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East McDowell Middle School

Q: Is East McDowell Middle School a good school?

East McDowell Middle School ranks 529 th of 773 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

529^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 773 North Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 32% of North Carolina middle schools

Summary

East McDowell Middle School is a public middle school located in Marion, North Carolina, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 411 students. The school is part of the McDowell County Schools district, which is ranked 98 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

East McDowell Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina middle schools, with a ranking between 397 and 529 out of 773-793 schools over the past 5 years. The school's performance on state standardized tests is generally below the state and district averages, with proficiency rates ranging from 25-56% in math and 30-51% in reading. However, the school's gifted and talented students perform well, ranking in the top 20% of North Carolina middle schools. The school also has a strong performance in supporting its homeless student population, ranking in the top 20% of North Carolina middle schools in this category.

The two closest middle schools, Foothills Community School and West McDowell Middle School, both outperform East McDowell Middle School on academic measures. Foothills Community School, a public magnet school, ranks in the top 20% of North Carolina middle schools and has significantly higher proficiency rates in math and reading compared to East McDowell. The school may benefit from a closer examination of its instructional practices, resource allocation, and targeted interventions to address the needs of its diverse student population.

392

Students ?

11.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,697

Per pupil spending ?

99.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

676 State Street
Marion, NC 28752

(828) 652-7711

District: McDowell County Schools

Students who attend East McDowell Middle School usually attend:

High:	McDowell Early College
	McDowell High School

Feeder schools for East McDowell Middle School:

Elementary:	Eastfield Global Magnet School
	Glenwood Elementary School
	Nebo Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

69.6%

Hispanic:

19.6%

Two or more races:

5.1%

See top rated North Carolina middle schools

Compare East McDowell Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 56th percentile in 2015 → 32nd in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (43% vs 54% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 24 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school43%

District avg51%

North Carolina avg54%

529^th of 773

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Bottom 32%▼ down 24 pts since 2015

From top 44% (2015) to bottom 32% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 3Middle Schools in the McDowell County Schools

98^th of 242McDowell County 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
2025	31.6	529 of 773	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.5	455 of 793	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.6	515 of 784	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	47.0	397 of 786	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	34.6	474 of 741	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	36.5	497 of 737	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	30.2	498 of 691	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	50.6	359 of 694	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2016	43.7	404 of 692	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	55.3	311 of 705	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2014	62.5	215 of 627	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2013	64.5	202 of 673	70.0%	★★★★☆
2012	56.5	348 of 662	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2011	60.2	291 of 648	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2010	64.7	243 of 640	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2009	61.0	288 of 630	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	49.5	352 of 620	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2007	59.8	273 of 606	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2006	63.3	224 of 598	62.5%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2021	34.0	356 of 533	33.2%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	44.3	197 of 449	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	41.7	256 of 478	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	38.2	311 of 504	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.0	281 of 475	40.8%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	26.4	308 of 371	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.8	256 of 356	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	63.0	54 of 318	83.0%	★★★★☆
2022	51.3	111 of 312	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	43.3	107 of 236	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	40.3	108 of 211	48.8%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	33.5	502 of 733	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.5	405 of 738	45.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.0	475 of 731	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	46.1	382 of 733	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	34.1	458 of 706	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.7	479 of 684	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	29.9	497 of 656	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	70.7	81 of 458	82.3%	★★★★☆
2024	66.3	131 of 461	71.6%	★★★★☆
2023	67.4	125 of 452	72.3%	★★★★☆
2022	65.5	137 of 450	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	65.0	165 of 448	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.6	227 of 416	45.4%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	15.3	521 of 562	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	41.2	347 of 564	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	36.4	381 of 553	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	62.4	162 of 541	70.1%	★★★★☆
2021	38.0	339 of 522	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.0	391 of 493	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.0	419 of 472	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	63.9	10 of 50	80.0%	★★★★☆
2019	50.0	28 of 71	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	37.9	11 of 13	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	39.0	449 of 729	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	52.5	324 of 743	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.8	366 of 735	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	58.1	245 of 689	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	53.0	244 of 633	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	48.4	333 of 639	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	30.3	453 of 604	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	30.4	520 of 733	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	39.0	459 of 751	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.6	514 of 747	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	46.0	403 of 748	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	35.0	453 of 711	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	34.8	481 of 697	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	30.0	490 of 665	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	24.3	255 of 302	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	43.4	155 of 283	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	48.1	115 of 248	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	36.6	163 of 237	31.2%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	38.5	262 of 478	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	26.9	375 of 473	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	22.6	539 of 649	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.3	524 of 652	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.8	586 of 656	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.7	550 of 658	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.4	580 of 632	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	16.4	572 of 624	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	11.3	562 of 596	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Gifted and Talented (2025)82nd percentile+51 vs school

Homeless (2023)80th percentile+46 vs school

Disabled (2022)56th percentile+7 vs school

Special Education (2025)45th percentile+14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)38th percentile+7 vs school

African American (2021)33rd percentile-3 vs school

Female (2025)32nd percentile~ school

Male (2025)29th percentile-3 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)17th percentile-15 vs school

White (2025)17th percentile-15 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)16th percentile-19 vs school

Hispanic (2025)7th percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Reading46%-7 vs state

Mathematics42%-11 vs state

Science40%-21 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a student
Wednesday, February 26, 2020

this is a great community, family-friendly. Close Quote

Schools Near East McDowell Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)			EOG Reading (2025)			EOG Science (2025)	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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
East McDowell Middle School	Public	6-8	676 State Street	Marion	28752	McDowell County	McDowell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 652-7711	392	35	11.2	99.2%	273 (69.6%)	16 (4.1%)	77 (19.6%)	4 (1.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.1%)	31.6	529^th of 773 public middle schools	31.6%		43.5	455^th of 793 public middle schools	42.6%	74	45.8	56.7	27.9	42.3	46.4	48.1	39.5	$9,697	$1,539	$8,158
Foothills Community School	Public, Magnet	6-8	176 Lukin Street	Marion	28752	McDowell County	McDowell County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(828) 652-1040	200	11	18.0	98.5%	164 (82.0%)	4 (2.0%)	22 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.0%)	83.8	105^th of 773 public middle schools	86.4%		77.1	152^nd of 793 public middle schools	80.8%	47	69.0	80.3	55.6	72.4	77.3	73.6	75.0	$6,490	$276	$6,214
West McDowell Middle School	Public	6-8	346 West McDowell Junior High	Marion	28752	McDowell County	McDowell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 652-3390	550	35	15.5	99.5%	413 (75.1%)	17 (3.1%)	88 (16.0%)	7 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.5%)	43.7	444^th of 773 public middle schools	42.6%		38.7	500^th of 793 public middle schools	36.9%	56	72.7	46.4	37.4	48.3	49.4	44.7	50.0	$9,132	$764	$8,368
Table Rock Middle	Public	6-8	1585 Nc 126	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 437-5212	427	31	14.0	99.1%	282 (66.0%)	34 (8.0%)	53 (12.4%)	20 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	37 (8.7%)	49.2	390^th of 773 public middle schools	49.5%		48.6	409^th of 793 public middle schools	48.4%	19	69.5	55.8	37.9	56.3	51.7	37.2	58.2	$9,032	$751	$8,280
Walter R Johnson Middle	Public	6-8	701 Lenoir Road	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 430-7340	441	34	12.9	99.3%	94 (21.3%)	24 (5.4%)	284 (64.4%)	13 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.9%)	29.2	554^th of 773 public middle schools	28.3%		26.5	598^th of 793 public middle schools	24.6%	44	48.0	53.9	43.1	36.7	32.8	34.4	46.9	$8,789	$1,074	$7,715
Liberty Middle	Public	6-8	529 Enola Road	Morganton	28655	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 437-1330	453	29	15.6	99.3%	307 (67.8%)	15 (3.3%)	80 (17.7%)	16 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.7%)	65	252^nd of 773 public middle schools	67.4%		68.2	220^th of 793 public middle schools	72.3%	32	77.9	59.7	56.4	56.5	45.1	59.5	67.5	$8,674	$830	$7,844

Frequently Asked Questions about East McDowell Middle School

What district is East McDowell Middle School in?

McDowell County Schools

What is the racial makeup of East McDowell Middle School?

Students at East McDowell Middle School are 70% White, 20% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% African American, 1% Asian.

What high school do graduates of East McDowell Middle School attend?

Students who attend East McDowell Middle School usually go on to attend McDowell Early College

How many students attend East McDowell Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 392 students attended East McDowell Middle School.

Is East McDowell Middle School a good school?

East McDowell Middle School ranks 529^th of 773 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate East McDowell Middle School!

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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.