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.
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
0.36
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.
Total Revenue
$57 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$57 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,928
$11,229
Spending / Student
$11,910
$11,655
Best Watauga County Schools School District Public Elementary Schools (2024-25)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Blowing Rock Elementary School
Magnet 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
Magnet 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
| 647 students
Rank: #33.
Hardin Park Elementary School
Magnet 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
| 851 students
Rank: #44.
Valle Crucis Elementary School
Magnet 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
| 342 students
Rank: #55.
Watauga Virtual Academy
Magnet School
(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
| 44 students
Rank: #66.
Cove Creek Elementary School
Magnet 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
| 294 students
Rank: #77.
Bethel Elementary School
Magnet 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
| 134 students
Rank: #88.
Green Valley Elementary School
Magnet 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
| 309 students
Rank: #99.
Mabel Elementary School
Magnet 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
| 156 students
Recent Articles
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?
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.
September 27, 2024
Understanding RubricsThis 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.