Top Rankings
Cleveland 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 high schools serving 4,733 students in Cleveland County Schools School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public high schools in North Carolina.
Public High Schools in Cleveland County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 61% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 58% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Cleveland County School School District have a Graduation Rate of 84%, which is less than the North Carolina average of 85%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Kings Mountain High School, with 91% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 43% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the North Carolina public high school average of 55% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
28 Schools
761 Schools
# Students
14,458 Students
565,764 Students
# Teachers
948 Teachers
33,453 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
District Rank
Cleveland 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 86% has decreased from 90% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#139 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
56%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
48%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
65%
63%
Graduation Rate
86%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.60
0.70
# American Indian Students
16 Students
5,772 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
90 Students
21,293 Students
% Asian Students
1%
4%
# Hispanic Students
1,315 Students
115,235 Students
% Hispanic Students
9%
20%
# Black Students
3,840 Students
138,700 Students
% Black Students
27%
24%
# White Students
8,166 Students
254,801 Students
% White Students
56%
45%
# Hawaiian Students
9 Students
765 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
1,022 Students
30,969 Students
% of Two or more races Students
7%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
441
491
# Students in K Grade:
1,052
6,922
# Students in 1st Grade:
1,038
6,949
# Students in 2nd Grade:
1,066
7,207
# Students in 3rd Grade:
1,015
7,125
# Students in 4th Grade:
987
7,196
# Students in 5th Grade:
1,009
7,763
# Students in 6th Grade:
1,092
11,146
# Students in 7th Grade:
1,037
12,024
# Students in 8th Grade:
1,115
12,284
# Students in 9th Grade:
1,366
137,976
# Students in 10th Grade:
1,168
126,349
# Students in 11th Grade:
1,135
117,582
# Students in 12th Grade:
937
104,750
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $11,058 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 $11,102 is less than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$160 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$161 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,058
$11,187
Spending / Student
$11,102
$11,612
Best Cleveland County Schools School District Public High Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Cleveland Echs
(Math: 80-89% | Reading: 85-89% )
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
1800 E. Marion Street
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8232
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8232
Grades: 9-13
| 214 students
Rank: #22.
Crest High School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 59%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
800 Old Boiling Springs
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8331
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8331
Grades: 9-12
| 1,101 students
Rank: #33.
Kings Mountain High School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
500 Phifer Road
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
(704) 476-8330
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
(704) 476-8330
Grades: 9-12
| 1,317 students
Rank: #44.
North Shelby
Special Education School
(Math: 60-79% | Reading: 60-79%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
1701 Charles Road
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8230
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8230
Grades: PK-12
| 77 students
Rank: #55.
Burns High School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
307 E Stagecoach Trail
Lawndale, NC 28090
(704) 476-8335
Lawndale, NC 28090
(704) 476-8335
Grades: 9-12
| 922 students
Rank: #66.
Shelby High School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
230 E Dixon Boulevard
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8325
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8325
Grades: 9-12
| 790 students
Rank: #77.
Cleveland Innovation
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
400 W Marion St
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 476-8000
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 476-8000
Grades: K-12
| 164 students
Rank: #88.
Turning Point Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
409 West Sumter Street
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 476-8399
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 476-8399
Grades: 6-12
| 148 students
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