Avery County Schools

The Avery County Schools district in North Carolina consists of 8 schools, including 5 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school. The district as a whole is ranked 69 out of 242 school districts in the state and has a 4-out-of-5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Within the district, a few schools stand out as high-performing. Banner Elk Elementary is ranked 48 out of 1,505 elementary schools in North Carolina and has a 5-star rating, with over 80% of students proficient or better in math, reading, and science. Crossnore Elementary and Freedom Trail Elementary also have strong test scores and 4-star ratings. In contrast, some schools, like Newland Elementary, struggle with proficiency rates well below the state average.

The data reveals significant disparities in academic performance and student demographics across the district. Schools with higher percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch tend to have lower test scores, suggesting a correlation between economic disadvantage and academic achievement. The district has an opportunity to learn from its top-performing schools and provide additional support to the lower-performing ones, ultimately improving educational outcomes for all students in the Avery County Schools district.