Summary:
Zip code 28574, which includes the Richlands area of Onslow County, North Carolina, is served by one middle school: Trexler Middle, which enrolls 770 students in grades 6–8 as part of Onslow County Schools. About half of the school’s students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school has a student-teacher ratio of 18.3 to 1.
Trexler Middle shows a mixed academic profile. In the most recent testing year, 8th graders were the school's strongest group, performing at or above both district and state averages in reading, math, and science. Eighth-grade science was a particular bright spot with 69.7% proficiency, and 8th-grade math (52.9%) nearly matched the state average while finishing well above the district. However, 7th grade stands out as a significant concern: math proficiency fell from 54.8% to 44.0% and reading from 53.3% to 43.2% in one year, leaving 7th graders well below district and state levels. Sixth-grade math is also an area of weakness, with fewer than half of students proficient. Given these swings, families should be aware that academic outcomes can vary considerably by grade level from year to year.
The school has earned a 2-star rating in each of the past three years, with a state ranking that has fluctuated between the 37th and 47th percentiles. Chronic absenteeism is notably higher than the surrounding area: 28.6% of students are chronically absent, compared to 22.7% for the district and 24.2% for the state. While Trexler Middle has genuine strengths in 8th grade, especially in science and reading, the combination of elevated absenteeism and notable declines in 7th-grade proficiency are the clearest obstacles to improving its overall ranking. For parents, this is a school where your child's grade-level experience may differ significantly, so it is worth looking closely at results for the specific grade your child will enter.
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