Top Rankings
Harnett County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 8 public middle schools serving 4,387 students in Harnett County Schools. This district's average middle testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in North Carolina.
Public Middle Schools in Harnett County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 36% (versus the North Carolina public middle school average of 48%), and reading proficiency score of 41% (versus the 50% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 62% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the North Carolina public middle school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
29 Schools
873 Schools
# Students
20,091 Students
497,038 Students
# Teachers
1,152 Teachers
31,051 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
17:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Harnett County Schools, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 314 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 86% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#241 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)38%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
54%
63%
Graduation Rate
(21-22)86%
86%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)36.5%
28.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.71
0.71
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
28%
21%
% Black
24%
25%
% White
39%
43%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $9,495 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,170. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $9,641 is less than the state median of $11,594. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$191 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$194 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$9,495
$11,170
Spending / Student
$9,641
$11,594
Best Harnett County Schools Public Middle Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Western Harnett Middle School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
11135 Nc Hwy 27 West
Lillington, NC 27546
(919) 499-4497
Lillington, NC 27546
(919) 499-4497
Gr: 6-8 | 700 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 53%
Rank: #22.
Overhills Middle School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
2711 Ray Road
Spring Lake, NC 28390
(910) 436-0009
Spring Lake, NC 28390
(910) 436-0009
Gr: 6-8 | 758 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 72%
Rank: #33.
Highland Middle School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
345 Highland School Rd
Sanford, NC 27332
(919) 498-3331
Sanford, NC 27332
(919) 498-3331
Gr: 6-8 | 762 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 58%
Rank: #44.
Harnett Virtual Academy
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
900 11th Strrt
Lillington, NC 27546
(910) 893-4072
Lillington, NC 27546
(910) 893-4072
Gr: K-12 | 100 students Minority enrollment: 56%
Rank: #55.
Harnett Central Middle School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
2529 Harnett Central Rd
Angier, NC 27501
(919) 639-6000
Angier, NC 27501
(919) 639-6000
Gr: 6-8 | 1,059 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 57%
Rank: #66.
Coats-erwin Middle School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
2833 Nc Hwy 55e
Dunn, NC 28334
(910) 230-0300
Dunn, NC 28334
(910) 230-0300
Gr: 6-8 | 589 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 58%
Rank: #77.
Dunn Middle School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
1301 Meadowlark Road
Dunn, NC 28334
(910) 892-1016
Dunn, NC 28334
(910) 892-1016
Gr: 6-8 | 388 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
Rank: #88.
Star Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
900 11th Street
Lillington, NC 27546
(910) 893-4072
Lillington, NC 27546
(910) 893-4072
Gr: 6-12 | 31 students Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 Minority enrollment: 81%
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