Summary:
Zip code 27403 in Greensboro, North Carolina, contains exactly one public middle school: Jackson Middle, part of Guilford County Schools. Serving grades 6–8 with 458 students and a 16:1 student–teacher ratio, Jackson Middle is a high-poverty, high-need school where 99.34% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Because it is the only middle school in the immediate zip code, its performance is especially significant for the surrounding neighborhood.
Academically, Jackson Middle is in the bottom tier of North Carolina middle schools. It ranked 725th out of 778 schools in 2025–2026, placing it in the 7th percentile and down from the 11th percentile in 2023–2024. Every tested grade and subject fell far below district and state averages: proficiency gaps were most dramatic in 8th grade math, where only 11.7% of students were proficient versus 53.0% statewide, and 8th grade science, at 30.3% versus 68.6% statewide. Chronic absenteeism is a major obstacle, affecting 44.7% of students versus 29.2% for Guilford County Schools and 24.2% statewide—meaning nearly one in two students is missing significant instruction.
Year-over-year test results swing widely, indicating instability across student cohorts. In 2025–2026, 7th grade reading proficiency jumped from 20.3% to 41.7%, and 7th grade math rose from 20.3% to 38.5%; however, 8th grade reading fell by 10.6 points and science fell by 11.6 points. Per-student spending was $11,896, yet outcomes remain low, suggesting that investment alone is not addressing the combined challenges of concentrated poverty, absenteeism, and learning gaps. Jackson Middle requires intensive, sustained intervention, particularly around attendance, 8th grade math, and science instruction.
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