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The Innovation Academy at South Campus

Public Grades 6-8

39^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 778 North Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 95% of North Carolina middle schools

Summary

The Innovation Academy at South Campus is a small public middle school in Smithfield, NC, serving 263 students in grades 6–8 as part of Johnston County Public Schools. Despite serving a student body where roughly 98.5% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, the school is an academic standout. In the most recent statewide rankings, The Innovation Academy at South Campus ranked 39th out of 778 North Carolina middle schools — the 95th percentile, earning a 5-star rating. This is not a one-year fluke: the school has ranked in the top 10% of the state for four consecutive years, including 37th in 2024–2025 and 50th in 2022–2023.

What makes these results especially remarkable is the comparison with nearby schools. The Innovation Academy sits just 1.85 miles from Smithfield Middle and about 5 miles from Selma Middle School, yet those schools rank 660th and 648th in the state, respectively. In 7th grade math, The Innovation Academy posted a 93.5% proficiency rate, compared to 33.6% at Smithfield Middle and 34.7% at Selma Middle — a gap of roughly 60 percentage points. In 7th grade reading, the school's 90.2% proficiency rate towers over Smithfield's 41.3% and Selma's 32.2%. Across every grade and subject tested, The Innovation Academy outperforms both its district and the state by margins ranging from 18 to 37 percentage points.

The school's success extends to student groups that often struggle elsewhere. For special education students, The Innovation Academy ranked 7th in the state — and has ranked in the top 5 in prior years. For low-income students, it ranked 13th of 725 schools statewide. Chronic absenteeism sits at 15.4%, far better than nearby schools like Smithfield Middle (32.7%) or Selma Middle (35.2%). While the academy model likely attracts a self-selected group of motivated families, which makes direct comparison to traditional neighborhood schools imperfect, the consistency and magnitude of these results make The Innovation Academy an exceptional choice for Johnston County families.

263

Students ?

14.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

98.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

521 Martin Luther King Dr
Smithfield, NC 27577

(919) 934-6481

District: Johnston County Public Schools

Racial breakdown:

White:

51.0%

Hispanic:

25.9%

African American:

15.6%

See top rated North Carolina middle schools

Compare The Innovation Academy at South Campus to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 64th percentile in 2019 → 95th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (85% vs 58% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 5% of North Carolina middle schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 31 percentile points since 2019

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school85%

District avg60%

North Carolina avg58%

39^th of 778

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 5%▲ up 31 pts since 2019

From top 36% (2019) to top 5% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

98^th of 246Johnston County Public Schools among North Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	93.3	39 of 778	95.0%	★★★★★
2025	94.6	37 of 773	95.2%	★★★★★
2024	89.8	64 of 793	91.9%	★★★★★
2023	92.5	50 of 784	93.6%	★★★★★
2022	88.6	71 of 786	91.0%	★★★★★
2021	72.5	185 of 741	75.0%	★★★★☆
2019	62.4	269 of 737	63.5%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	94.8	24 of 553	95.7%	★★★★★
2025	94.7	23 of 546	95.8%	★★★★★
2024	89.5	40 of 560	92.9%	★★★★★
2023	84.6	57 of 559	89.8%	★★★★☆
2022	89.1	41 of 550	92.5%	★★★★★
2021	88.8	33 of 533	93.8%	★★★★★
2019	52.0	214 of 519	58.8%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2021	66.6	74 of 478	84.5%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	93.3	27 of 731	96.3%	★★★★★
2025	93.9	33 of 733	95.5%	★★★★★
2024	89.9	56 of 738	92.4%	★★★★★
2023	89.8	57 of 731	92.2%	★★★★★
2022	86.0	80 of 733	89.1%	★★★★☆
2021	72.0	171 of 706	75.8%	★★★★☆
2019	49.7	370 of 684	45.9%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	71.5	76 of 465	83.7%	★★★★☆
2025	69.1	103 of 458	77.5%	★★★★☆
2024	75.3	26 of 461	94.4%	★★★★★
2023	76.9	19 of 452	95.8%	★★★★★
2022	66.3	127 of 450	71.8%	★★★★☆
2021	47.1	302 of 448	32.6%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	93.6	23 of 566	95.9%	★★★★★
2025	95.2	16 of 562	97.2%	★★★★★
2024	92.9	32 of 564	94.3%	★★★★★
2023	95.2	19 of 553	96.6%	★★★★★
2022	94.4	16 of 541	97.0%	★★★★★
2021	65.1	121 of 522	76.8%	★★★★☆
2019	81.2	51 of 493	89.7%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	97.3	13 of 725	98.2%	★★★★★
2025	96.5	14 of 729	98.1%	★★★★★
2024	93.9	24 of 743	96.8%	★★★★★
2023	98.7	4 of 735	99.5%	★★★★★
2022	95.9	13 of 689	98.1%	★★★★★
2021	84.0	46 of 633	92.7%	★★★★★
2019	75.5	96 of 639	85.0%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	92.1	44 of 736	94.0%	★★★★★
2025	94.3	36 of 733	95.1%	★★★★★
2024	87.4	75 of 751	90.0%	★★★★★
2023	93.4	31 of 747	95.9%	★★★★★
2022	88.8	67 of 748	91.0%	★★★★★
2021	70.5	183 of 711	74.3%	★★★★☆
2019	70.9	180 of 697	74.2%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	97.7	7 of 500	98.6%	★★★★★
2025	98.8	4 of 478	99.2%	★★★★★
2024	98.5	3 of 473	99.4%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	89.2	44 of 644	93.2%	★★★★★
2025	92.4	34 of 649	94.8%	★★★★★
2024	83.7	96 of 652	85.3%	★★★★☆
2023	88.5	58 of 656	91.2%	★★★★★
2022	82.6	100 of 658	84.8%	★★★★☆
2021	62.4	212 of 632	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	46.2	353 of 624	43.4%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2026)99th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)98th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)96th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)96th percentile~ school

African American (2026)96th percentile~ school

Male (2026)94th percentile~ school

White (2026)93rd percentile~ school

Disabled (2021)85th percentile+9 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)84th percentile-11 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science87%+18 vs state

Reading86%+30 vs state

Mathematics83%+27 vs state

5.0

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by a student
Tuesday, November 5, 2019

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Schools Near The Innovation Academy at South Campus

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOG Mathematics (2026)			EOG Reading (2026)			EOG Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
The Innovation Academy at South Campus	Public	6-8	521 Martin Luther King Dr	Smithfield	27577	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 934-6481	263	18	14.4	98.5%	134 (51.0%)	41 (15.6%)	68 (25.9%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.5%)	93.3	39^th of 778 public middle schools	95.0%		94.6	37^th of 773 public middle schools	95.2%	2	82.8	93.5	72.5	83.9	90.2	84.6	86.8	$8,168	$360	$7,808
Smithfield Middle	Public	6-8	1455 Buffalo Rd	Smithfield	27577	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 934-4696	573	44	13.1	98.8%	52 (9.1%)	176 (30.7%)	316 (55.1%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.4%)	18.8	660^th of 778 public middle schools	15.2%		18	659^th of 773 public middle schools	14.7%	1	44.6	33.6	29.9	43.3	41.3	38.9	46.9	$10,489	$1,415	$9,074
Selma Middle School	Public	6-8	1533 Hwy 301 N	Selma	27576	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 965-2555	339	34	9.9	99.1%	26 (7.7%)	74 (21.8%)	217 (64.0%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.6%)	20.6	648^th of 778 public middle schools	16.7%		23.2	604^th of 773 public middle schools	21.9%	44	40.4	34.7	41.6	42.6	32.2	39.8	56.0	$10,296	$1,265	$9,031
Four Oaks Middle	Public	6-8	1475 Boyette Road	Four Oaks	27524	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 963-4022	477	31	15.3	98.1%	235 (49.3%)	66 (13.8%)	152 (31.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.6%)	60.6	292^nd of 778 public middle schools	62.5%		61.6	270^th of 773 public middle schools	65.1%	22	61.7	50.0	71.8	52.5	47.0	64.4	84.6	$9,812	$944	$8,868
North Johnston Middle	Public	6-8	435 Oil Company Road	Micro	27555	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 284-3374	598	41	14.5	97.2%	268 (44.8%)	52 (8.7%)	240 (40.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (6.2%)	60.4	295^th of 778 public middle schools	62.1%		55.9	318^th of 773 public middle schools	58.9%	23	57.8	57.9	59.0	51.0	59.0	60.0	82.9	$8,490	$818	$7,672
Swift Creek Middle	Public	6-8	325 Norris Rd	Clayton	27520	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 262-0750	691	45	15.5	99.3%	334 (48.3%)	101 (14.6%)	215 (31.1%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (5.2%)	60.1	297^th of 778 public middle schools	61.8%		56	316^th of 773 public middle schools	59.1%	19	66.7	66.5	58.7	55.1	58.7	55.6	65.9	$8,637	$480	$8,156
Cleveland Middle	Public	6-8	2323 Cornwallis Road	Garner	27529	Wake County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 553-7500	936	51	18.4	99.7%	439 (46.9%)	215 (23.0%)	193 (20.6%)	26 (2.8%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	61 (6.5%)	68.1	220^th of 778 public middle schools	71.7%		66	242^nd of 773 public middle schools	68.7%	22	59.8	59.1	68.9	59.8	63.9	63.7	77.7	$7,527	$410	$7,117
Clayton Middle	Public	6-8	490 Guy Rd	Clayton	27520	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 553-5811	609	38	16.0	96.2%	169 (27.8%)	170 (27.9%)	221 (36.3%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (7.1%)	49.1	405^th of 778 public middle schools	47.9%		48.6	395^th of 773 public middle schools	48.9%	10	55.4	50.0	45.3	51.9	56.8	58.5	70.3	$9,361	$587	$8,774
McGee's Crossroads Middle	Public	6-8	13353 NC Highway 210	Benson	27504	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 894-6003	757	42	18.0	98.9%	388 (51.3%)	93 (12.3%)	229 (30.3%)	2 (0.3%)	5 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (5.3%)	70.4	205^th of 778 public middle schools	73.7%		63.4	258^th of 773 public middle schools	66.6%	53	66.1	61.6	62.6	62.9	61.2	68.5	78.4	$8,319	$639	$7,679
Benson Middle	Public	6-8	1600 N Wall Street	Benson	27504	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 894-3889	377	26	14.7	99.2%	121 (32.1%)	72 (19.1%)	164 (43.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	19 (5.0%)	51.7	380^th of 778 public middle schools	51.2%		39.6	475^th of 773 public middle schools	38.6%	95	58.9	49.0	56.9	56.8	47.7	61.8	69.9	$9,496	$899	$8,596

Frequently Asked Questions about The Innovation Academy at South Campus

Is The Innovation Academy at South Campus a good school?

Yes. The Innovation Academy at South Campus ranks in the top 5.0% of North Carolina middle schools.

What district is The Innovation Academy at South Campus in?

Johnston County Public Schools

How many students attend The Innovation Academy at South Campus?

In the 2024-25 school year, 263 students attended The Innovation Academy at South Campus.

What is the racial makeup of The Innovation Academy at South Campus?

Students at The Innovation Academy at South Campus are 51% White, 26% Hispanic, 16% African American, 6% Two or more races.

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 2, 2026

2016–17 through 2024–25 graduation ratesSep 3, 2025

2024–25 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 3, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.