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 2025 school year, there are 9 public elementary schools serving 3,162 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 17% 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
2,174 Schools
# Students
4,746 Students
1,091,007 Students
# Teachers
396 Teachers
73,903 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
11:1
11:1
District Rank
Watauga County Schools School District, which is ranked within the top 20% 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 89% has decreased from 91% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#61 out of 325 school districts
(Top 20%)
(Top 20%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
65%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
63%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
74%
63%
Graduation Rate
89%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.30
0.72
# American Indian Students
14 Students
12,383 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
91 Students
47,310 Students
% Asian Students
2%
4%
# Hispanic Students
500 Students
227,576 Students
% Hispanic Students
11%
21%
# Black Students
54 Students
268,051 Students
% Black Students
1%
25%
# White Students
3,946 Students
465,086 Students
% White Students
83%
43%
# Hawaiian Students
2 Students
1,488 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
139 Students
69,126 Students
% of Two or more races Students
3%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
114
23,192
# Students in K Grade:
333
109,971
# Students in 1st Grade:
325
114,331
# Students in 2nd Grade:
330
118,121
# Students in 3rd Grade:
321
111,941
# Students in 4th Grade:
337
114,493
# Students in 5th Grade:
346
115,565
# Students in 6th Grade:
334
116,023
# Students in 7th Grade:
368
113,393
# Students in 8th Grade:
354
115,504
# Students in 9th Grade:
447
11,612
# Students in 10th Grade:
419
10,182
# Students in 11th Grade:
375
8,704
# Students in 12th Grade:
343
7,975
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $11,948 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 $11,930 is higher than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$57 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$57 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,948
$11,187
Spending / Student
$11,930
$11,612
Best Watauga County Schools School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Blowing Rock Elementary School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 72%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
165 Morris Street
Blowing Rock, NC 28605
(828) 295-3204
Blowing Rock, NC 28605
(828) 295-3204
Grades: PK-8
| 431 students
Rank: #22.
Parkway Elementary School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
160 Parkway School Dr
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-3032
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-3032
Grades: PK-8
| 649 students
Rank: #33.
Hardin Park Elementary School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
361 Jefferson Road
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-8481
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-8481
Grades: PK-8
| 859 students
Rank: #44.
Valle Crucis Elementary School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
2998 Broadstone Road
Sugar Grove, NC 28679
(828) 963-4712
Sugar Grove, NC 28679
(828) 963-4712
Grades: PK-8
| 345 students
Rank: #55.
Watauga Virtual Academy
(Math: 50-59% | Reading: 60-69%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
175 Pioneer Trail
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-7190
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-7190
Grades: K-8
| 24 students
Rank: #66.
Cove Creek Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
930 Vanderpool Rd
Vilas, NC 28692
(828) 297-2781
Vilas, NC 28692
(828) 297-2781
Grades: PK-8
| 297 students
Rank: #77.
Bethel Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
138 Bethel School Rd
Sugar Grove, NC 28679
(828) 297-2240
Sugar Grove, NC 28679
(828) 297-2240
Grades: PK-8
| 143 students
Rank: #88.
Green Valley Elementary School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
189 Big Hill Road
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-3606
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-3606
Grades: PK-8
| 268 students
Rank: #99.
Mabel Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
404 Mabel School Road
Zionville, NC 28698
(828) 297-2512
Zionville, NC 28698
(828) 297-2512
Grades: PK-8
| 146 students
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