Watauga County Schools School District

175 Pioneer Trail
Boone, NC 28607
(District boundaries shown in map)
9/
10
Top 20%

Top Rankings

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

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2024-25 school year, there are 9 public elementary schools serving 3,208 students in Watauga County Schools School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public elementary schools in North Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Watauga County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 63% (versus the North Carolina public elementary school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 61% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 21% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public elementary school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
11 Schools
2,162 Schools
# Students
4,754 Students
1,087,308 Students
# Teachers
400 Teachers
72,818 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1

District Rank

Watauga County Schools School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 321 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 89% has decreased from 91% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#61 out of 325 school districts
(Top 20%)
This chart displays the overall district rank of Watauga County Schools  School District, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
65%
51%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Watauga 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.
63%
50%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Watauga 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.
74%
63%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Watauga 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.
89%
86%
This chart displays public school graduation rate of Watauga 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:

0.36
0.71
# American Indian Students
17 Students
12,876 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
84 Students
44,883 Students
% Asian Students
2%
4%
# Hispanic Students
466 Students
219,982 Students
% Hispanic Students
10%
20%
# Black Students
59 Students
271,286 Students
% Black Students
1%
25%
# White Students
3,783 Students
472,625 Students
% White Students
80%
44%
# Hawaiian Students
4 Students
1,512 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
341 Students
64,153 Students
% of Two or more races Students
7%
6%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
126
22,112
# Students in K Grade:
330
110,803
# Students in 1st Grade:
331
116,691
# Students in 2nd Grade:
314
110,703
# Students in 3rd Grade:
330
113,222
# Students in 4th Grade:
339
114,191
# Students in 5th Grade:
330
114,885
# Students in 6th Grade:
364
115,571
# Students in 7th Grade:
349
113,963
# Students in 8th Grade:
395
118,274
# Students in 9th Grade:
435
11,259
# Students in 10th Grade:
400
9,543
# Students in 11th Grade:
371
8,432
# Students in 12th Grade:
340
7,659
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $11,928 is higher than the state median of $11,229. The school district revenue/student has grown by 6% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,910 is higher than the state median of $11,655. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$57 MM
$17,307 MM
This chart displays total revenue of Watauga 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
$57 MM
$17,964 MM
This chart displays total spending of Watauga 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
$11,928
$11,229
This chart displays average revenue per public school student in Watauga 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
$11,910
$11,655
This chart displays average spending per public school student in Watauga 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 Watauga County Schools School District Public Elementary Schools (2024-25)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Blowing Rock Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 72%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
165 Morris Street
Blowing Rock, NC 28605
(828) 295-3204
Grades: PK-8
| 431 students
Rank: #22.
Parkway Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
160 Parkway School Dr
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-3032
Grades: PK-8
| 647 students
Rank: #33.
Hardin Park Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
361 Jefferson Road
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-8481
Grades: PK-8
| 851 students
Rank: #44.
Valle Crucis Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
2998 Broadstone Road
Sugar Grove, NC 28679
(828) 963-4712
Grades: PK-8
| 342 students
Rank: #55.
Watauga Virtual Academy
Magnet School
(Math: 50-59% | Reading: 60-69%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
175 Pioneer Trail
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-7190
Grades: K-8
| 44 students
Rank: #66.
Cove Creek Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
930 Vanderpool Rd
Vilas, NC 28692
(828) 297-2781
Grades: PK-8
| 294 students
Rank: #77.
Bethel Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
138 Bethel School Rd
Sugar Grove, NC 28679
(828) 297-2240
Grades: PK-8
| 134 students
Rank: #88.
Green Valley Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
189 Big Hill Road
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-3606
Grades: PK-8
| 309 students
Rank: #99.
Mabel Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
404 Mabel School Road
Zionville, NC 28698
(828) 297-2512
Grades: PK-8
| 156 students

Recent Articles

Vouchers for Special Education: Are They a Good Idea?
Vouchers for Special Education: Are They a Good Idea?
The article examines the pros and cons of using school vouchers for special education students. It discusses how vouchers can provide more educational options for families but also raises concerns about accountability, funding for public schools, and the implementation of special education laws in private school settings.
What is the Connection Between Home Values and School Performance?
What is the Connection Between Home Values and School Performance?
This article explores the relationship between school performance and home values in neighborhoods. It discusses studies showing correlations between school expenditures, ratings, and housing prices, highlighting how this connection affects families' choices and contributes to educational disparities between communities.
Understanding Rubrics
September 27, 2024
Understanding Rubrics
This article explores the fundamental principles of rubrics in education, focusing on their role as assessment tools. It breaks down the key components of rubrics, including criteria, performance levels, and descriptors. The piece also delves into the two main types of rubrics - holistic and analytic - providing authoritative definitions and explaining their unique applications in educational settings.

Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • District size: 11 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 4,754 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 12:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 20%
  • : 89% (Top 50% in NC)
  • : Top 20%
  • : 65% (Top 20%)
  • : 63% (Top 30%)
  • : 74% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

Quick Links