Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 28658

Middle Schools in zip code 28658 are represented by a single school, Jacobs Fork Middle in Newton, NC, which serves 7th and 8th graders and belongs to Catawba County Schools. Since there is no other middle school in this zip code for direct comparison, the most useful context comes from evaluating Jacobs Fork against district and state averages over the past two school years.

Jacobs Fork Middle is a generally strong school with some clear bright spots. In 2025-2026, 7th grade math proficiency reached 68.4%, which is 12 points above the state average, while 8th grade science proficiency hit 73.8%, about 5 points above the state. Reading scores for both grades also came in above state averages. The school also performs well on attendance, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 17.9% that is well below the state's 24.2%, even though more than half of its students (52.9%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The main area of concern is 8th grade math, where proficiency dropped from 60.5% in 2024-2025 to 51.2% in 2025-2026, slipping slightly below the state average. The 8th grade reading score also fell from 67.5% to 58.6% year over year, though still above the state.

Looking at the bigger picture, the school's performance seems to depend heavily on the specific cohort of students in each grade. The current 8th grade is weaker in math and reading than the previous 8th grade, while the current 7th graders are exceptionally strong in math. Statewide, Jacobs Fork has remained above average but its ranking has slipped over time—from the 74th percentile (4 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 64th percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026. Even so, the school continues to outperform district and state averages in science and reading, and its attendance health is a positive sign. For parents, this is a school with strong subject-level achievements and some variability across grade levels worth watching.