Summary:
Zip code 28516 is served by one middle school, Beaufort Middle, which enrolls 260 students in grades 6–8 and is part of the Carteret County Public Schools district in Beaufort, NC. Because it is the only middle school in the zip code, this analysis focuses on Beaufort Middle's performance over time rather than comparing it to neighboring schools. The school serves a very high-need population, with 98.85% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. It has steadily climbed the statewide rankings over three consecutive school years, from 266th out of 793 schools in 2023–2024 to 194th out of 778 schools in 2025–2026, placing it in the 75th percentile with a 4-star rating.
Academically, Beaufort Middle's greatest strength is mathematics. In the most recent school year, 70.1% of 6th graders scored proficient in math, compared with 59.2% statewide; 71.3% of 7th graders were proficient versus 56.2% statewide; and 74.3% of 8th graders were proficient versus 53.0% statewide. The 8th grade math result also exceeded the district's 67.7% proficiency rate and reflects a striking 22.7-point gain from the previous year. Across all EOG tests, Beaufort Middle averages about 67.8% proficiency, roughly 10 points above the state average of 57.7% and about 4 points below the district average of 71.7%. Science is also solid, with 71.6% of 8th graders proficient versus 68.6% statewide.
Reading is the clearest area for improvement, especially in 7th grade, where proficiency was 56.3%—14 points below the district average. Chronic absenteeism is 18.8%, essentially on par with the district's 18.7% and well below the state's 24.2%. Given that nearly all Beaufort Middle students face economic disadvantage, achieving above-state-average results is especially noteworthy. Carteret County Public Schools ranks in the 87th percentile of districts statewide, and if Beaufort Middle can lift reading proficiency closer to district levels, it should keep moving up the rankings.
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