Summary:
The McDowell County Schools district in North Carolina is home to four high schools, serving students in grades 9-12. While the district as a whole is ranked 115 out of 242 districts in the state, two of its high schools stand out as exceptional performers.
McDowell Early College and McDowell Academy for Innovation are consistently ranked among the top 5% and 1% of high schools in North Carolina, respectively. These schools boast exceptional test scores, with 84-100% of students proficient or better on end-of-course exams, significantly outperforming the district and state averages. In contrast, McDowell High School and McDowell Virtual Academy have lower proficiency rates, particularly in Math I and Biology.
The standout schools also differ in their student demographics and funding. McDowell Early College has a lower free/reduced lunch rate (42.67%) compared to the district average, while McDowell Academy for Innovation has the highest spending per student at $24,717. These factors may contribute to the exceptional performance of these schools, highlighting the importance of school-level factors in driving student outcomes.
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