Summary:
The 27801 zip code area is home to two middle schools, West Edgecombe Middle and J.W. Parker Middle, which serve students in grades 6-8. Both schools are performing significantly below state averages in core academic subjects, and they are ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina middle schools by SchoolDigger.
Test scores at both schools are consistently low, with proficiency rates in Math, Reading, and Science well below the state averages. For example, in 2024-2025, West Edgecombe Middle's 8th-grade Math proficiency rate was 19.2%, compared to the state average of 48.7%. J.W. Parker Middle's test scores are also significantly below the district and state averages across all grade levels and subjects. Additionally, both schools have extremely high percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, with over 98% of students qualifying in the 2023-2024 school year.
The data also reveals disparities in per-student spending, with West Edgecombe Middle spending $10,069 per student in the 2018-2019 school year, while J.W. Parker Middle spent $14,656 per student. Despite these differences in funding, both schools have consistently been ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina middle schools by SchoolDigger, with little to no improvement over the past few years. This suggests that the challenges facing these schools may be complex and require a comprehensive approach to address the root causes of the low academic performance and high poverty levels in the area.
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