The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in Science. The lowest is 60% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Oak Grove Middle
Oak Grove Middle is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school enrolls students from the surrounding area, which sits within Davidson County Schools' jurisdiction. The building is located on Hoy Long Road in the northwestern part of the city.
The school's academic profile shows proficiency rates in the low to mid-range. In mathematics, about two in three students scored at proficient level or above. English language arts proficiency was slightly lower, with around three in five students meeting the standard. Science proficiency, based on a smaller group of tested students, was comparable to math. Across these three subjects, Oak Grove's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among the four districts in Davidson County, which is the relevant comparison group. This is a meaningful strength: the school outperforms the median proficiency level among its county peers.
The student body numbers around seven hundred students, split roughly evenly across the three grades. About two in five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a moderate level of economic need. The enrollment is predominantly white, with smaller populations of Hispanic, multiracial, and Black students, and very few Asian students or students of other backgrounds. The specific rates for students receiving special education services or classified as English learners were not available in the data.
Winston-Salem itself is a mid-sized North Carolina city undergoing sustained growth and redevelopment. The broader area combines a revitalized downtown and Innovation Quarter with adjacent residential neighborhoods and a substantial industrial base. The city reversed decades of population decline starting in the early 2000s and continues to attract investment in mixed-use development, particularly downtown conversions of historic tobacco and textile buildings into housing and research space. Walkable neighborhoods and civic amenities exist downtown and in the Innovation Quarter, though sidewalk connectivity outside the core remains sparse. The region's major employers span healthcare (Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Novant Health), higher education (Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem State University), financial services, and manufacturing. Housing in the area where Oak Grove sits is modestly priced relative to national benchmarks, with median home values and rents roughly aligned with household income levels in the region, making it accessible for families without extreme cost burden.
At the county level, Davidson County Schools is in the midst of a property reassessment cycle that has shifted property tax rates downward while maintaining roughly equivalent revenue due to increased home valuations. This change affects the tax bills families in the district will pay, though the net effect depends on individual property values. The county approved capital funding for renovations to the school district's administrative building. Neighboring districts in Davidson County—Lexington City Schools and Thomasville City Schools—are seeking state grant funding for new high schools, which signals that capital competition and future building priorities are active considerations in the county's education landscape.
Oak Grove Middle's proficiency rates suggest the school is meeting standard with a majority of students but leaves room for growth, particularly in reading and language arts. The school's performance relative to other Davidson County middle schools is solid. A parent considering this school would want to explore what the school offers in terms of enrichment, course variety, and academic support beyond what the state assessment data shows, as well as the school's culture and community engagement.
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