Top Rankings
Burke 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 3,980 students in Burke 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 Burke County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 70% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 55% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Burke County School School District have a Graduation Rate of 86%, which is more than the North Carolina average of 85%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Burke Middle College, with ≥95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 37% of the student body (majority Hispanic), 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
27 Schools
761 Schools
# Students
11,690 Students
565,764 Students
# Teachers
742 Teachers
33,453 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Burke 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 88% has increased from 86% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#144 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
54%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
50%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
66%
63%
Graduation Rate
88%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.57
0.70
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
6%
4%
% Hispanic
21%
20%
% Black
4%
24%
% White
62%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,673 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 $10,694 is less than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$125 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$125 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,673
$11,187
Spending / Student
$10,694
$11,612
Best Burke County Schools School District Public High Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Jimmy C Draughn High School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
709 Lovelady Road Ne
Valdese, NC 28690
(828) 879-4200
Valdese, NC 28690
(828) 879-4200
Grades: 9-12
| 656 students
Rank: #22.
East Burke High School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
3695 East Burke Boulevard
Connelly Springs, NC 28612
(828) 397-5541
Connelly Springs, NC 28612
(828) 397-5541
Grades: 9-12
| 868 students
Rank: #33.
Robert L. Patton High School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
701 Enola Road
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 433-3000
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 433-3000
Grades: 9-12
| 753 students
Rank: #44.
Freedom High School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
511 Independence Boulevard
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 433-1310
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 433-1310
Grades: 9-12
| 1,374 students
Rank: #55.
North Liberty
Special Education School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
523 Enola Road
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-9656
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-9656
Grades: PK-12
| 71 students
Rank: #66.
Hallyburton Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
205 South Main Street
Drexel, NC 28619
(828) 437-4184
Drexel, NC 28619
(828) 437-4184
Grades: 6-12
| 102 students
Rank: n/an/a
1001 Burkemont Ave
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 448-3175
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 448-3175
Grades: 11-12
| 131 students
Rank: n/an/a
Heritage Middle School, 1951 E
Valdese, NC 28690
(828) 448-3175
Valdese, NC 28690
(828) 448-3175
Grades: K-12
| 25 students
Recent Articles
Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.
Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.
Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.
