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Holly Shelter Middle

Q: Is Holly Shelter Middle a good school?

Holly Shelter Middle ranks 334 th of 778 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

334^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 778 North Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 57% of North Carolina middle schools

Summary

Holly Shelter Middle in Castle Hayne, NC, serves 801 students in grades 6–8 in New Hanover County Schools, where more than 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school ranks at the 57th percentile of North Carolina middle schools with a 3-star rating—a step down from its 4-star status in 2022–2023, when it sat near the 74th percentile. It remains well above the lowest-performing schools in the area, but now trails four of its five closest same-district middle schools.

Test scores are a mixed picture: Holly Shelter hovers near state averages but generally trails the district average. The bright spot is 6th-grade reading, where 60.4% proficiency beats both the district and state. The concern is 8th-grade science, which dropped from about 78% proficiency in 2023–2024 to 66.5% this year. Nearby comparisons help frame the results: Emma B Trask Middle, 3.6 miles away with nearly identical poverty, ranks at the 65th percentile and beats Holly Shelter in most subjects, while Cape Fear Middle, 4.1 miles away, trails in reading and science. Holly Shelter also far outperforms Williston Middle, which sits at just the 9th percentile.

The biggest internal concern is an equity gap: gifted and female student groups rank at the 63rd–77th percentiles statewide, while English learner and low-income students rank far lower. English learners, for instance, fell from the 79th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 18th percentile this year—a shift that closely tracks the school's overall slide. On a positive note, chronic absenteeism has been cut from 51.5% in 2020–2021 to 24.3%, now roughly in line with the state average. That progress, combined with real strength in early literacy, gives the school a solid foundation for reversing recent declines.

801

Students ?

15.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

Community Eligibility

All students receive free meals (2024-25) ?

3921 Roger Haynes Dr
Castle Hayne, NC 28429

(910) 602-4046

District: New Hanover County Schools

Students who attend Holly Shelter Middle usually attend:

High:

Emsley A Laney High

Feeder schools for Holly Shelter Middle:

Elementary:	Castle Hayne Elementary
	Porters Neck Elementary
	R Freeman School of Engineering
	Wrightsboro Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

47.1%

Hispanic:

23.8%

African American:

20.0%

See top rated North Carolina middle schools

Compare Holly Shelter Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 66th percentile in 2016 → 57th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the North Carolina median (57th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 9 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school59%

District avg62%

North Carolina avg58%

334^th of 778

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 43%▼ down 9 pts since 2016

From top 34% (2016) to top 43% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

84^th of 246New Hanover 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
2026	56.6	334 of 778	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	60.0	285 of 773	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	68.2	221 of 793	72.1%	★★★★☆
2023	70.8	200 of 784	74.5%	★★★★☆
2022	50.4	379 of 786	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	48.5	366 of 741	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	50.9	379 of 737	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	66.9	227 of 691	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2017	53.8	335 of 694	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2016	63.7	235 of 692	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2015	62.2	254 of 705	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2014	49.0	304 of 627	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	50.1	327 of 673	51.4%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	25.2	444 of 553	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	34.7	350 of 546	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.3	290 of 560	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	54.6	188 of 559	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	28.2	430 of 550	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	31.2	379 of 533	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.5	338 of 519	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.2	306 of 494	38.1%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	35.1	274 of 449	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	25.5	413 of 478	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	44.5	255 of 504	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	47.9	200 of 475	57.9%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	28.3	299 of 363	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	35.5	232 of 371	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	60.7	74 of 356	79.2%	★★★★☆
2023	60.8	63 of 318	80.2%	★★★★☆
2022	50.9	114 of 312	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	54.2	57 of 236	75.8%	★★★★☆
2019	41.8	105 of 211	50.2%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	60.0	274 of 731	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	60.9	253 of 733	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	67.7	208 of 738	71.8%	★★★★☆
2023	68.2	202 of 731	72.4%	★★★★☆
2022	51.7	345 of 733	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	54.5	299 of 706	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	50.6	356 of 684	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	62.5	258 of 656	60.7%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	68.5	108 of 465	76.8%	★★★★☆
2025	66.2	139 of 458	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	75.2	29 of 461	93.7%	★★★★★
2023	75.2	36 of 452	92.0%	★★★★★
2022	61.3	186 of 450	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	69.6	119 of 448	73.4%	★★★★☆
2019	62.9	159 of 416	61.8%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	30.5	416 of 566	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	40.4	349 of 562	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.0	233 of 564	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	52.3	235 of 553	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	35.5	368 of 541	32.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.8	305 of 522	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	44.3	282 of 493	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	76.0	65 of 472	86.2%	★★★★☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	45.1	30 of 50	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	65.9	9 of 50	82.0%	★★★★☆
2022	40.9	23 of 37	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	40.4	8 of 12	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	87.0	5 of 71	93.0%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	42.2	413 of 725	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	47.7	369 of 729	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	51.7	334 of 743	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.0	291 of 735	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	28.9	523 of 689	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	37.2	400 of 633	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.0	288 of 639	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	65.0	170 of 604	71.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	50.6	368 of 736	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	57.5	289 of 733	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	66.6	219 of 751	70.8%	★★★★☆
2023	70.7	185 of 747	75.2%	★★★★☆
2022	47.3	385 of 748	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	43.4	393 of 711	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	48.6	374 of 697	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	69.0	194 of 665	70.8%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	53.2	153 of 333	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	54.4	138 of 328	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	68.0	83 of 306	72.9%	★★★★☆
2023	55.0	116 of 302	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	37.9	182 of 283	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	40.6	144 of 248	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	36.9	162 of 237	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	62.9	69 of 221	68.8%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	42.7	242 of 500	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	33.4	324 of 478	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.0	299 of 473	36.8%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	73.5	150 of 644	76.7%	★★★★☆
2025	74.0	152 of 649	76.6%	★★★★☆
2024	78.9	130 of 652	80.1%	★★★★☆
2023	80.6	112 of 656	82.9%	★★★★☆
2022	68.5	187 of 658	71.6%	★★★★☆
2021	60.5	225 of 632	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.1	270 of 624	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	70.4	161 of 596	73.0%	★★★★☆

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 (2026)77th percentile+20 vs school

White (2026)77th percentile+20 vs school

Female (2026)63rd percentile+5 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)54th percentile-3 vs school

Special Education (2026)52nd percentile-5 vs school

Male (2026)50th percentile-7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)43rd percentile-14 vs school

Homeless (2024)40th percentile-32 vs school

Disabled (2022)39th percentile-13 vs school

Hispanic (2026)27th percentile-31 vs school

African American (2026)20th percentile-37 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)18th percentile-39 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science66%~ state avg

Mathematics58%~ state avg

Reading57%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Holly Shelter Middle

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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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Holly Shelter Middle	Public	6-8	3921 Roger Haynes Dr	Castle Hayne	28429	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 602-4046	801	53	15.0	—	377 (47.1%)	160 (20.0%)	191 (23.8%)	19 (2.4%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (6.2%)	56.6	334^th of 778 public middle schools	57.1%		60	285^th of 773 public middle schools	63.1%	49		63.8	55.5	55.6		60.4	56.6	55.2		66.5	$10,215	$1,188	$9,026
Emma B Trask Middle	Public	6-8	2900 N College Rd	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 350-2142	611	41	14.8	—	301 (49.3%)	100 (16.4%)	138 (22.6%)	19 (3.1%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (8.2%)	62.4	274^th of 778 public middle schools	64.8%		61.2	274^th of 773 public middle schools	64.6%			70.4	62.7	60.6		52.2	59.1	58.5		71.0	$9,683	$828	$8,854
Cape Fear Middle	Public	6-8	1886 NC Hwy 133	Rocky Point	28457	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 602-3334	430	32	13.4	—	199 (46.3%)	36 (8.4%)	163 (37.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.0%)	39.5	482^nd of 778 public middle schools	38.0%		48.5	397^th of 773 public middle schools	48.6%	85		57.6	55.0	61.3		35.4	46.6	46.7		56.2	$8,993	$959	$8,034
M C S Noble Middle	Public	6-8	6520 Market St	Wilmington	28405	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 350-2112	690	40	17.3	38.3%	473 (68.6%)	86 (12.5%)	92 (13.3%)	7 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.3%)	71.5	200^th of 778 public middle schools	74.3%		73.9	173^rd of 773 public middle schools	77.6%	27		70.7	76.9	57.8		64.4	66.7	60.9		70.7	$9,109	$612	$8,497
Williston Middle	Public	6-8	401 S 10th St	Wilmington	28401	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 815-6906	666	47	14.0	—	80 (12.0%)	269 (40.4%)	274 (41.1%)	9 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.0%)	11.6	711^th of 778 public middle schools	8.6%		10.6	716^th of 773 public middle schools	7.4%	5		43.0	31.7	33.8		26.9	20.1	32.3		43.1	$12,800	$1,697	$11,103
Roland-Grise Middle	Public	6-8	4412 Lake Ave	Wilmington	28403	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 350-2136	878	53	16.5	33.5%	602 (68.6%)	60 (6.8%)	164 (18.7%)	8 (0.9%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (4.6%)	74.1	180^th of 778 public middle schools	76.9%		82.4	114^th of 773 public middle schools	85.3%	66		66.2	73.4	63.2		60.9	67.9	68.7		76.3	$8,894	$611	$8,283
Leland Middle	Public	6-8	927 Old Fayetteville Road NE	Leland	28451	Brunswick County	Brunswick County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 371-3030	806	45	17.8	—	364 (45.2%)	191 (23.7%)	173 (21.5%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	74 (9.2%)	50.7	392^nd of 778 public middle schools	49.6%		36.9	494^th of 773 public middle schools	36.1%	102		54.2	51.7	55.7		47.4	56.3	58.2		70.7	$8,991	$1,326	$7,665
Topsail Middle	Public	5-8	17445 US Hwy 17	Hampstead	28443	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 270-2612	837	45	18.6	20.1%	699 (83.5%)	21 (2.5%)	67 (8.0%)	8 (1.0%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (4.5%)	78.4	143^rd of 778 public middle schools	81.6%		82.5	113^th of 773 public middle schools	85.4%	30	79.3	73.8	69.9	61.4	68.9	65.5	71.5	67.7	88.9	80.9	$8,344	$489	$7,855
Burgaw Middle	Public	6-8	500 South Wright Street	Burgaw	28425	Pender County	Pender County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 259-0149	236	23	10.2	97.9%	99 (41.9%)	76 (32.2%)	50 (21.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.2%)	17.6	667^th of 778 public middle schools	14.3%		20.4	633^rd of 773 public middle schools	18.1%	34		38.8	46.1	33.8		32.5	38.2	30.8		50.8	$12,822	$1,614	$11,208
Myrtle Grove Middle	Public	6-8	901 Piner Rd	Wilmington	28409	New Hanover County	New Hanover County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 350-2100	600	40	14.9	—	336 (56.0%)	104 (17.3%)	114 (19.0%)	14 (2.3%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (4.8%)	65	248^th of 778 public middle schools	68.1%		68.6	215^th of 773 public middle schools	72.2%	33		70.8	61.9	62.6		60.0	62.4	57.6		68.0	$10,046	$1,051	$8,995

Frequently Asked Questions about Holly Shelter Middle

How many students attend Holly Shelter Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 801 students attended Holly Shelter Middle.

What high school do graduates of Holly Shelter Middle attend?

Students who attend Holly Shelter Middle usually go on to attend Emsley A Laney High

What district is Holly Shelter Middle in?

New Hanover County Schools

Is Holly Shelter Middle a good school?

Holly Shelter Middle ranks 334^th of 778 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Holly Shelter Middle?

Students at Holly Shelter Middle are 47% White, 24% Hispanic, 20% African American, 6% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Rate Holly Shelter Middle!

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2025–26 graduation rates (updated)NewNov 2, 2026

2020–21 through 2025–26 immunization ratesOct 19, 2026

2022–23 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

2017–18 through 2024–25 attendance dataSep 2, 2026

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.