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Newton-Conover Middle

Q: Is Newton-Conover Middle a good school?

Newton-Conover Middle ranks 370 th of 778 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

370^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 778 North Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 52% of North Carolina middle schools

Summary

Newton-Conover Middle is a grades 6-8 public school in Conover, NC, serving about 559 students within Newton Conover City Schools. The school holds a 3-star rating at the 52nd percentile of North Carolina middle schools. Its strongest area is math: 8th-grade proficiency has beaten the state average by double digits in three of the last four years, reaching 60.2% versus 53.0% statewide. Seventh-grade math is also above average. Chronic absenteeism has improved for five straight years, falling to 21.7%—now below the state average—and the student-teacher ratio is a favorable 14.9.

Reading is the clearest vulnerability, especially for incoming 6th graders. Only 45.2% were proficient in reading in 2025-26 versus 54.8% statewide, though the gap narrows by 7th grade. Eighth-grade reading and science also trail state averages. The Gifted and Talented program is a highlight, ranking in the top quarter of middle schools statewide in two of the last three years. By contrast, Special Education students rank near the bottom fifth, so this is an area worth attention.

Compared with nearby schools, Newton-Conover is a solid middle-of-the-pack choice. West Alexander Middle ranks higher overall with much stronger 8th-grade results in math, reading, and science. East Burke Middle also ranks higher, though Newton-Conover posts stronger 8th-grade math. Within Catawba County Schools, Newton-Conover sits behind Mill Creek Middle and Jacobs Fork Middle but ahead of River Bend Middle. It compares favorably to Grandview Middle and Northview Middle in Hickory City Schools. Since the district overall earns 4 stars, its elementary and high schools likely drive much of that reputation.

559

Students ?

14.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

Community Eligibility

All students receive free meals (2024-25) ?

873 Northern Dr NW
Conover, NC 28613-6513

(828) 464-4221

District: Newton Conover City Schools

Students who attend Newton-Conover Middle usually attend:

High:

Newton-Conover High

Feeder schools for Newton-Conover Middle:

Elementary:	North Newton Elementary
	Shuford Elementary
	South Newton Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

36.9%

Hispanic:

32.2%

African American:

12.7%

See top rated North Carolina middle schools

Compare Newton-Conover Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 63rd percentile in 2021 → 52nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the North Carolina median (52nd percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 63rd-percentile peak (2021) to 52nd (2026)

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school58%

District avg58%

North Carolina avg58%

370^th of 778

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 48%▲ up 9 pts since 2016

From bottom 43% (2016) to top 48% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

72^nd of 246Newton Conover City 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	53.2	370 of 778	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	52.7	360 of 773	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.0	336 of 793	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.2	323 of 784	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.7	376 of 786	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	59.2	271 of 741	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.5	372 of 737	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.2	357 of 691	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2017	56.4	316 of 694	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2016	45.1	391 of 692	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2015	27.3	530 of 705	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	44.1	343 of 627	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2013	50.9	325 of 673	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2012	69.9	201 of 662	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2011	72.8	173 of 648	73.3%	★★★★☆
2010	69.7	191 of 640	70.2%	★★★★☆
2009	75.5	140 of 630	77.8%	★★★★☆
2008	67.5	199 of 620	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2007	64.7	229 of 606	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2006	61.4	247 of 598	58.7%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	42.6	294 of 553	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	30.0	401 of 546	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	36.9	352 of 560	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	27.9	441 of 559	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	32.5	384 of 550	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.5	229 of 533	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	45.0	275 of 519	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.4	345 of 494	30.2%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	9.5	116 of 121	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	25.7	88 of 111	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.8	86 of 110	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	29.8	86 of 110	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.1	93 of 109	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	32.4	71 of 99	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	39.4	76 of 102	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.2	76 of 95	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	40.4	230 of 449	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	49.1	195 of 478	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	55.8	158 of 504	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.0	173 of 475	63.6%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	38.1	212 of 363	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	34.3	243 of 371	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.9	127 of 356	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.7	130 of 318	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.3	137 of 312	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.9	123 of 236	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.1	167 of 211	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	41.3	81 of 151	46.4%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	41.3	436 of 731	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	51.1	352 of 733	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.4	324 of 738	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.6	310 of 731	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	47.1	374 of 733	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	56.6	285 of 706	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	49.5	372 of 684	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	50.0	368 of 656	43.9%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	70.1	93 of 465	80.0%	★★★★☆
2025	70.4	88 of 458	80.8%	★★★★☆
2024	62.2	181 of 461	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.5	101 of 452	77.7%	★★★★☆
2022	56.9	235 of 450	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	56.8	227 of 448	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	59.7	196 of 416	52.9%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	53.9	234 of 566	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	41.2	343 of 562	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	59.5	190 of 564	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.0	189 of 553	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.5	253 of 541	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	61.7	147 of 522	71.8%	★★★★☆
2019	41.2	315 of 493	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	47.5	246 of 472	47.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	47.7	360 of 725	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.8	335 of 729	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.7	236 of 743	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	63.3	203 of 735	72.4%	★★★★☆
2022	63.6	183 of 689	73.4%	★★★★☆
2021	73.2	106 of 633	83.3%	★★★★☆
2019	55.4	254 of 639	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.9	198 of 604	67.2%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	61.5	269 of 736	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	52.9	330 of 733	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.5	315 of 751	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.3	323 of 747	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	51.8	347 of 748	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	60.1	251 of 711	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	50.5	352 of 697	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	50.0	357 of 665	46.3%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	47.5	177 of 333	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	59.6	115 of 328	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.7	131 of 306	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.4	136 of 302	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	45.9	146 of 283	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	45.6	125 of 248	49.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	28.4	193 of 237	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	41.7	135 of 221	38.9%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	28.3	406 of 500	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	37.8	265 of 473	44.0%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	56.4	280 of 644	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	65.4	209 of 649	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	48.7	330 of 652	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	53.4	287 of 656	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	47.7	347 of 658	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	53.9	268 of 632	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	46.5	349 of 624	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.2	310 of 596	48.0%	★★☆☆☆

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)80th percentile+28 vs school

Male (2026)63rd percentile+11 vs school

Hispanic (2026)59th percentile+6 vs school

White (2026)57th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)50th percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)49th percentile-3 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)47th percentile-6 vs school

African American (2026)47th percentile-6 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)42nd percentile-11 vs school

Female (2026)40th percentile-12 vs school

Special Education (2026)19th percentile-34 vs school

Asian (2026)4th percentile-48 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science65%-4 vs state

Mathematics61%+4 vs state

Reading53%-3 vs state

5.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

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What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, February 5, 2017

Newton Conover STEM Middle School truly prepares students to College and Careers. Instruction is student centered and students needs always come first. Amazing school! Close Quote

by a parent on FaceBook
Monday, October 6, 2014

We considered private school, but decided to give the NCCS school system a try first, and I've *never* regretted it. My kids have been in the school system for 10 years now. I know of other families who come to NCMS from out of district because of the teachers, diversity, and excellent programs. We lucked out when we bought our first home in the district, we really did. Close Quote

Schools Near Newton-Conover 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 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
Newton-Conover Middle	Public	6-8	873 Northern Dr NW	Conover	28613	Catawba County	Newton Conover City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 464-4221	559	37	14.9	—	206 (36.9%)	71 (12.7%)	180 (32.2%)	47 (8.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (9.7%)	53.2	370^th of 778 public middle schools	52.4%		52.7	360^th of 773 public middle schools	53.4%	10	60.5	61.2	60.2	45.2	57.4	54.7	64.7	$7,899	$565	$7,334
Harry M Arndt Middle	Public	7-8	3350 34th Street Drive NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 256-9545	601	36	16.7	—	275 (45.8%)	44 (7.3%)	204 (33.9%)	28 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (8.3%)	53.2	368^th of 778 public middle schools	52.7%		49.2	392^nd of 773 public middle schools	49.3%	24		56.2	53.1		56.7	51.1	72.4	$7,986	$496	$7,490
Northview Middle	Public	6-8	302 28th Avenue NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 327-6300	481	28	17.3	—	191 (39.7%)	86 (17.9%)	110 (22.9%)	24 (5.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	68 (14.1%)	42	463^rd of 778 public middle schools	40.5%		40.4	468^th of 773 public middle schools	39.5%	5	59.1	43.8	49.4	53.2	47.9	52.1	60.2	$8,178	$747	$7,431
Grandview Middle	Public	6-8	451 Catawba Valley Boulevard S	Hickory	28602	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 328-2289	347	24	14.5	—	112 (32.3%)	79 (22.8%)	100 (28.8%)	23 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (9.2%)	24.3	611^th of 778 public middle schools	21.5%		36.1	504^th of 773 public middle schools	34.8%	107	42.6	53.9	36.0	36.9	38.2	46.3	50.0	$9,432	$1,144	$8,288
River Bend Middle	Public	7-8	4670 Oxford School Road	Claremont	28610	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 241-2754	450	27	16.6	—	211 (46.9%)	29 (6.4%)	85 (18.9%)	74 (16.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	49 (10.9%)	47.7	417^th of 778 public middle schools	46.4%		43.2	448^th of 773 public middle schools	42.0%	31		53.8	59.4		41.0	49.8	73.1	$8,304	$825	$7,479
Mill Creek Middle	Public	7-8	1041 Shiloh Road	Claremont	28610	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 241-1494	477	30	16.1	45.9%	353 (74.0%)	29 (6.1%)	54 (11.3%)	10 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (6.3%)	63.8	258^th of 778 public middle schools	66.8%		51.7	373^rd of 773 public middle schools	51.7%	115		62.3	60.0		51.8	63.3	78.0	$8,693	$756	$7,937
Maiden Middle School	Public	7-8	518 North C Avenue	Maiden	28650	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 428-2326	451	28	16.4	—	292 (64.7%)	21 (4.7%)	71 (15.7%)	38 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.4%)	56.1	338^th of 778 public middle schools	56.6%		57.8	299^th of 773 public middle schools	61.3%	39		57.3	58.7		61.6	54.3	65.0	$8,168	$563	$7,604
West Alexander Middle	Public	6-8	85 Bulldog Lane	Taylorsville	28681	Alexander County	Alexander County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 495-4611	467	29	16.3	—	382 (81.8%)	10 (2.1%)	39 (8.4%)	12 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.7%)	70.8	203^rd of 778 public middle schools	73.9%		79.5	141^st of 773 public middle schools	81.8%	62	59.6	70.0	76.3	51.6	60.0	69.6	82.2	$8,079	$717	$7,362
Jacobs Fork Middle	Public	7-8	3431 Plateau Road	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 462-1827	482	30	16.3	52.9%	327 (67.8%)	28 (5.8%)	60 (12.4%)	32 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.3%)	61.9	279^th of 778 public middle schools	64.1%		68	221^st of 773 public middle schools	71.4%	58		68.4	51.2		59.0	58.6	73.8	$8,548	$885	$7,663
Granite Falls Middle	Public	6-8	4 West Highland Ave	Granite Falls	28630	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 396-2341	518	34	15.3	—	402 (77.6%)	16 (3.1%)	65 (12.5%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (6.0%)	47.2	420^th of 778 public middle schools	46.0%		65.9	243^rd of 773 public middle schools	68.6%	177	58.6	42.1	53.5	49.7	53.9	63.0	61.8	$9,031	$920	$8,111

Frequently Asked Questions about Newton-Conover Middle

What high school do graduates of Newton-Conover Middle attend?

Students who attend Newton-Conover Middle usually go on to attend Newton-Conover High

Is Newton-Conover Middle a good school?

Newton-Conover Middle ranks 370^th of 778 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Newton-Conover Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 559 students attended Newton-Conover Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Newton-Conover Middle?

Students at Newton-Conover Middle are 37% White, 32% Hispanic, 13% African American, 10% Two or more races, 8% Asian.

What district is Newton-Conover Middle in?

Newton Conover City Schools

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »

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

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

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

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 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.