For the 2025 school year, there are 6 public middle schools serving 3,393 students in 27516, NC.
The top ranked public middle schools in 27516, NC are Woods Charter, Smith Middle School and Margaret B. Pollard Middle School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking.
Public middle schools in zipcode 27516 have an average math proficiency score of 68% (versus the North Carolina public middle school average of 48%), and reading proficiency score of 70% (versus the 50% statewide average). Middle schools in 27516, NC have an average ranking of 10/10, which is in the top 5% of North Carolina public middle schools.
Minority enrollment is 44% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public middle school average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Best 27516, NC Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Woods Charter
Charter School
(Math: 78% | Reading: 83%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
160 Woodland Grove Ln
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 960-8353
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 960-8353
Grades: K-12
| 512 students
Rank: #22.
Smith Middle School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
9201 Seawell School Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-2145
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-2145
Grades: 6-8
| 749 students
Rank: #33.
Margaret B. Pollard Middle School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 69%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
185 Granite Mill Blvd.
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 969-0070
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 969-0070
Grades: 6-8
| 742 students
Rank: #44.
Mcdougle Middle School
(Math: 63% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
900 Old Fayetteville Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 933-1556
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 933-1556
Grades: 6-8
| 705 students
Rank: #55.
Culbreth Middle School
(Math: 64% | Reading: 66%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
225 Culbreth Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 929-7161
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 929-7161
Grades: 6-8
| 664 students
Rank: #66.
Phoenix Academy High School
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50% )
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
750 S Merritt Mill Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-2300
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 918-2300
Grades: 8-12
| 21 students
27516, North Carolina Public Schools (Closed)
School
Location
Grades
Students
New Century Charter High School (Closed 2005)
Charter School
1315-a New Hope Trace
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 942-7722
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 942-7722
Grades: 9-12
| 106 students
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top ranked public middle schools in 27516, NC?
The top ranked public middle schools in 27516, NC include Woods Charter, Smith Middle School and Margaret B. Pollard Middle School.
How many public middle schools are located in 27516?
6 public middle schools are located in 27516.
What is the racial composition of students in 27516?
27516 public middle schools minority enrollment is 44% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public middle schools average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Recent Articles

Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.

Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.

Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.