The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in Science. The lowest is 18% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Dillard Middle
Dillard Middle is a regular public middle school serving grades 6 through 8 in Goldsboro, North Carolina. It sits within Wayne County Public Schools, a district that underwent significant facilities consolidation in August 2024, relocating students and programs across multiple campuses to reduce operational costs. Dillard itself remains on its South Devereaux Street location and draws from Goldsboro's student population.
The school's enrollment is small for a middle school, distributed fairly evenly across the three grade levels. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting high poverty in the school's catchment. The student body is predominantly Black, with smaller populations of Hispanic, multiracial, white, and Asian students. Data on English learner enrollment and special education identification were not available.
Test proficiency on the most recent state assessments is substantially below state norms. In English language arts, about a quarter of students tested at proficient levels or above. In mathematics, about one in five students met that benchmark. Science proficiency, tested for a smaller subset of students, was closer to one in three. These results show students struggling with grade-level content across core subjects. The science assessment was newly redesigned in the 2024-25 school year, which can affect score comparability with prior years; the same is true for math and ELA, so trend analysis with prior years was not possible.
No comparative data positioning Dillard against other schools in Wayne County's school choice environment was available, nor was information about the school's graduation rate (not applicable at middle school level), chronic absenteeism, staff, course offerings, discipline practices, or programs. The school's website was also not provided. A parent seeking to understand what pathways or programs Dillard offers, what its classroom sizes look like, what support services exist for struggling readers and mathematicians, or how its climate compares to neighboring middle schools would benefit from direct conversation with the school.
Goldsboro itself is the county seat, a city mixing a revitalized downtown core with suburban highway corridors anchored by big-box retail and shaped significantly by Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Downtown Center Street has been rebuilt with wide sidewalks, bike lanes, public art, and green space; the new HUB serves as both transit hub and public plaza. Major employers include the air base, UNC Health Wayne, the school district, Wayne Community College, and food-processing operations. Housing values remain accessible relative to national and state benchmarks. New residential development is underway, including Habitat for Humanity projects and new subdivisions serving military-connected families. The city is preparing an "Elevate Goldsboro" comprehensive plan to guide near-term growth.
For families considering Dillard, the immediate question is academic support: what interventions does the school deploy for students reading and computing substantially below grade level, and what evidence exists that those interventions work. The district's recent consolidation reshuffled campuses but did not directly affect Dillard's operations. A parent would want to understand enrollment trends, how the school partners with families on remediation, and what the pathway looks like from Dillard into Goldsboro High and Wayne School of Engineering or other secondary options.
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