Avery County Schools School District

775 Cranberry Street
Newland, NC 28657
(District boundaries shown in map)
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Avery County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:

Category
Attribute
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 9 public schools serving 1,871 students in Avery County Schools School District. This district's average testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public schools in North Carolina.
Public Schools in Avery County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 55% (versus the North Carolina public school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 54% (versus the 50% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 18% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
9 Schools
2,764 Schools
# Students
1,871 Students
1,547,014 Students
# Teachers
150 Teachers
100,085 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1

District Rank

Avery County Schools School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 320 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 85-89% has decreased from 95% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#123 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
This chart displays the overall district rank of Avery County Schools  School District, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
55%
51%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Avery County Schools  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
53%
50%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Avery County Schools  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
69%
63%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Avery County Schools  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
85-89%
86%
This chart displays public school graduation rate of Avery County Schools  School District and public school graduation rate of North Carolina by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.31
0.71
# American Indian Students
4 Students
16,971 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
10 Students
65,132 Students
% Asian Students
n/a
4%
# Hispanic Students
272 Students
326,941 Students
% Hispanic Students
15%
21%
# Black Students
7 Students
380,120 Students
% Black Students
n/a
25%
# White Students
1,528 Students
665,292 Students
% White Students
82%
43%
# Hawaiian Students
1 Student
2,147 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
49 Students
92,182 Students
% of Two or more races Students
3%
6%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
87
23,648
# Students in K Grade:
136
110,403
# Students in 1st Grade:
133
114,331
# Students in 2nd Grade:
166
118,121
# Students in 3rd Grade:
95
111,941
# Students in 4th Grade:
124
114,493
# Students in 5th Grade:
129
115,565
# Students in 6th Grade:
140
116,023
# Students in 7th Grade:
125
116,793
# Students in 8th Grade:
127
119,029
# Students in 9th Grade:
135
137,977
# Students in 10th Grade:
165
126,349
# Students in 11th Grade:
146
117,582
# Students in 12th Grade:
163
104,759
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $19,801 is higher than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $19,482 is higher than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$37 MM
$17,307 MM
This chart displays total revenue of Avery County Schools  School District and median value from total revenues of all school districts in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending
$37 MM
$17,964 MM
This chart displays total spending of Avery County Schools  School District and median value from total spendings of all school districts in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Revenue / Student
$19,801
$11,187
This chart displays average revenue per public school student in Avery County Schools  School District and average revenue per public school student of all school districts in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending / Student
$19,482
$11,612
This chart displays average spending per public school student in Avery County Schools  School District and average spending per public school student of all school districts in North Carolina by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Best Avery County Schools School District Public Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Banner Elk Elementary School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
155 Orchard Lane
Banner Elk, NC 28604
(828) 737-5700
Grades: PK-5
| 168 students
Rank: #22.
Avery County High School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
401 Avery County High School R
Newland, NC 28657
(828) 733-0151
Grades: 9-12
| 594 students
Rank: #3 - 43. - 4.
Crossnore Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
1000 Walt Clark Road
Crossnore, NC 28616
(828) 737-7204
Grades: PK-5
| 180 students
Rank: #3 - 43. - 4.
Freedom Trail Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
6110 North Us Hwy 19e
Elk Park, NC 28622
(828) 733-2932
Grades: PK-5
| 212 students
Rank: #55.
Cranberry Middle School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
6230 North Us Highway 19e
Elk Park, NC 28622
(828) 733-2932
Grades: 6-8
| 184 students
Rank: #66.
Blue Ridge High School
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50% )
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
76 Old Montezuma Rd
Newland, NC 28657
(828) 737-5800
Grades: 6-12
| 15 students
Rank: #77.
Newland Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
750 Linville Street
Newland, NC 28657
(828) 733-4911
Grades: PK-5
| 202 students
Rank: #88.
Avery Middle School
(Math: 35% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
102 Old Montezuma Road
Newland, NC 28657
(828) 733-0145
Grades: 6-8
| 208 students
Rank: #99.
Riverside Elementary School
(Math: 30-39% | Reading: 30-39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
8020 Us 19e Hwy South
Newland, NC 28657
(828) 737-5600
Grades: PK-5
| 108 students

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Avery County Schools School District?
Avery County Schools School District manages 9 public schools serving 1,871 students.
What is the rank of Avery County Schools School District?
Avery County Schools School District is ranked #119 out of 320 school districts in North Carolina (top 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2021-2022 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of North Carolina school districts for: Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Avery County Schools School District?
82% of Avery County Schools School District students are White, 15% of students are Hispanic, and 3% of students are Two or more races.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Avery County Schools School District?
Avery County Schools School District has a student/teacher ratio of 12:1, which is lower than the North Carolina state average of 15:1.
What is Avery County Schools School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $19,482 is higher than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 9 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 1,871 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 12:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 18%
  • : 85-89% (Top 50% in NC)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 55% (Top 50%)
  • : 53% (Top 50%)
  • : 69% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

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