The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in Science. The lowest is 39% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on George L Carrington Middle
George L Carrington Middle is a public middle school in north Durham serving students in grades six through eight. The school sits on Milton Road within walking distance of the North Regional Library, a civic anchor in Durham's older north neighborhoods.
The school enrolls students who are predominantly Hispanic and Black, with nearly all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is economically constrained, reflecting the neighborhoods served. State testing results from the most recent school year show proficiency rates below where a parent might hope to see them stabilized. In English language arts, a modest share of students performed at proficiency or above; in math, performance was lower still. Science results were stronger, though students in this school take science testing less frequently than in the other two subjects. Because the school serves only middle grades, there is no graduation data; state testing in grades six through eight provides the primary academic picture.
No data were available on the school's discipline policies, chronic absenteeism rates, course offerings, teaching staff size or stability, or student attendance patterns. Without those details, it is harder to understand what day-to-day conditions look like or what specific academic support structures may be in place. A parent may want to reach out directly to the school to ask about literacy and mathematics intervention, teacher turnover, school climate initiatives, and the design of the sixth-grade transition.
Durham Public Schools has made significant, district-wide instructional shifts in recent years. The district adopted Science of Reading-aligned curriculum and mandated explicit phonics instruction with daily time minimums in K-5; by middle grades, that foundation carries forward. The district also underwent labor instability in 2024 when classified workers had raises revoked, triggering sickouts and a subsequent board resolution and salary restructuring. Though a direct link to this school's staffing is unclear from available data, the broader instability and recovery may affect retention and morale across the system. Additionally, the district is publicly exploring school closures and consolidations at elementary sites, signaling financial and enrollment pressures that could reshape school capacity and assignments within the decade.
The neighborhood itself sits in Durham's older, in-town residential area. Housing in the 27712 zip code is more affordable than county median, reflecting the area's character. The broader Durham landscape is one of sustained growth, with major downtown mixed-use development and transit expansion underway. North Durham, where Carrington sits, is receiving renewed attention through the city's microtransit zone program, GoDurham's door-to-door service expansion, and the planned Durham Rail Trail connecting north Durham to downtown. For families already in north Durham or drawn to its older, established neighborhoods near libraries and civic institutions, Carrington is the assigned middle school. For those weighing enrollment or attendance, the school's test results and thin operational visibility make the choice an act of faith in the school's trajectory rather than data-driven certainty.
See more original research from School Decision →