Shelby Middle

Summary:

Shelby Middle is a public middle school located in Shelby, North Carolina, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 630. The school is part of the Cleveland County Schools district, which is ranked 121 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Shelby Middle faces several key challenges, including a significantly higher percentage of African American students (57.14%) compared to nearby schools, consistently underperforming the district and state in math and reading proficiency, and being ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina middle schools for the past several years, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance is particularly low for African American, Hispanic, and multi-racial student subgroups, and it has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 61.16% to 81.11% over the past few years.

In comparison, the nearby schools, such as Burns Middle, Kings Mountain Intermediate, Kings Mountain Middle, and Crest Middle, generally perform better than Shelby Middle on state assessments and have higher school rankings, despite being in the same Cleveland County Schools district. This suggests that Shelby Middle may face unique challenges that are not shared by its neighboring schools, and the school and district may need to implement targeted strategies to support the unique needs of the student population.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1480 South Dekalb Street
       Shelby, NC  28152


(704) 476-8328

District: Cleveland County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
570th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,218 Help


Students who attend Shelby Middle usually attend:

High:    Cleveland ECHS
    Shelby High

Feeder schools for Shelby Middle:

Elementary:    Elizabeth Elementary
    James Love Elementary
    Jefferson Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  17.0 Help
Number of students:  591

Racial breakdown:

African American:
53.6%
White:
28.1%
Hispanic:
10.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.5% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Shelby Middle ranks worse than 71.9% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks last among 4 ranked middle schools in the Cleveland County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.93. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Shelby Middle has the smallest middle school student body size in the Cleveland County Schools District. Racial makeup is: African American (53.6%), White (28.1%), Hispanic (10.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 99.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Cleveland County Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Shelby Middle is 17. 2 middle schools in the Cleveland County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Shelby Middle employs 34.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Shelby Middle is $11,218, which is the highest among 5 middle schools in the Cleveland County Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Shelby Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Shelby Middle 570th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Shelby Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Cleveland County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Cleveland County Schools 121st of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Shelby Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Shelby Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 48.48 364th 598 39.1%
2007 56.51 303rd 606 50.0%
2008 52.24 328th 620 47.1%
2009 58.44 314th 630 50.2%
2010 49.20 395th 640 38.3%
2011 37.23 465th 648 28.2%
2012 46.60 420th 662 36.6%
2013 44.90 362nd 673 46.2%
2014 41.54 366th 627 41.6%
2015 33.00 493rd 705 30.1%
2016 47.47 375th 692 45.8%
2017 37.45 458th 694 34.0%
2018 59.60 286th 691 58.6%
2019 65.66 242nd 737 67.2%
2021 30.04 519th 741 30.0%
2022 39.31 482nd 786 38.7%
2023 29.73 561st 784 28.4%
2024 28.93 570th 793 28.1%
See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Shelby Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.57 189th 248 23.8%
2022 26.61 220th 283 22.3%
2023 19.90 267th 302 11.6%
2024 29.28 237th 306 22.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Shelby Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 34.46 292nd 473 38.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Shelby Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.09 205th 604 66.1%
2019 65.24 172nd 639 73.1%
2021 36.73 402nd 633 36.5%
2022 45.05 354th 689 48.6%
2023 41.26 432nd 735 41.2%
2024 35.76 496th 743 33.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Shelby Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.71 325th 656 50.5%
2019 60.52 271st 684 60.4%
2021 30.77 492nd 706 30.3%
2022 39.63 440th 733 40.0%
2023 25.84 569th 731 22.2%
2024 26.46 564th 738 23.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Shelby Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.01 78th 475 83.6%
2019 60.32 128th 504 74.6%
2021 16.39 470th 478 1.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Shelby Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 70.01 73rd 416 82.5%
2021 44.24 321st 448 28.3%
2022 36.70 380th 450 15.6%
2023 46.56 315th 452 30.3%
2024 48.81 310th 461 32.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Shelby Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.64 234th 665 64.8%
2019 68.14 204th 697 70.7%
2021 28.10 517th 711 27.3%
2022 37.38 477th 748 36.2%
2023 31.81 520th 747 30.4%
2024 29.85 551st 751 26.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Shelby Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.24 96th 494 80.6%
2019 74.96 75th 519 85.5%
2021 32.16 373rd 533 30.0%
2022 47.93 242nd 550 56.0%
2023 40.59 316th 559 43.5%
2024 36.56 354th 560 36.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Shelby Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.76 98th 472 79.2%
2019 68.25 102nd 493 79.3%
2021 53.86 204th 522 60.9%
2022 70.78 102nd 541 81.1%
2023 47.69 269th 553 51.4%
2024 36.50 382nd 564 32.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Shelby Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.45 131st 596 78.0%
2019 69.76 173rd 624 72.3%
2021 44.40 337th 632 46.7%
2022 48.12 344th 658 47.7%
2023 34.29 453rd 656 30.9%
2024 35.23 439th 652 32.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Shelby Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Shelby Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2005 259 442 3 22 1 n/a n/a 0 727
2006 318 450 6 23 0 n/a n/a 0 797
2007 331 445 4 16 2 n/a n/a 7 805
2008 339 413 5 21 3 n/a n/a 10 791
2009 330 430 5 21 0 n/a n/a 0 786
2010 298 385 7 23 2 n/a n/a 0 715
2011 264 340 8 23 0 0 43 0 678
2012 186 212 7 17 0 0 25 0 447
2013 187 239 7 20 0 0 19 0 472
2014 165 274 4 29 0 0 12 0 484
2015 170 264 2 31 0 0 15 0 482
2016 170 223 4 28 0 0 22 0 447
2017 171 230 6 33 0 0 20 0 460
2018 166 234 7 36 0 0 13 0 456
2019 181 204 3 34 0 0 22 0 444
2020 152 206 4 31 0 0 57 0 450
2021 140 256 7 30 0 0 36 0 469
2022 119 242 3 31 0 0 35 0 430
2023 169 360 5 51 0 1 44 0 630
2024 166 317 5 64 0 1 38 0 591

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Shelby Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2005 727 60.0 12.1 54.9
2006 797 60.0 13.3 55.8
2007 805 56.8 14.2 58.6
2008 791 58.9 13.4 54.5
2009 786 57.4 13.7 55.7
2010 715 53.0 13.4 63.1
2011 678 50.5 13.4 65.9
2012 447 35.3 12.6 64.2
2013 472 37.3 12.6 66.5
2014 484 37.3 12.9 71.3
2015 482 34.0 14.1 69.5
2016 447 35.0 12.7 71.1
2017 460 37.5 12.2 97.4
2018 456 34.3 13.2 99.3
2019 444 32.0 13.8 97.5
2020 450 30.0 14.9 99.1
2021 469 30.6 15.3 66.5
2022 430 31.1 13.7 61.2
2023 630 41.1 15.3 81.1
2024 591 34.7 17.0 99.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Shelby Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2005 727 60.0 12.1 54.9
2006 797 60.0 13.3 55.8
2007 805 56.8 14.2 58.6
2008 791 58.9 13.4 54.5
2009 786 57.4 13.7 55.7
2010 715 53.0 13.4 63.1
2011 678 50.5 13.4 65.9
2012 447 35.3 12.6 64.2
2013 472 37.3 12.6 66.5
2014 484 37.3 12.9 71.3
2015 482 34.0 14.1 69.5
2016 447 35.0 12.7 71.1
2017 460 37.5 12.2 97.4
2018 456 34.3 13.2 99.3
2019 444 32.0 13.8 97.5
2020 450 30.0 14.9 99.1
2021 469 30.6 15.3 66.5
2022 430 31.1 13.7 61.2
2023 630 41.1 15.3 81.1
2024 591 34.7 17.0 99.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Shelby Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $922 (8.2%) $10,295 (91.8%) $11,218

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Shelby Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 242nd of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 561st of 784 Middle schools
 38.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade Mathematics (Shelby Middle)71.138.8
 32.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Cleveland County Schools)70.750.1
 20.6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (Shelby Middle)59.339.3
 20%
   7th Grade Reading (Cleveland County Schools)6646.1
 19.9%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Shelby Middle)62.335
 27.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Cleveland County Schools)61.445.7
 15.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (Shelby Middle)53.642.2
 11.4%
   8th Grade Reading (Cleveland County Schools)59.748.8
 10.9%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (Shelby Middle)8567.5
 17.5%
   8th Grade Science (Cleveland County Schools)85.870.7
 15.1%
   8th Grade Science (North Carolina)78.670.3
 8.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students444630
 41.9%
African American204360
 76.5%
American Indian00
Asian35
 66.7%
Hispanic3451
 50%
Pacific Islander01
White181169
 6.6%
Two or More Races2244
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients97.5%81.1%
 16.4%


Schools Near Shelby Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Shelby Middle

In the 2023-24 school year, 591 students attended Shelby Middle.

Students at Shelby Middle are 54% African American, 28% White, 11% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

Students who attend Shelby Middle usually go on to attend Cleveland ECHS

Shelby Middle ranks 570th of 793 North Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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