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Nantahala School

Summary:

Nantahala School is an alternative public school located in Topton, North Carolina, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 85 students. The school is part of the Macon County Schools district, which is ranked 87 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Nantahala School consistently outperforms the Macon County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in various end-of-course (EOC) and end-of-grade (EOG) assessments. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Nantahala School had a 66.7% proficiency rate in EOC/Biology, compared to 50.1% for Macon County Schools and 53.4% for North Carolina. The school also has a significantly lower student-teacher ratio of 6.7, compared to 34 at Macon Virtual Academy and 124.2 at Cherokee Extension School. However, Nantahala School has experienced fluctuations in its free and reduced lunch rates, ranging from 27.06% in 2021-2022 to 78.82% in 2022-2023.

The consistently strong academic performance of Nantahala School, along with its unique student-teacher ratio, suggests that the school is effectively meeting the educational needs of its students. While Cherokee Extension School serves a more diverse student population, it has a much higher student-teacher ratio and lower free and reduced lunch rates compared to Nantahala School. Similarly, Macon Virtual Academy has a higher percentage of white students but a significantly higher student-teacher ratio and lower free and reduced lunch rates. These comparisons provide valuable insights into the factors that contribute to student success in this unique educational setting.


Detail:

Public, Alternative K-12

 213 Windingstairs Rd
       Topton, NC  28781-9728

(828) 321-4388

District: Macon County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
168th of 640 North Carolina Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $21,882 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  6.7 Help
Number of students:  85

Racial breakdown:

White:
85.9%
Hispanic:
8.2%
Two or more races:
4.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  78.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Nantahala School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2019 the calculated Average Standard Score was 86.56. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details Nantahala School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2022 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.14. (See more...)
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Compare Details Nantahala School ranks better than 73.8% of high schools in North Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 72.58. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (85.9%), Hispanic (8.2%), two or more races (4.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 78.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Nantahala School is 6.7. (See more...)
Help
Compare Nantahala School employs 12.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Nantahala School is $21,882.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Nantahala School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Nantahala School 168th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Nantahala School in the ranking list.)

Macon County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Macon County Schools 87th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Nantahala School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 55.31 616th 1276 51.7%
2007 50.56 728th 1293 43.7%
2008 19.36 1141st 1324 13.8%
2009 26.31 1078th 1354 20.4%
2010 50.07 769th 1363 43.6%
2011 30.13 1069th 1381 22.6%
2012 54.28 701st 1388 49.5%
2013 42.55 799th 1403 43.1%
2015 50.24 748th 1440 48.1%
2019 86.56 145th 1473 90.2%
See the entire list of North Carolina Alternative School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Nantahala School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Nantahala School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 58.85 277th 598 53.7%
2007 44.91 397th 606 34.5%
2008 51.52 337th 620 45.6%
2009 46.06 402nd 630 36.2%
2010 81.78 68th 640 89.4%
2011 64.50 258th 648 60.2%
2012 70.21 196th 662 70.4%
2013 64.53 201st 673 70.1%
2015 67.09 215th 705 69.5%
2022 70.14 201st 786 74.4%
See the entire list of North Carolina Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school White students at Nantahala School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 52.70 294th 658 55.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Nantahala School

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Rank History for all high school students at Nantahala School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 50.85 225th 431 47.8%
2007 46.00 264th 453 41.7%
2008 69.00 76th 477 84.1%
2009 37.64 356th 490 27.3%
2010 66.59 114th 499 77.2%
2011 68.96 92nd 506 81.8%
2012 42.14 296th 502 41.0%
2014 53.33 135th 451 70.1%
2015 46.71 203rd 531 61.8%
2016 22.54 367th 507 27.6%
2024 72.58 168th 640 73.8%
See the entire list of North Carolina Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school White students at Nantahala School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 59.37 235th 553 57.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative 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.

Nantahala School Test Scores
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Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Nantahala School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 103 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 1 104
1989 97 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 97
1990 101 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 101
1991 108 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 108
1992 118 0 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 119
1993 108 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 108
1994 116 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 116
1995 104 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 104
1996 104 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 104
1997 128 0 1 0 2 n/a n/a 0 131
1998 121 0 0 0 2 n/a n/a 0 123
1999 121 0 0 0 2 n/a n/a 0 123
2000 126 0 0 0 2 n/a n/a 0 128
2001 129 1 0 0 2 n/a n/a 0 132
2002 113 1 2 1 2 n/a n/a 0 119
2003 113 1 2 1 2 n/a n/a 0 119
2004 115 1 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 118
2005 121 1 0 3 2 n/a n/a 0 127
2006 128 1 0 7 2 n/a n/a 0 138
2007 127 0 0 7 1 n/a n/a 1 136
2008 124 0 0 7 2 n/a n/a 0 133
2009 128 2 0 5 2 n/a n/a 0 137
2010 111 2 0 2 1 n/a n/a 0 116
2011 101 0 0 4 0 0 2 0 107
2012 106 0 0 6 0 0 2 0 114
2013 98 0 0 6 0 0 2 0 106
2014 88 0 0 6 0 0 2 0 96
2015 87 0 0 6 1 0 2 0 96
2016 85 0 0 7 0 0 2 0 94
2017 75 0 0 4 1 1 3 0 84
2018 75 0 0 5 0 0 3 0 83
2019 75 0 0 4 1 1 1 0 82
2020 79 0 0 6 1 1 1 0 88
2021 65 0 0 7 1 1 0 0 74
2022 71 0 0 7 2 1 4 0 85
2023 73 0 0 7 1 0 4 0 85

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 Nantahala School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 104 13.0 8.0 27.9
1989 97 14.0 6.9 61.9
1990 101 13.0 7.7 38.6
1991 108 13.0 8.3 36.1
1992 119 13.0 9.1 31.9
1993 108 14.0 7.7 45.4
1994 116 15.0 7.7 50.9
1995 104 16.0 6.5 47.1
1996 104 16.0 6.5 47.1
1997 131 15.0 8.7 33.6
1998 123 16.0 7.7 49.6
1999 123 16.0 7.7 64.2
2000 128 16.0 8.0 60.2
2001 132 16.0 8.3 66.7
2002 119 16.0 7.4 79
2003 119 16.0 7.4 79
2004 118 16.0 7.4 72
2005 127 16.0 7.9 71.7
2006 138 16.0 8.6 65.2
2007 136 n/a n/a 66.7
2008 133 14.0 9.5 72.9
2009 137 13.0 10.5 74.5
2010 116 12.7 9.1 76.7
2011 107 13.4 7.9 79.4
2012 114 14.6 7.7 87.7
2013 106 14.5 7.2 77.4
2014 96 14.6 6.5 78.1
2015 96 13.0 7.3 77.1
2016 94 13.0 7.2 77.7
2017 84 12.8 6.5 60.7
2018 83 12.2 6.7 61.4
2019 82 12.2 6.6 54.9
2020 88 11.6 7.5 51.1
2021 74 12.6 5.8 56.8
2022 85 11.7 7.2 27.1
2023 85 12.6 6.7 78.8

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 Nantahala School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 104 13.0 8.0 27.9
1989 97 14.0 6.9 61.9
1990 101 13.0 7.7 38.6
1991 108 13.0 8.3 36.1
1992 119 13.0 9.1 31.9
1993 108 14.0 7.7 45.4
1994 116 15.0 7.7 50.9
1995 104 16.0 6.5 47.1
1996 104 16.0 6.5 47.1
1997 131 15.0 8.7 33.6
1998 123 16.0 7.7 49.6
1999 123 16.0 7.7 64.2
2000 128 16.0 8.0 60.2
2001 132 16.0 8.3 66.7
2002 119 16.0 7.4 79
2003 119 16.0 7.4 79
2004 118 16.0 7.4 72
2005 127 16.0 7.9 71.7
2006 138 16.0 8.6 65.2
2007 136 n/a n/a 66.7
2008 133 14.0 9.5 72.9
2009 137 13.0 10.5 74.5
2010 116 12.7 9.1 76.7
2011 107 13.4 7.9 79.4
2012 114 14.6 7.7 87.7
2013 106 14.5 7.2 77.4
2014 96 14.6 6.5 78.1
2015 96 13.0 7.3 77.1
2016 94 13.0 7.2 77.7
2017 84 12.8 6.5 60.7
2018 83 12.2 6.7 61.4
2019 82 12.2 6.6 54.9
2020 88 11.6 7.5 51.1
2021 74 12.6 5.8 56.8
2022 85 11.7 7.2 27.1
2023 85 12.6 6.7 78.8

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 Nantahala School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,206 (5.5%) $20,675 (94.5%) $21,882

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Nantahala School

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.

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students8285
 3.7%
African American00
American Indian11
Asian00
Hispanic47
 75%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White7573
 2.7%
Two or More Races14
 300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients54.9%78.8%
 23.9%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Nantahala School

Nantahala School ranks 168th of 640 North Carolina alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 85 students attended Nantahala School.

Students at Nantahala School are 86% White, 8% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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