Summary:
Zip code 28412 is served by a single middle school, Charles P Murray Middle, which enrolls 907 students in grades 6–8 in the New Hanover County Schools district.
Charles P Murray Middle is the only traditional public middle school option within this zip code, and it stands out as a top performer both regionally and statewide. The school has ranked in the top 12% of North Carolina middle schools for three consecutive years, earning 5-star ratings in 2024–2025 and 2023–2024, and a 4-star rating for 2025–2026. Its most recent state rank of #89 out of 778 represents a slight dip from #54 the prior year, but proficiency rates remain far above district and state averages across every subject and grade level. For example, 8th-grade math proficiency is 81.3%, compared to 60.1% for the district and 53.0% for the state; 8th-grade science proficiency reaches 83.2%, the highest single subject score reported. Math is a particular strength, with a schoolwide average of 78.0% proficient in the latest year versus 71.3% in reading—a gap of nearly 7 percentage points.
Parents should also note that chronic absenteeism at Charles P Murray Middle is 19.3%, lower than both the district (23.8%) and state (24.2%) averages, even though about 34% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school’s spending per student is $8,277, though this figure is from 2018–2019 and should be interpreted with caution. While the 2025–2026 school year saw slight year-over-year declines in most math and reading proficiency rates, 8th-grade results held steady or improved, and the school remains a consistently high-achieving option for families in the 28412 area.
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