Swain County West Elementary

Summary:

Swain County West Elementary is a public elementary school in Bryson City, North Carolina, serving 403 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Swain County Schools district, which is ranked 175 out of 242 districts in the state.

Swain County West Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of White students (74.69%) and Native American students (9.43%) compared to the state average and nearby schools. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by the percentage of students proficient or better in EOG (End-of-Grade) tests, is generally lower than the state and district averages. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 3rd-grade math proficiency (47.6%) was lower than the state (62.7%) and Swain County Schools district (51.1%) averages. The school also ranks in the bottom 25% of North Carolina elementary schools for female and White students, indicating significant achievement gaps for these groups.

Swain County West Elementary's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the years, from 321 out of 1,390 schools in 2013-2014 to 907 out of 1,505 schools in 2023-2024. When compared to nearby schools, such as Swain County East Elementary and Cartoogechaye Elementary, Swain County West Elementary generally underperforms. However, the school performs relatively better for its disabled and low-socioeconomic status (SES) student groups, ranking in the middle or upper half of North Carolina elementary schools for these subgroups.


Detail:

Public K-5

 4142 Hwy 19 West
       Bryson City, NC  28713


(828) 488-2119

District: Swain County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
907th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,938 Help


Students who attend Swain County West Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Swain County Middle School
High:    Swain County High School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.0 Help
Number of students:  419

Racial breakdown:

White:
73.3%
Two or more races:
9.3%
American Indian:
8.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.3% Help


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 Compare Swain County West Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Swain County West Elementary ranks worse than 60.3% of elementary schools in North Carolina. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.28. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (73.3%), two or more races (9.3%), American Indian (8.4%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 99.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Swain County West Elementary is 14. (See more...)
Help
Compare Swain County West Elementary employs 29.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Swain County West Elementary is $10,938.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Swain County West Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Swain County West Elementary 907th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Swain County West Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
White students:


Swain County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Swain County Schools 175th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Swain County West Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Swain County West Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 43.40 817th 1276 36.0%
2007 57.53 597th 1293 53.8%
2008 66.10 421st 1324 68.2%
2009 62.39 564th 1354 58.3%
2010 67.25 461st 1363 66.2%
2011 66.54 481st 1381 65.2%
2012 57.44 655th 1388 52.8%
2013 63.21 467th 1403 66.7%
2014 74.21 321st 1390 76.9%
2015 68.35 447th 1440 69.0%
2016 43.08 875th 1425 38.6%
2017 54.98 663rd 1429 53.6%
2018 42.67 879th 1434 38.7%
2019 52.86 716th 1473 51.4%
2021 58.86 596th 1489 60.0%
2022 47.64 782nd 1514 48.3%
2023 47.26 810th 1502 46.1%
2024 41.28 907th 1505 39.7%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Swain County West Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 34.02 532nd 801 33.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Swain County West Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.00 717th 1332 46.2%
2019 51.06 652nd 1361 52.1%
2021 69.69 260th 1329 80.4%
2022 57.16 517th 1366 62.2%
2023 56.44 563rd 1437 60.8%
2024 54.28 612th 1450 57.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Swain County West Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.87 747th 1405 46.8%
2019 48.84 764th 1424 46.3%
2021 57.13 576th 1440 60.0%
2022 43.85 816th 1458 44.0%
2023 35.85 951st 1459 34.8%
2024 29.83 1093rd 1455 24.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Swain County West Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.95 482nd 897 46.3%
2019 56.66 285th 878 67.5%
2021 60.30 170th 646 73.7%
2022 59.42 168th 634 73.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Swain County West Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 53.17 322nd 500 35.6%
2024 51.87 443rd 669 33.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Swain County West Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.56 966th 1413 31.6%
2019 56.24 637th 1430 55.5%
2021 58.34 572nd 1444 60.4%
2022 51.20 704th 1464 51.9%
2023 61.32 541st 1461 63.0%
2024 53.44 686th 1464 53.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Swain County West Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.84 1040th 1178 11.7%
2019 29.79 938th 1183 20.7%
2021 36.39 779th 1172 33.5%
2022 27.03 961st 1194 19.5%
2023 31.82 888th 1183 24.9%
2024 24.26 980th 1166 16.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary 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.

Swain County West Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Swain County West Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1992 360 0 0 0 18 n/a n/a -1 377
1993 384 1 0 1 21 n/a n/a 18 425
1994 404 2 0 2 21 n/a n/a 20 449
1995 409 0 1 3 26 n/a n/a 0 439
1996 409 0 1 3 26 n/a n/a 0 439
1997 421 0 0 5 34 n/a n/a 0 460
1998 409 0 1 6 26 n/a n/a 0 442
1999 350 0 1 6 25 n/a n/a 0 382
2000 340 0 1 6 21 n/a n/a 0 368
2001 361 0 1 7 22 n/a n/a 0 391
2002 350 2 1 5 27 n/a n/a 0 385
2003 350 2 1 5 27 n/a n/a 0 385
2004 347 4 1 5 41 n/a n/a 0 398
2005 346 3 2 1 41 n/a n/a 0 393
2006 361 3 2 8 46 n/a n/a 0 420
2007 350 2 3 5 36 n/a n/a 3 399
2008 364 3 3 12 36 n/a n/a 2 420
2009 377 3 2 9 38 n/a n/a 0 429
2010 362 5 4 8 40 n/a n/a 0 419
2011 335 3 4 13 27 1 7 0 390
2012 353 5 6 8 25 1 4 0 402
2013 347 4 6 12 32 1 7 0 409
2014 393 8 7 11 33 0 7 0 459
2015 368 6 5 15 35 0 7 0 436
2016 369 3 4 14 39 0 10 0 439
2017 350 5 6 26 39 0 14 0 440
2018 358 5 6 24 36 0 18 0 447
2019 375 4 5 22 34 0 19 0 459
2020 342 1 4 24 39 0 20 0 430
2021 341 0 2 20 42 0 17 0 422
2022 317 0 5 21 39 0 29 0 411
2023 301 1 4 30 38 0 29 0 403
2024 307 1 5 32 35 0 39 0 419

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 Swain County West Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 377 20.0 18.8 49.3
1993 425 22.0 19.3 40
1994 449 30.0 15.0 41.5
1995 439 32.0 13.7 46.5
1996 439 32.0 13.7 46.5
1997 460 33.0 13.9 42.6
1998 442 35.0 12.6 47.1
1999 382 35.0 10.9 68.1
2000 368 35.0 10.5 62.2
2001 391 35.0 11.2 55.5
2002 385 35.0 11.0 59.2
2003 385 35.0 11.0 59.2
2004 398 35.0 11.4 56
2005 393 34.0 11.6 56
2006 420 34.0 12.4 53.3
2007 399 n/a n/a 55.1
2008 420 31.0 13.5 59.8
2009 429 30.8 13.9 n/a
2010 419 29.6 14.1 65.9
2011 390 26.6 14.6 63.3
2012 402 24.2 16.5 65.2
2013 409 24.4 16.7 62.3
2014 459 27.0 16.9 63.8
2015 436 29.0 15.0 62.6
2016 439 26.0 16.8 99.3
2017 440 29.7 14.8 99.3
2018 447 29.4 15.1 99.3
2019 459 30.2 15.1 99.3
2020 430 30.6 14.0 99.1
2021 422 30.3 13.9 98.1
2022 411 32.8 12.5 99.3
2023 403 31.1 12.9 99.3
2024 419 29.8 14.0 99.3

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 Swain County West Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 377 20.0 18.8 49.3
1993 425 22.0 19.3 40
1994 449 30.0 15.0 41.5
1995 439 32.0 13.7 46.5
1996 439 32.0 13.7 46.5
1997 460 33.0 13.9 42.6
1998 442 35.0 12.6 47.1
1999 382 35.0 10.9 68.1
2000 368 35.0 10.5 62.2
2001 391 35.0 11.2 55.5
2002 385 35.0 11.0 59.2
2003 385 35.0 11.0 59.2
2004 398 35.0 11.4 56
2005 393 34.0 11.6 56
2006 420 34.0 12.4 53.3
2007 399 n/a n/a 55.1
2008 420 31.0 13.5 59.8
2009 429 30.8 13.9 n/a
2010 419 29.6 14.1 65.9
2011 390 26.6 14.6 63.3
2012 402 24.2 16.5 65.2
2013 409 24.4 16.7 62.3
2014 459 27.0 16.9 63.8
2015 436 29.0 15.0 62.6
2016 439 26.0 16.8 99.3
2017 440 29.7 14.8 99.3
2018 447 29.4 15.1 99.3
2019 459 30.2 15.1 99.3
2020 430 30.6 14.0 99.1
2021 422 30.3 13.9 98.1
2022 411 32.8 12.5 99.3
2023 403 31.1 12.9 99.3
2024 419 29.8 14.0 99.3

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 Swain County West Elementary

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,448 (13.2%) $9,490 (86.8%) $10,938

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Swain County West Elementary

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 716th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 810th of 1502 Elementary schools
 5.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Swain County West Elementary)69.563.6
 5.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Swain County Schools)73.756.8
 16.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Swain County West Elementary)62.256.1
 6.1%
   3rd Grade Reading (Swain County Schools)63.252
 11.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Swain County West Elementary)57.443.1
 14.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Swain County Schools)56.441.5
 14.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Swain County West Elementary)47.543.1
 4.4%
   4th Grade Reading (Swain County Schools)46.645.5
 1.1%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Swain County West Elementary)65.657.1
 8.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Swain County Schools)65.650
 15.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Swain County West Elementary)52.226.5
 25.7%
   5th Grade Reading (Swain County Schools)53.533.6
 19.9%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Swain County West Elementary)67.879.6
 11.8%
   5th Grade Science (Swain County Schools)70.768.2
 2.5%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students459403
 12.2%
African American41
 75%
American Indian3438
 11.8%
Asian54
 20%
Hispanic2230
 36.4%
Pacific Islander00
White375301
 19.7%
Two or More Races1929
 52.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.3%99.3%
 0.1%


Schools Near Swain County West Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Swain County West Elementary

Swain County West Elementary ranks 907th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Swain County West Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Swain County Middle School
High : Swain County High School

Students at Swain County West Elementary are 73% White, 9% Two or more races, 8% American Indian, 8% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 419 students attended Swain County West Elementary.


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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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