Summary:
Zip code 28540 contains three public middle schools (Northwoods Park Middle, Southwest Middle, and New Bridge Middle) serving grades 6–8 in Jacksonville, North Carolina, all part of Onslow County Schools, with a combined enrollment of about 1,625 students.
The academic divide among these schools is striking. New Bridge Middle is the clear standout, ranked #192 in the state with a 4-star rating and roughly 68% average EOG proficiency. It outperforms both the district and state on every reported test, including a remarkable 84.2% proficiency in 8th-grade science. Northwoods Park Middle is a solid mid-tier school on the rise, improving from the 41st to the 60th percentile since 2023–2024, and its average proficiency climbed from about 54% to 60%. Southwest Middle is the lowest performer, ranking #621 with a 1-star rating and just 41.9% average proficiency. It lags district and state averages in every category, with only 29.5% of 6th graders proficient in math.
A clear pattern emerges when looking at attendance and poverty. New Bridge has the lowest chronic absenteeism (17.4%) and the lowest free/reduced-lunch rate (39.0%). Southwest, by contrast, has the highest chronic absenteeism (34.2%) and poverty rate (62.0%). Interestingly, Southwest spends the most per student ($9,298) and has the smallest class sizes (15.0 students per teacher), yet achieves the weakest results, while New Bridge spends less and has larger classes but performs far better. Science is the strongest subject across all three schools, but even southwest's best area (54.6% science proficiency) remains below the state average of 68.6%. For parents, these schools show how much outcomes can differ within the same district, making school choice critical in this area.
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