The top reported proficiency rate is 91% in Math. The lowest is 84% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Davis Drive Middle
Davis Drive Middle is a public middle school in Cary serving grades six through eight. The school sits in a large suburban town that combines historic downtown walkability with extensive master-planned residential development, all within the Research Triangle region. SAS Institute, Epic Games, and other major employers have made Cary a multicultural center with more than sixty nationalities represented in its population.
The school's academic performance is strong across all tested subjects. In mathematics, the proficiency rate on state end-of-grade tests is high. English language arts proficiency is solid. Science proficiency is also well above the baseline. The school tested large cohorts in math and ELA, indicating stable enrollment and regular assessment participation. Science testing included a smaller cohort, which may reflect selective testing practices for that subject in this grade band. State testing data for trend comparison was not available; the district recently adopted new science tests, which affects year-to-year comparability.
Enrollment stands at just under a thousand students, with roughly balanced numbers across sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse: about two-fifths of students are Asian, roughly another two-fifths are white, with meaningful populations of Hispanic and Black students as well. The school serves a low-poverty population, with a small share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on English learner enrollment and students with IEPs was not available, so parents may want to ask the school directly about those populations and the services available.
The school is part of Wake County Schools, a large district currently managing major growth. The district opened four new schools in the 2025-26 school year following a bond-funded capital plan approved in 2022, and another reassignment plan affecting two dozen schools took effect in 2026-27. These shifts have touched many families' school assignments and remain an ongoing feature of the district. The district also implemented a new cellphone policy in 2025-26 requiring phones silenced and stored all day at middle schools, a shift from prior school-by-school variation. Across Wake's elementary schools, the district has moved wholesale to science-of-reading approaches for literacy instruction, a pedagogical shift that may inform how middle school reading support is framed.
Housing values in the 27519 zip code, where Davis Drive sits, are at the upper end for the region, and rents are above the national average. The town has actively invested in downtown revitalization and greenway connectivity, and has approved multiple affordable housing initiatives in recent years, though the overall housing market remains expensive for many families. Cary offers public transit via GoCary fixed-route buses, with eight routes converging at the Cary Depot.
The school's core asset is its strong proficiency numbers in all tested subjects. Parents choosing this school should expect a neighborhood public middle school in a high-opportunity, diverse suburban setting with solid academic outcomes. The main considerations are whether the student's family may be affected by the district's ongoing reassignment cycles (a parent may want to check with the school about future boundary changes) and whether the zip code's cost of living fits the family's situation.
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