Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its North Carolina rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Zebulon Middle

Q: Is Zebulon Middle a good school?

Zebulon Middle ranks 513 th of 778 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades 6-8

513^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 778 North Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 34% of North Carolina middle schools

Summary

Zebulon Middle is a grades 6–8 school in Zebulon, NC, that serves 772 students in the eastern part of Wake County Schools. It is part of a district ranked 60th out of 246 in North Carolina, yet the school itself sits in the 34th percentile statewide with a 2-star rating. Nearly all students are from economically disadvantaged families (99.61% free/reduced lunch), and chronic absenteeism is high at 28.9% — well above the district's 20.5%.

In every tested subject, proficiency falls short of district and state averages. For example, 7th grade math proficiency is 42.0% compared to 66.4% across Wake County, and 8th grade reading is 43.9% versus 65.4% districtwide. Encouragingly, Zebulon improved in most subjects last year, with 8th grade science jumping from 47.6% to 60.7% and 8th grade math rising 11.8 points. Still, the school has not returned to the mid-level ranking it held in 2021–22. Students with disabilities are a particular concern, with outcomes falling to the 11th percentile statewide after sitting near the 43rd percentile just two years earlier.

Comparison with nearby schools shows what is possible. Heritage Middle, just 13.7 miles away in the same district, ranks in the 94th percentile with far lower poverty (16.9%) and absenteeism (16.3%). More striking, several high-poverty neighbors achieve strong results: Archer Lodge Middle, where 99.75% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, ranks in the 72nd percentile and posts 7th grade math scores nearly 28 points higher than Zebulon's. The data suggest that poverty alone does not explain outcomes. Reducing absenteeism and expanding support for students with special needs are the most promising paths forward, and the recent gains in science show that improvement is achievable.

772

Students ?

15.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

99.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1000 Shepard School Rd
Zebulon, NC 27597

(919) 404-3630

District: Wake County Schools

Students who attend Zebulon Middle usually attend:

High:	Wake Early College of Health and Science
	Wake STEM Early College High School
	Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
	Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy

Feeder schools for Zebulon Middle:

Elementary:	Wakelon Elementary
	Zebulon Elementary

Racial breakdown:

African American:

49.0%

Hispanic:

29.4%

White:

14.1%

See top rated North Carolina middle schools

Compare Zebulon Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 35th percentile in 2016 → 34th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (49% vs 58% meeting standards)

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school49%

District avg68%

North Carolina avg58%

513^th of 778

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Bottom 34%▼ down 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

60^th of 246Wake 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	35.2	513 of 778	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.2	536 of 773	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.0	495 of 793	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.7	418 of 784	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	47.8	396 of 786	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.3	425 of 741	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.1	417 of 737	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.1	436 of 691	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	34.5	479 of 694	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	38.6	447 of 692	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2015	42.0	418 of 705	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2014	43.1	352 of 627	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	44.9	363 of 673	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2012	53.3	379 of 662	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2011	45.6	418 of 648	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2010	52.6	370 of 640	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2009	46.1	399 of 630	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2008	42.9	392 of 620	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2007	49.9	365 of 606	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2006	50.8	349 of 598	41.6%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	56.3	203 of 553	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	43.9	279 of 546	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	55.1	190 of 560	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	57.5	171 of 559	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.1	191 of 550	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	52.8	187 of 533	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	62.0	133 of 519	74.4%	★★★★☆
2018	58.0	162 of 494	67.2%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	31.9	306 of 449	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	49.6	186 of 478	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	26.7	423 of 504	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.0	398 of 475	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	34.9	248 of 363	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	28.0	294 of 371	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	65.3	56 of 356	84.3%	★★★★☆
2023	41.4	168 of 318	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	58.0	77 of 312	75.3%	★★★★☆
2021	41.7	116 of 236	50.8%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	30.1	531 of 731	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	30.2	529 of 733	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	38.4	458 of 738	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.4	389 of 731	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	50.1	359 of 733	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	39.3	412 of 706	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	42.0	427 of 684	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.2	424 of 656	35.4%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	52.3	296 of 465	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	47.9	330 of 458	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	58.8	218 of 461	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.2	103 of 452	77.2%	★★★★☆
2022	64.1	155 of 450	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	81.3	7 of 448	98.4%	★★★★★
2019	48.5	295 of 416	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	52.6	71 of 127	44.1%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	29.5	427 of 566	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	40.7	347 of 562	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.1	326 of 564	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	57.2	195 of 553	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.4	161 of 541	70.2%	★★★★☆
2021	59.6	158 of 522	69.7%	★★★★☆
2019	62.1	129 of 493	73.8%	★★★★☆
2018	52.3	210 of 472	55.5%	★★★☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	58.7	17 of 59	71.2%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	28.3	561 of 725	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.9	498 of 729	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.7	392 of 743	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.7	359 of 735	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.9	226 of 689	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	59.5	194 of 633	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.0	287 of 639	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	47.2	325 of 604	46.2%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	37.9	462 of 736	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.3	515 of 733	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	37.4	482 of 751	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.0	435 of 747	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.9	428 of 748	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	42.2	400 of 711	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	44.4	408 of 697	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.2	433 of 665	34.9%	★★☆☆☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	10.7	65 of 67	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	51.0	160 of 333	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	51.8	146 of 328	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.0	124 of 306	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.3	84 of 302	72.2%	★★★★☆
2022	79.5	35 of 283	87.6%	★★★★☆
2021	53.7	96 of 248	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	36.4	165 of 237	30.4%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	24.1	446 of 500	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	34.7	309 of 478	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.3	269 of 473	43.1%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	59.3	253 of 644	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	54.6	284 of 649	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.3	260 of 652	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.1	308 of 656	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.1	242 of 658	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	53.7	269 of 632	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	36.8	431 of 624	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	45.7	346 of 596	41.9%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Homeless (2026)71st percentile+37 vs school

African American (2026)63rd percentile+29 vs school

White (2026)61st percentile+27 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)52nd percentile+18 vs school

Male (2026)37th percentile+3 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)36th percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)32nd percentile-18 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)32nd percentile~ school

Female (2026)27th percentile-7 vs school

Hispanic (2026)25th percentile-10 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)23rd percentile-11 vs school

Special Education (2026)11th percentile-23 vs school

Military Connected (2026)3rd percentile-31 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science61%-8 vs state

Mathematics47%-9 vs state

Reading47%-9 vs state

4.5

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★1

4★1

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Zebulon Middle

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a teacher
Monday, September 20, 2021

Great school ! ZGTMMS focuses on student centered interests.. and has a great career development program helping students navigate their career pathway to get them ready to be college/career or military ready! See more here! https://zgtmmscdc.weebly.com/ Close Quote

by a teacher
Friday, July 21, 2017

Great School! Exceptional teachers who care about the students. Lack of community support, but the students are happy, and seems to really try their best. Administration has changed a few times, but are trying their best to improve the reputation of the school. Close Quote

Schools Near Zebulon Middle

Load more schools when map is moved

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
Zebulon Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1000 Shepard School Rd	Zebulon	27597	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 404-3630	772	50	15.5	99.6%	109 (14.1%)	378 (49.0%)	227 (29.4%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (6.7%)	35.2	513^th of 778 public middle schools	34.1%		31.2	536^th of 773 public middle schools	30.7%	23	53.4	42.0	46.4	47.0	50.0	43.9	60.7	$10,412	$366	$10,046
Wendell Middle	Public	6-8	3409 NC Highway 97	Wendell	27591	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 365-1667	762	54	14.0	99.6%	135 (17.7%)	274 (36.0%)	293 (38.5%)	17 (2.2%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (5.2%)	31.3	541^st of 778 public middle schools	30.5%		26.3	578^th of 773 public middle schools	25.2%	37	47.8	43.2	34.3	51.3	43.8	47.8	59.1	$8,914	$440	$8,473
Archer Lodge Middle	Public	6-8	762 Wendell Rd	Wendell	27591	Wake County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 553-0714	1,204	64	18.7	99.8%	641 (53.2%)	203 (16.9%)	283 (23.5%)	13 (1.1%)	5 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (4.9%)	67.9	221^st of 778 public middle schools	71.6%		75.3	166^th of 773 public middle schools	78.5%	55	67.9	69.8	59.2	61.1	65.3	60.8	69.4	$7,395	$351	$7,044
Bunn Middle	Public	6-8	4742 NC 39 Hwy S	Bunn	27508	Franklin County	Franklin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 496-7700	618	34	18.1	99.4%	234 (37.9%)	123 (19.9%)	225 (36.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.5%)	26.9	593^rd of 778 public middle schools	23.8%		31.4	533^rd of 773 public middle schools	31.0%	60	55.2	32.3	33.3	47.4	42.6	42.3	56.1	$8,683	$797	$7,886
Neuse River Middle	Public	6-8	2700 Old Milburnie Rd	Raleigh	27604	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 266-8500	877	64	13.8	99.7%	107 (12.2%)	286 (32.6%)	416 (47.4%)	29 (3.3%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	36 (4.1%)	19.3	656^th of 778 public middle schools	15.7%		17.6	663^rd of 773 public middle schools	14.2%	7	43.7	34.6	33.3	39.4	37.9	36.9	55.9	$10,715	$1,359	$9,355
Rolesville Middle	Public	6-8	4700 Burlington Mills Road	Rolesville	27571	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 570-2260	889	54	16.6	43.4%	326 (36.7%)	286 (32.2%)	178 (20.0%)	36 (4.0%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (6.9%)	64.4	252^nd of 778 public middle schools	67.6%		67	233^rd of 773 public middle schools	69.9%	19	67.5	56.7	58.3	57.9	62.3	63.2	73.3	$9,428	$385	$9,043
Riverwood Middle	Public	6-8	204 Athletic Club Blvd	Clayton	27527	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 359-2769	902	53	16.9	99.4%	393 (43.6%)	248 (27.5%)	182 (20.2%)	16 (1.8%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	60 (6.7%)	54.9	352^nd of 778 public middle schools	54.8%		60.7	277^th of 773 public middle schools	64.2%	75	64.6	55.8	41.5	57.6	57.4	57.1	71.6	$7,553	$421	$7,132
River Bend Middle	Public	6-8	5601 Wallace Martin Way	Raleigh	27616	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 694-8690	995	62	16.0	99.7%	76 (7.6%)	440 (44.2%)	392 (39.4%)	48 (4.8%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	35 (3.5%)	27.4	584^th of 778 public middle schools	24.9%		13.5	698^th of 773 public middle schools	9.7%	114	40.7	40.8	45.0	41.1	45.5	44.9	57.5	$8,782	$962	$7,820
Southern Nash Middle	Public	6-8	5301 South NC Highway 581	Spring Hope	27882	Nash County	Nash County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(252) 937-9020	795	40	20.1	98.2%	280 (35.2%)	166 (20.9%)	308 (38.7%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (4.5%)	56	339^th of 778 public middle schools	56.4%		45.4	429^th of 773 public middle schools	44.5%	90	63.4	52.7	46.4	62.9	52.9	56.0	77.2	$7,877	$815	$7,062
Heritage Middle	Public	6-8	3400 Rogers Road	Wake Forest	27587	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 562-6204	947	58	16.2	16.9%	608 (64.2%)	116 (12.2%)	105 (11.1%)	82 (8.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	34 (3.6%)	91.1	49^th of 778 public middle schools	93.7%		91.9	46^th of 773 public middle schools	94.0%	3	85.9	86.2	76.3	77.0	83.3	76.4	84.5	$9,218	$405	$8,813

Frequently Asked Questions about Zebulon Middle

What district is Zebulon Middle in?

Wake County Schools

Is Zebulon Middle a good school?

Zebulon Middle ranks 513^th of 778 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Zebulon Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 772 students attended Zebulon Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Zebulon Middle?

Students at Zebulon Middle are 49% African American, 29% Hispanic, 14% White, 7% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Zebulon Middle attend?

Students who attend Zebulon Middle usually go on to attend Wake Early College of Health and Science

Rate Zebulon Middle!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina Middle School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Zebulon, NC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Zebulon Middle!

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.