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Avery County Schools

775 Cranberry Street
Newland, NC 28657
(District boundaries shown in map)
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

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

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there are 8 public elementary schools serving 1,277 students in Avery County Schools. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public elementary schools in North Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Avery County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 54% (versus the North Carolina public elementary school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 52% (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
9 Schools
2,171 Schools
# Students
1,871 Students
1,090,440 Students
# Teachers
150 Teachers
73,859 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Avery County Schools, 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 87% has decreased from 90-94% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#123 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(21-22)
55%
51%
53%
50%
69%
63%
(21-22)
85-89%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.31
0.72
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
n/a
4%
% Hispanic
15%
21%
% Black
n/a
25%
% White
82%
43%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $19,801 is higher than the state median of $11,191. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $19,482 is higher than the state median of $11,616. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$37 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$37 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$19,801
$11,191
Spending / Student
$19,482
$11,616

Best Avery County Schools Public Elementary Schools (2025-26)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Banner Elk Elementary School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
155 Orchard Lane
Banner Elk, NC 28604
(828) 737-5700
Gr: PK-5 | 168 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 12%
Rank: #2 - 32. - 3.
Crossnore Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
1000 Walt Clark Road
Crossnore, NC 28616
(828) 737-7204
Gr: PK-5 | 180 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 13%
Rank: #2 - 32. - 3.
Freedom Trail Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
6110 North Us Hwy 19e
Elk Park, NC 28622
(828) 733-2932
Gr: PK-5 | 212 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 8%
Rank: #44.
Cranberry Middle School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
6230 North Us Highway 19e
Elk Park, NC 28622
(828) 733-2932
Gr: 6-8 | 184 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 8%
Rank: #55.
Blue Ridge High School
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50% )
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
76 Old Montezuma Rd
Newland, NC 28657
(828) 737-5800
Gr: 6-12 | 15 students Minority enrollment: 27%
Rank: #66.
Newland Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
750 Linville Street
Newland, NC 28657
(828) 733-4911
Gr: PK-5 | 202 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 40%
Rank: #77.
Avery Middle School
(Math: 35% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
102 Old Montezuma Road
Newland, NC 28657
(828) 733-0145
Gr: 6-8 | 208 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 25%
Rank: #88.
Riverside Elementary School
(Math: 30-39% | Reading: 30-39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
8020 Us 19e Hwy South
Newland, NC 28657
(828) 737-5600
Gr: PK-5 | 108 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 6%

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Quick Facts (2025-26)

  • District size: 9 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 1,871 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 12:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 18%
  • : 85-89% (Top 20% in NC)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 55% (Top 50%)
  • : 53% (Top 50%)
  • : 69% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

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