Summary
Starmount Middle is a public school in Boonville, NC, serving 502 students in grades 6–9 within the Yadkin County Schools district. Over the past decade, the school has seen a steady decline in its statewide ranking, falling from the 67th percentile in 2015–16 to the 31st percentile by 2025–26, while earning a 2-star rating. Nearly all students (99.4%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and chronic absenteeism reached 27.5% in 2024–25 – noticeably higher than the district’s 22.3% and the state’s 24.2% averages, as well as well above nearby schools like Elkin Middle (10.8%) and Central Middle (16.4%).
Academic proficiency at Starmount generally trails district and state results, with particularly large gaps in 7th grade reading and math – only 38.3% of 7th graders were proficient in reading, compared to 56.3% statewide. When stacked against nearby schools with similar poverty levels, Starmount lags in most subjects. For example, East Wilkes Middle School (99.1% free lunch) outperforms Starmount in every tested area, with 7th grade reading at 66.4% vs. Starmount’s 38.3%. Forbush Middle, in the same district with 99.2% free lunch, also ranks higher statewide and beats Starmount in five of seven tests. Even Central Middle (99.4% free lunch) outscores Starmount across the board. The school’s student-teacher ratio of 18.7 is the highest among its peers, further straining individualized attention.
Still, there are bright spots worth noting. Eighth grade reading proficiency (52.1%) runs ahead of the district average and beats Forbush Middle (43.3%) and North Iredell Middle (49.3%). Science also rebounded strongly, jumping from 49.7% to 58.2% in one year, though it remains below the district. Serving grades 6–9 makes Starmount structurally unique among nearby middle schools, which typically serve grades 6–8. The most actionable concern is chronic absenteeism – with roughly one in four students regularly missing school, improving attendance could be a powerful lever. Given that several peer schools serving equally high-poverty populations achieve stronger results, the data suggests Starmount’s internal policies, attendance efforts, and instructional supports deserve renewed focus.
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