Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 28211

Zip code 28211 in Charlotte, North Carolina is home to two public middle schools, Randolph Middle and Alexander Graham Middle, both serving grades 6–8 in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district. Despite similar enrollment (about 1,200 students at each school), nearly identical per-student funding (around $8,175), and comparable student-teacher ratios, these two schools post dramatically different academic results. Randolph Middle is a standout performer, ranking in the 84th percentile of North Carolina middle schools with a 4-star rating and roughly 72% combined EOG proficiency. Alexander Graham Middle, by contrast, ranks in the 41st percentile with a 2-star rating and about 52% combined proficiency—a 20-point gap that appears across every subject and grade level tested.

Subject-level data from 2025–2026 EOG exams show Randolph outpacing Alexander Graham in all categories. For example, 6th grade reading proficiency is 74.8% at Randolph versus 45.8% at Alexander Graham, a 29-point gap. In 8th grade math, Randolph scores 71.7% versus Alexander Graham’s 47.1%. Even Alexander Graham’s strongest area, 8th grade reading at 55.7%, is below Randolph’s weakest area, 7th grade math at 64.7%. Chronic absenteeism appears to be a major factor: 34.4% of Alexander Graham students are chronically absent compared to 18.6% at Randolph, which is also better than both the district (26.8%) and state (24.2%) averages. The two schools have similar economically disadvantaged rates (48.2% vs 52.4%), so demographics alone do not explain the achievement gap.

Both schools improved from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, with Randolph rising from 67.5% to 72.0% proficiency and Alexander Graham rising from 49.2% to 52.4%, meaning the large gap remained steady. Alexander Graham does show a relative strength in 8th grade science (61.5% proficient), but that still falls below district and state averages of roughly 68%. For parents comparing these schools, the key takeaway is clear: Randolph Middle offers consistently above-average performance and strong attendance, while Alexander Graham Middle faces significant challenges, particularly around chronic absenteeism, that align with its lower academic rankings. Parents considering schools in zip code 28211 will want to weigh these differences carefully.