cleveland Middle, Archer Lodge Middle, and McGee's Crossroads Middle also rank far higher with similar student demographics. Smithfield Middle actually spends more per student ($10,489) and has a favorable 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio, yet outcomes remain low—a strong sign that challenges like attendance and instructional support, rather than funding or class size alone, are driving the school's results.