McDowell High School

Summary:

McDowell High School is a public high school in Marion, North Carolina, serving 1,416 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the McDowell County Schools district, which is ranked 115 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While McDowell High School has a predominantly white student population (74.51%), its academic performance is generally lower than the state and district averages. The school's proficiency rates on end-of-course tests in subjects like Biology (38%), Math I (33.7%), and Math III (50.9%) are all below the state and district averages. Additionally, the school struggles to support the academic success of Hispanic, White, and Economically Disadvantaged students, ranking in the bottom half of North Carolina high schools for these subgroups. The school's high poverty rate, with 60.03% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, may contribute to these challenges.

In contrast, the nearby McDowell Early College and McDowell Academy for Innovation consistently outperform McDowell High School in academic measures, with significantly higher proficiency rates and higher statewide rankings. This stark contrast suggests that McDowell High School faces significant challenges in maintaining academic excellence, and the school and district will need to address these issues to improve student outcomes.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 600 McDowell High School Dr
       Marion, NC  28752


(828) 652-7920

District: McDowell County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
429th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,698 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  15.0 Help
Number of students:  1,416

Racial breakdown:

White:
74.5%
Hispanic:
16.2%
Two or more races:
5.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  60% Help


 See top rated North Carolina high schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details McDowell High School ranks worse than 67% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks last among 3 ranked high schools in the McDowell County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.07. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details McDowell High School has the largest high school student body size in the McDowell County Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (74.5%), Hispanic (16.2%), two or more races (5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 60% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the McDowell County Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at McDowell High School is 15. 1 high schools in the McDowell County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare McDowell High School employs 94.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at McDowell High School is $9,698. 1 high schools in the McDowell County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

McDowell High School:

SchoolDigger ranks McDowell High School 429th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See McDowell High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


McDowell County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks McDowell County Schools 115th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for McDowell High School.

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Rank History for McDowell High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 49.32 239th 431 44.5%
2007 45.30 273rd 453 39.7%
2008 43.29 300th 477 37.1%
2009 43.02 312th 490 36.3%
2010 42.05 340th 499 31.9%
2011 29.65 404th 506 20.2%
2012 18.06 431st 502 14.1%
2013 33.77 282nd 505 44.2%
2014 25.96 309th 451 31.5%
2015 32.83 322nd 531 39.4%
2016 24.29 353rd 507 30.4%
2017 47.80 196th 476 58.8%
2018 59.32 153rd 469 67.4%
2019 49.86 209th 514 59.3%
2021 40.11 331st 594 44.3%
2022 32.22 418th 621 32.7%
2023 31.45 423rd 626 32.4%
2024 32.07 429th 640 33.0%
See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.11 51st 185 72.4%
2022 20.54 202nd 226 10.6%
2023 29.15 189th 249 24.1%
2024 31.02 197th 261 24.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.13 79th 147 46.3%
2019 36.23 108th 173 37.6%
2022 24.45 137th 156 12.2%
2023 33.35 140th 226 38.1%
2024 32.09 180th 262 31.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 29.23 256th 349 26.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.03 77th 424 81.8%
2019 50.83 134th 446 70.0%
2021 42.32 172nd 432 60.2%
2022 25.96 417th 544 23.3%
2023 30.88 407th 597 31.8%
2024 32.06 414th 613 32.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.30 2nd 17 88.2%
2019 66.45 8th 44 81.8%
2021 54.05 4th 9 55.6%
2022 62.60 5th 34 85.3%
2023 95.50 2nd 45 95.6%
2024 32.21 33rd 47 29.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.31 138th 449 69.3%
2019 50.62 202nd 475 57.5%
2021 37.00 261st 475 45.1%
2022 34.49 387th 594 34.8%
2023 30.73 412th 588 29.9%
2024 26.75 451st 602 25.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.10 228th 349 34.7%
2019 29.64 269th 364 26.1%
2021 23.13 293rd 334 12.3%
2022 17.71 316th 330 4.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 64.35 107th 325 67.1%
2021 60.15 148th 337 56.1%
2022 67.62 129th 398 67.6%
2023 57.10 201st 403 50.1%
2024 51.52 261st 403 35.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.90 185th 463 60.0%
2019 48.01 202nd 488 58.6%
2021 41.79 222nd 481 53.8%
2022 29.66 416th 585 28.9%
2023 31.90 405th 602 32.7%
2024 35.56 388th 607 36.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.79 92nd 359 74.4%
2019 40.58 169th 369 54.2%
2022 19.58 385th 430 10.5%
2023 35.26 263rd 434 39.4%
2024 46.66 190th 437 56.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.97 205th 340 39.7%
2019 33.81 217th 354 38.7%
2021 32.80 232nd 370 37.3%
2022 17.12 397th 436 8.9%
2023 20.47 388th 449 13.6%
2024 23.20 371st 454 18.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at McDowell High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.87 233rd 427 45.4%
2019 37.80 263rd 444 40.8%
2021 29.01 294th 439 33.0%
2022 22.52 432nd 534 19.1%
2023 21.23 455th 537 15.3%
2024 20.28 468th 553 15.4%
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.

McDowell High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a teacher
Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Open Quote The school is often covered with tobacco the students don't respect the teachers. Also the teachers are often more concerned about the students liking them and not worrying about whether or not the students are actually learning anything. Also trying to get something done about disrespectful students is almost impossible. If I write a student up for using inappropriate language or for not doing their work nothing is done. Although the teachers are not the only ones with issues trying to get children disciplined. Bus drivers are always writing someone up but it seems to be taken as a joke. This is the worst school I have ever seen. Close Quote


by a parent
Friday, September 20, 2013

Open Quote McDowell High School is a place where every student is important. The staff is always willing to work beyond what is required to make a difference for the students. Close Quote



Enrollment information for McDowell High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1401 91 14 0 0 n/a n/a -4 1502
1989 1402 98 9 1 0 n/a n/a 0 1510
1990 1392 106 8 3 1 n/a n/a 0 1510
1991 1345 77 12 3 0 n/a n/a 0 1437
1992 1262 77 15 2 1 n/a n/a -3 1354
1993 1179 70 19 1 1 n/a n/a 0 1270
1994 1173 64 10 4 2 n/a n/a 0 1253
1995 1161 57 13 7 1 n/a n/a 0 1239
1996 1161 57 13 7 1 n/a n/a 0 1239
1997 1117 62 18 5 0 n/a n/a 0 1202
1998 1141 58 19 5 0 n/a n/a 0 1223
1999 1164 61 25 6 1 n/a n/a 0 1257
2000 1142 59 31 8 1 n/a n/a 0 1241
2001 1115 60 37 8 0 n/a n/a 0 1220
2002 1142 68 32 27 1 n/a n/a 0 1270
2003 1142 68 32 27 1 n/a n/a 0 1270
2004 1171 68 30 30 4 n/a n/a 0 1303
2005 1248 72 30 37 1 n/a n/a 0 1388
2006 1246 70 32 49 3 n/a n/a 0 1400
2007 1210 55 32 46 5 n/a n/a 9 1357
2008 1176 54 26 61 7 n/a n/a 11 1335
2009 1162 66 20 70 4 n/a n/a 0 1322
2010 1128 69 17 78 3 n/a n/a 0 1295
2011 1102 48 16 95 4 0 55 0 1320
2012 1075 43 14 110 5 1 70 0 1318
2013 1042 46 13 111 6 0 70 0 1288
2014 1022 44 10 109 7 2 47 0 1241
2015 1395 62 17 155 7 0 44 0 1680
2016 1369 58 21 169 9 0 37 0 1663
2017 1324 53 17 193 9 0 47 0 1643
2018 1268 47 19 186 9 2 48 0 1579
2019 1173 42 15 161 8 0 37 0 1436
2020 1109 44 8 178 7 1 53 0 1400
2021 1106 47 7 184 4 2 44 0 1394
2022 1053 44 8 191 4 2 61 0 1363
2023 1055 42 13 230 2 3 71 0 1416

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 McDowell High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1502 94.0 15.9 7.1
1989 1510 96.0 15.7 9.2
1990 1510 96.0 15.7 9.4
1991 1437 96.0 14.9 9.9
1992 1354 97.0 13.9 3.2
1993 1270 86.0 14.8 6.2
1994 1253 86.0 14.6 9.4
1995 1239 86.0 14.4 5.2
1996 1239 86.0 14.4 5.2
1997 1202 85.0 14.1 5.4
1998 1223 91.0 13.4 5.4
1999 1257 91.0 13.8 8
2000 1241 91.0 13.6 12.5
2001 1220 91.0 13.4 9.7
2002 1270 91.0 14.0 26.7
2003 1270 91.0 14.0 26.7
2004 1303 84.0 15.5 27.9
2005 1388 84.0 16.5 31.5
2006 1400 84.0 16.7 31.9
2007 1357 96.4 14.1 38.2
2008 1335 100.0 13.4 43.7
2009 1322 105.0 12.6 35.6
2010 1295 100.7 12.8 52.7
2011 1320 99.4 13.2 51.3
2012 1318 95.9 13.7 54.9
2013 1288 96.2 13.3 55.4
2014 1241 98.1 12.6 53.9
2015 1680 104.0 16.1 51.8
2016 1663 101.0 16.4 55.1
2017 1643 99.9 16.4 53.5
2018 1579 99.2 15.9 49.5
2019 1436 96.4 14.8 52.2
2020 1400 96.2 14.5 48.5
2021 1394 95.8 14.5 41.8
2022 1363 94.8 14.3 37.2
2023 1416 94.2 15.0 60

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 McDowell High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1502 94.0 15.9 7.1
1989 1510 96.0 15.7 9.2
1990 1510 96.0 15.7 9.4
1991 1437 96.0 14.9 9.9
1992 1354 97.0 13.9 3.2
1993 1270 86.0 14.8 6.2
1994 1253 86.0 14.6 9.4
1995 1239 86.0 14.4 5.2
1996 1239 86.0 14.4 5.2
1997 1202 85.0 14.1 5.4
1998 1223 91.0 13.4 5.4
1999 1257 91.0 13.8 8
2000 1241 91.0 13.6 12.5
2001 1220 91.0 13.4 9.7
2002 1270 91.0 14.0 26.7
2003 1270 91.0 14.0 26.7
2004 1303 84.0 15.5 27.9
2005 1388 84.0 16.5 31.5
2006 1400 84.0 16.7 31.9
2007 1357 96.4 14.1 38.2
2008 1335 100.0 13.4 43.7
2009 1322 105.0 12.6 35.6
2010 1295 100.7 12.8 52.7
2011 1320 99.4 13.2 51.3
2012 1318 95.9 13.7 54.9
2013 1288 96.2 13.3 55.4
2014 1241 98.1 12.6 53.9
2015 1680 104.0 16.1 51.8
2016 1663 101.0 16.4 55.1
2017 1643 99.9 16.4 53.5
2018 1579 99.2 15.9 49.5
2019 1436 96.4 14.8 52.2
2020 1400 96.2 14.5 48.5
2021 1394 95.8 14.5 41.8
2022 1363 94.8 14.3 37.2
2023 1416 94.2 15.0 60

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 McDowell High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,036 (10.7%) $8,662 (89.3%) $9,698

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

Impact of COVID-19 on McDowell High 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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 209th of 514 High schoolsRanks 423rd of 626 High schools
 26.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Biology (McDowell High School)58.637.1
 21.5%
   End of Course Biology (McDowell County Schools)61.745.8
 15.9%
   End of Course Biology (North Carolina)59.654.1
 5.5%
End of Course English II (McDowell High School)64.246.6
 17.6%
   End of Course English II (McDowell County Schools)67.855.9
 11.9%
   End of Course English II (North Carolina)59.758.5
 1.2%
End of Course Math I (McDowell High School)43.237.7
 5.5%
   End of Course Math I (McDowell County Schools)45.545.9
 0.4%
   End of Course Math I (North Carolina)41.235.9
 5.3%
End of Course Math III (McDowell High School)44.648.7
 4.1%
   End of Course Math III (McDowell County Schools)54.654.9
 0.3%
   End of Course Math III (North Carolina)46.858.3
 11.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students14361416
 1.4%
African American4242
American Indian82
 75%
Asian1513
 13.3%
Hispanic161230
 42.9%
Pacific Islander03
White11731055
 10.1%
Two or More Races3771
 91.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients52.2%60%
 7.9%


Schools Near McDowell High School









Frequently Asked Questions about McDowell High School

Students at McDowell High School are 75% White, 16% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% African American.

McDowell High School ranks 429th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,416 students attended McDowell High School.


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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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