Summary:
Zip code 27615 in Raleigh, NC is served by two middle school options: West Millbrook Middle and Magellan Charter, covering grades 3–8 depending on the school, and offering families a clear choice between a large traditional public school and a smaller charter school with elite academic rankings.
For parents, the biggest difference is between a comprehensive neighborhood school and a highly selective-feeling charter environment. West Millbrook Middle is a 4-star school in Wake County Schools serving about 1,164 students in grades 6–8, with a 17.1:1 student-teacher ratio and a free/reduced lunch rate of 32.3%. It has improved its state ranking three years in a row (158th → 155th → 148th of roughly 780 schools) and outperforms state averages in math and reading. In 2025–2026, its proficiency rates range from 66–74% in math and 65–73% in reading, with 8th-grade science at 74.1%. The school’s main concern is chronic absenteeism at 25%—above the district average of 20.5%—and its science score trails its own district’s 76.3% average. Still, it is an improving, solid public option.
Magellan Charter is the standout performer: a 5-star charter school ranked 21st of 778 schools in the state (97th percentile), with its own Magellan Charter district ranked 5th of 246. It enrolls 411 students across grades 3–8 with a much lower 13.1:1 ratio. In middle school math, Magellan posts near-universal proficiency (92–99%), and 8th-grade science is 98.5%. Reading is strong but less dominant, falling from 89.1% to 82.6% year-over-year due to a 16-point drop in 8th-grade reading. Even so, Magellan beats West Millbrook by more than 40 points in several subjects. Smaller size, a tighter student-teacher ratio, and elite math/science results make Magellan an exceptional choice, while West Millbrook offers a more typical, larger, and economically diverse public school that is also well above state averages.
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