Is School of Inquiry and Life Sciences a good school?

School of Inquiry and Life Sciences ranks 209 th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend School of Inquiry and Life Sciences?

In the 2022-23 school year, 344 students attended School of Inquiry and Life Sciences.

What is the racial makeup of School of Inquiry and Life Sciences?

Students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences are 66% White, 14% African American, 11% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races.

What schools feed into School of Inquiry and Life Sciences?

School of Inquiry and Life Sciences is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Claxton Elementary Elementary : Hall Fletcher Elementary Elementary : Ira B Jones Elementary Elementary : Isaac Dickson Elementary Elementary : Lucy S. Herring Elementary Middle : Asheville Middle

School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Summary:

The School of Inquiry and Life Sciences is a public high school in Asheville, North Carolina, serving 344 students in grades 9-12. It is part of the Asheville City Schools district, which is ranked 65 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

The school consistently performs above state and district averages on End-of-Course exams, particularly in English II and Math III. In 2023-2024, the school had 78.9% proficiency in English II, compared to 69.8% for the Asheville City Schools district and 59.7% for the state. In Math III, the school had 71.7% proficiency, compared to 57% for the district and 57.6% for the state. The school also has a more diverse student population than nearby Asheville High, with higher percentages of African American and Hispanic students. However, the school's performance for its African American student subgroup is concerning, ranking in the bottom 15% of North Carolina high schools.

While the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences performs better than the nearby Community High School, which is ranked in the bottom 3% of North Carolina high schools, it lags behind the highly-ranked Nesbitt Discovery Academy, which is in the top 3%. Additionally, the school's statewide ranking has declined from a high of 33rd out of 469 North Carolina high schools in 2017-2018 to 209th out of 640 in 2023-2024, with declines observed across multiple student subgroups.

Detail:

Public 9-12

419 McDowell Street
Asheville, NC 28803

(828) 350-2700

District: Asheville City Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
209^th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,028

Feeder schools for School of Inquiry and Life Sciences:

Elementary:	Claxton Elementary
	Hall Fletcher Elementary
	Ira B Jones Elementary
	Isaac Dickson Elementary
	More...
	Lucy S. Herring Elementary
Middle:	Asheville Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 24.5

Number of students: 344

Racial breakdown:

White:

66.0%

African American:

14.2%

Hispanic:

10.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 32.8%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare School of Inquiry and Life Sciences to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details School of Inquiry and Life Sciences ranks better than 67.3% of high schools in North Carolina. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 64.37. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (66%), African American (14.2%), Hispanic (10.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 32.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences is 24.5. (See more...)

Compare School of Inquiry and Life Sciences employs 14 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences is $7,028.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

School of Inquiry and Life Sciences:

SchoolDigger ranks School of Inquiry and Life Sciences 209^th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See School of Inquiry and Life Sciences in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Asheville City Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Asheville City Schools 65^th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

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Rank History for all students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2006	61.67	141^st	431	67.3%
2007	56.12	182^nd	453	59.8%
2008	57.15	182^nd	477	61.8%
2009	84.82	12^th	490	97.6%
2010	67.01	106^th	499	78.8%
2011	79.45	29^th	506	94.3%
2012	74.36	46^th	502	90.8%
2013	77.39	24^th	505	95.2%
2015	80.00	41^st	531	92.3%
2016	77.49	44^th	507	91.3%
2017	81.62	40^th	476	91.6%
2018	86.22	33^rd	469	93.0%
2019	73.94	76^th	514	85.2%
2021	59.58	209^th	594	64.8%
2022	75.49	149^th	621	76.0%
2023	64.22	199^th	626	68.2%
2024	64.37	209^th	640	67.3%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	71.92	55^th	424	87.0%
2019	58.15	86^th	446	80.7%
2021	43.83	161^st	432	62.7%
2022	61.69	156^th	544	71.3%
2023	42.37	297^th	597	50.3%
2024	52.30	229^th	613	62.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	75.41	80^th	449	82.2%
2019	68.10	103^rd	475	78.3%
2021	47.76	206^th	475	56.6%
2022	70.61	165^th	594	72.2%
2023	66.84	187^th	588	68.2%
2024	64.76	197^th	602	67.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	98.44	7^th	349	98.0%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	60.49	129^th	325	60.3%
2021	45.76	222^nd	337	34.1%
2022	61.37	180^th	398	54.8%
2023	35.04	327^th	403	18.9%
2024	48.19	279^th	403	30.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	88.96	27^th	463	94.2%
2019	78.62	51^st	488	89.5%
2021	69.47	81^st	481	83.2%
2022	80.02	125^th	585	78.6%
2023	58.57	232^nd	602	61.5%
2024	61.14	216^th	607	64.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	65.27	69^th	359	80.8%
2019	16.26	342^nd	369	7.3%
2021	52.13	109^th	364	70.1%
2022	68.66	94^th	430	78.1%
2023	9.29	428^th	434	1.4%
2024	22.64	368^th	437	15.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	49.68	182^nd	454	59.9%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	90.21	17^th	427	96.0%
2019	79.05	51^st	444	88.5%
2021	65.94	101^st	439	77.0%
2022	77.79	124^th	534	76.8%
2023	72.49	148^th	537	72.4%
2024	79.00	122^nd	553	77.9%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2006	29	18	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	52
2007	59	28	0	7	1	n/a	n/a	8	103
2008	66	25	1	8	0	n/a	n/a	6	106
2009	110	35	1	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	155
2010	131	48	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	183
2011	149	25	6	10	1	0	13	0	204
2012	170	16	7	8	0	0	13	0	214
2013	175	27	9	16	0	0	16	0	243
2014	206	21	14	17	0	0	14	0	272
2015	223	31	11	20	0	0	14	0	299
2016	229	43	11	24	0	0	12	0	319
2017	233	63	7	31	0	0	17	0	351
2018	258	65	5	33	0	1	17	0	379
2019	236	61	4	33	0	0	17	0	351
2020	220	48	4	37	0	0	19	0	328
2021	232	35	3	36	0	1	31	0	338
2022	236	39	2	31	0	2	31	0	341
2023	227	49	3	37	0	2	26	0	344

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	52	n/a	n/a	23.1
2007	103	7.2	14.3	28.4
2008	106	8.7	12.2	31
2009	155	9.3	16.7	21.3
2010	183	8.5	21.5	25.7
2011	204	8.5	24.0	22.1
2012	214	9.2	23.2	22
2013	243	11.3	21.4	25.5
2014	272	12.2	22.2	25.4
2015	299	14.0	21.3	21.4
2016	319	15.0	21.2	22.3
2017	351	14.3	24.4	21.7
2018	379	13.3	28.4	19
2019	351	14.3	24.5	21.9
2020	328	14.0	23.3	25.9
2021	338	14.0	24.1	22.5
2022	341	14.0	24.3	23.5
2023	344	14.0	24.5	32.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	52	n/a	n/a	23.1
2007	103	7.2	14.3	28.4
2008	106	8.7	12.2	31
2009	155	9.3	16.7	21.3
2010	183	8.5	21.5	25.7
2011	204	8.5	24.0	22.1
2012	214	9.2	23.2	22
2013	243	11.3	21.4	25.5
2014	272	12.2	22.2	25.4
2015	299	14.0	21.3	21.4
2016	319	15.0	21.2	22.3
2017	351	14.3	24.4	21.7
2018	379	13.3	28.4	19
2019	351	14.3	24.5	21.9
2020	328	14.0	23.3	25.9
2021	338	14.0	24.1	22.5
2022	341	14.0	24.3	23.5
2023	344	14.0	24.5	32.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$199 (2.8%)	$6,830 (97.2%)	$7,028

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 76^th of 514 High schools	Ranks 199^th of 626 High schools	17%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (School of Inquiry and Life Sciences)	79.6	61.5	18.1%
End of Course Biology (Asheville City Schools)	68.2	56.6	11.6%
End of Course Biology (North Carolina)	59.6	54.1	5.5%
End of Course English II (School of Inquiry and Life Sciences)	91.3	85.2	6.1%
End of Course English II (Asheville City Schools)	77.4	73.5	3.9%
End of Course English II (North Carolina)	59.7	58.5	1.2%
End of Course Math I (School of Inquiry and Life Sciences)	35.7	48.3	12.6%
End of Course Math I (Asheville City Schools)	30.8	37.4	6.6%
End of Course Math I (North Carolina)	41.2	35.9	5.3%
End of Course Math III (School of Inquiry and Life Sciences)	59.5	54	5.5%
End of Course Math III (Asheville City Schools)	49.8	56.2	6.4%
End of Course Math III (North Carolina)	46.8	58.3	11.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	351	344	2%
African American	61	49	19.7%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	4	3	25%
Hispanic	33	37	12.1%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	236	227	3.8%
Two or More Races	17	26	52.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	21.9%	32.8%	10.9%

Schools Near School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOC Biology (2024)	EOC English II (2024)	EOC Math I (2024)	EOC Math III (2024)	EOG Mathematics (2024)				EOG Reading (2024)				EOG Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
School of Inquiry and Life Sciences	Public	9-12	419 McDowell Street	Asheville	28803	Buncombe County	Asheville City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 350-2700	344	14	24.5	32.8%	227 (66.0%)	49 (14.2%)	37 (10.8%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	26 (7.6%)	64.4	209^th of 640 public high schools	67.3%		64.2	199^th of 626 public high schools	68.2%	10	56.6	78.9	44.1	71.7											$7,028	$199	$6,830
Asheville High	Public	9-12	419 McDowell Street	Asheville	28803	Buncombe County	Asheville City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 350-2500	1,166	83	14.0	33.4%	765 (65.6%)	191 (16.4%)	100 (8.6%)	14 (1.2%)	4 (0.3%)	16 (1.4%)	76 (6.5%)	45.6	327^th of 640 public high schools	48.9%		51.7	278^th of 626 public high schools	55.6%	49	54.8	66.8	31.8	52.1											$14,811	$688	$14,123
Early College	Public	9-12	340 Victoria Road	Asheville	28801	Buncombe County	Buncombe County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 232-4123	274	12	23.5	58.8%	144 (52.6%)	13 (4.7%)	103 (37.6%)	3 (1.1%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	8 (2.9%)	88.6	94^th of 640 public high schools	85.3%		87.1	92^nd of 626 public high schools	85.3%	2	74.5	89.3	76.2	94.1											$7,736	$216	$7,520
Middle College	Public	10-12	340 Victoria Road	Asheville	28801	Buncombe County	Buncombe County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 232-4123	49	3	15.0	28.6%	39 (79.6%)	2 (4.1%)	4 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (8.2%)								(n/a)															$10,465	$251	$10,214
Nesbitt Discovery Academy	Public	9-12	175 Bingham Rd Ste 10	Asheville	28806	Buncombe County	Buncombe County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 271-4521	374	19	19.8	20.3%	306 (81.8%)	8 (2.1%)	32 (8.6%)	20 (5.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.6%)	95.7	16^th of 640 public high schools	97.5%		96	9^th of 626 public high schools	98.6%	7			100.0	98.9											$7,222	$451	$6,771
Reynolds High	Public	9-12	One Rocket Drive	Asheville	28803	Buncombe County	Buncombe County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 298-2500	1,133	69	16.3	42.0%	768 (67.8%)	130 (11.5%)	150 (13.2%)	12 (1.1%)	5 (0.4%)	3 (0.3%)	65 (5.7%)	61.7	223^rd of 640 public high schools	65.2%		59.6	230^th of 626 public high schools	63.3%	7	80.7	69.9	40.9	61.4											$9,315	$663	$8,652
The Franklin School of Innovation	Public, Charter	5-12	61 Innovation Dr	Asheville	28806	Buncombe County	The Franklin School of Innovation	Yes	No	No	Yes	(828) 318-8140	694	51	13.4		561 (80.8%)	12 (1.7%)	56 (8.1%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (8.5%)	59.9	234^th of 640 public high schools	63.4%		59.8	227^th of 626 public high schools	63.7%	7	47.6	77.1	41.5	78.6	50.6	69.1	57.0	22.4	60.0	52.6	58.0	64.3	67.1	80.6
Erwin High	Public	9-12	60 Lees Creek Road	Asheville	28806	Buncombe County	Buncombe County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 232-4251	1,096	76	14.3	63.9%	569 (51.9%)	91 (8.3%)	357 (32.6%)	11 (1.0%)	5 (0.5%)	19 (1.7%)	44 (4.0%)	19.8	516^th of 640 public high schools	19.4%		28.9	440^th of 626 public high schools	29.7%	76	40.9	42.6	17.8	34.6											$10,603	$744	$9,859
Roberson High	Public	9-12	250 Overlook Road	Asheville	28803	Buncombe County	Buncombe County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 654-1765	1,491	96	15.5	43.1%	858 (57.5%)	132 (8.9%)	338 (22.7%)	50 (3.4%)	4 (0.3%)	8 (0.5%)	101 (6.8%)	53.3	280^th of 640 public high schools	56.3%		58.8	236^th of 626 public high schools	62.3%	44	55.9	65.4	48.8	56.9											$10,511	$1,345	$9,166
Enka High	Public	9-12	475 Enka Lake Road	Candler	28715	Buncombe County	Buncombe County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 670-5000	1,045	66	15.8	57.5%	731 (70.0%)	26 (2.5%)	246 (23.5%)	3 (0.3%)	6 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	32 (3.1%)	42.5	355^th of 640 public high schools	44.5%		59.7	229^th of 626 public high schools	63.4%	126	58.0	57.6	30.5	53.3											$9,892	$617	$9,276

School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

School of Inquiry and Life Sciences:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Asheville City Schools:

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Rank History for School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Rank History for all students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Rank History for Female students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Rank History for Disabled students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Rank History for Male students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Rank History for African American students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Rank History for Hispanic students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Rank History for White students at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Enrollment information for School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Student/Teacher Ratio School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Per Pupil Expenditures for School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Impact of COVID-19 on School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

Frequently Asked Questions about School of Inquiry and Life Sciences

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