William Ellis Middle

William Ellis Middle operates as a low-enrollment middle-grades school in Advance, North Carolina, part of Davie County Schools. Current enrollment sits at 437 students spanning grades 6 through 8. That puts it 28% below the typical public school in North Carolina, which averages around 605 students.

Davie County Schools runs 13 schools in total, collectively educating 6,116 students. William Ellis Middle is one of those campuses.

In terms of who attends, William Ellis Middle shows that 76% of the student body identifies as White; the rest looks like 13% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, 5% Black.

Looking at school resources, On paper, William Ellis Middle has 31 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 14.2:1. The state averages around 15.9:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 39% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Davie County runs at roughly 54%, so the school's eligibility rate is lower than the surrounding baseline.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), William Ellis Middle sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 67.0%; this one delivers 73.0%.

In the surrounding community, census data for Davie County shows the typical household earns roughly $75,057 per year, 27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Across Davie County's 13 public schools (combined enrollment of about 6,116 students), William Ellis Middle is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Shady Grove Elementary, around 1.3 miles off. Within ten miles, there are 8 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. On composite proficiency, William Ellis Middle comes 3rd of 9 in the immediate cluster, ahead of the nearby-schools average of 66.6%.

Geographically, the school is in a small-town area.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at William Ellis Middle has edged down 9%, going from 482 students in 2018 to 437 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share edged down from 81% to 76%.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.