Top Rankings
Burke County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 8 public middle schools serving 2,657 students in Burke County Schools School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public middle schools in North Carolina.
Public Middle Schools in Burke County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 50% (versus the North Carolina public middle school average of 48%), and reading proficiency score of 50% (versus the 50% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 37% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public middle school average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
27 Schools
882 Schools
# Students
11,690 Students
494,023 Students
# Teachers
742 Teachers
31,644 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
District Rank
Burke 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 88% has increased from 86% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#144 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
54%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
50%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
66%
63%
Graduation Rate
88%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.57
0.71
# American Indian Students
12 Students
5,633 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
665 Students
19,933 Students
% Asian Students
6%
4%
# Hispanic Students
2,418 Students
98,873 Students
% Hispanic Students
21%
20%
# Black Students
456 Students
122,407 Students
% Black Students
4%
25%
# White Students
7,244 Students
215,701 Students
% White Students
62%
44%
# Hawaiian Students
38 Students
646 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
857 Students
30,848 Students
% of Two or more races Students
7%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
416
1,882
# Students in K Grade:
776
16,660
# Students in 1st Grade:
827
16,806
# Students in 2nd Grade:
833
17,050
# Students in 3rd Grade:
792
16,530
# Students in 4th Grade:
834
16,849
# Students in 5th Grade:
813
19,618
# Students in 6th Grade:
803
111,560
# Students in 7th Grade:
850
116,793
# Students in 8th Grade:
856
119,029
# Students in 9th Grade:
1,009
12,380
# Students in 10th Grade:
1,011
10,877
# Students in 11th Grade:
976
9,420
# Students in 12th Grade:
894
8,569
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,673 in this school district is less 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 $10,694 is less than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$125 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$125 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,673
$11,187
Spending / Student
$10,694
$11,612
Best Burke County Schools School District Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Heritage Middle School
(Math: 63% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1951 Enon Road
Valdese, NC 28690
(828) 874-0731
Valdese, NC 28690
(828) 874-0731
Grades: 6-8
| 440 students
Rank: #22.
East Burke Middle School
(Math: 58% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
3519 Miller Bridge Road
Connelly Springs, NC 28612
(828) 397-7446
Connelly Springs, NC 28612
(828) 397-7446
Grades: 6-8
| 667 students
Rank: #33.
Liberty Middle School
(Math: 52% | Reading: 59%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
529 Enola Road
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-1330
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-1330
Grades: 6-8
| 459 students
Rank: #44.
Table Rock Middle School
(Math: 47% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
1585 Nc 126
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-5212
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-5212
Grades: 6-8
| 454 students
Rank: #55.
Walter R Johnson Middle School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
701 Lenoir Road
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 430-7340
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 430-7340
Grades: 6-8
| 439 students
Rank: #66.
North Liberty
Special Education School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
523 Enola Road
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-9656
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-9656
Grades: PK-12
| 71 students
Rank: #77.
Hallyburton Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
205 South Main Street
Drexel, NC 28619
(828) 437-4184
Drexel, NC 28619
(828) 437-4184
Grades: 6-12
| 102 students
Rank: n/an/a
Heritage Middle School, 1951 E
Valdese, NC 28690
(828) 448-3175
Valdese, NC 28690
(828) 448-3175
Grades: K-12
| 25 students
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