Red Oak Middle

Red Oak Middle in Battleboro, NC, serves 840 students in grades 6 through 8 and is part of Nash County Public Schools. Like many schools in the area, it serves a high-poverty population, with nearly all students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. In 2025–2026, the school ranked 485th out of 778 North Carolina middle schools, placing it at the 38th percentile and earning 2 stars — a notable improvement from the previous year's 25th percentile.

Red Oak stands out for several reasons. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 23.3% in 2024–2025 is better than the state average of 24.2% and much lower than many nearby schools. For example, Southern Nash Middle has a 39.3% absenteeism rate and Enfield Middle S.T.E.A.M. Academy is at 45.3%. The school also posted strong year-over-year gains in nearly every subject, especially in 7th-grade reading (from 38.8% to 55.1% proficient) and 6th-grade math (from 33.3% to 50.0%). Students learning English had particularly strong results, ranking in the 91st percentile statewide for that subgroup. However, 6th-grade scores still lag state averages, and 8th-grade science has slipped from over 74% proficiency in prior years to 60.4% in 2025–2026.

When compared with nearby schools, Red Oak sits in the middle. It outranks West Edgecombe Middle, Phillips Middle, J W Parker Middle, and Rocky Mount Middle, but trails Nash Central Middle and Elm City Middle, which ranks in the 76th percentile. Red Oak's improvement in 2025–2026 is a positive sign, but its ranking has fluctuated over the past decade. If the school can sustain these gains and bring science back to earlier levels, it has a realistic path toward the upper half of state rankings. For parents, the key takeaway is a school showing upward momentum, strong attendance, and particular success with English Learner students, even as certain grade levels and subjects remain works in progress.