Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28679

Summary:

The 28679 zip code area in Watauga County, North Carolina is home to two strong-performing elementary schools: Valle Crucis Elementary and Bethel Elementary. Both schools generally outperform the Watauga County Schools district and North Carolina state averages on standardized test scores, with Valle Crucis Elementary ranking in the top 20% of North Carolina elementary schools and Bethel Elementary in the top 50%.

While the student demographics differ, with Valle Crucis Elementary having a more diverse population and Bethel Elementary serving a higher percentage of White students, both schools serve a significant population of economically disadvantaged students, with free/reduced lunch rates over 40%. Interestingly, Bethel Elementary spends nearly $4,500 more per student than Valle Crucis Elementary, despite having a lower overall school ranking, suggesting that factors beyond just funding, such as school leadership and curriculum, play a crucial role in student outcomes.

Overall, the data indicates that families in the 28679 zip code have access to two high-performing elementary school options, each with its own unique strengths and characteristics. Parents looking to enroll their children in this area can be confident that their students will receive a quality education at either Valle Crucis Elementary or Bethel Elementary, both of which are standout schools within the Watauga County Schools district.

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				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	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th 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
Bethel Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	138 Bethel School Rd	Sugar Grove	28679	Watauga County	Watauga County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 297-2240	134	18	7.5	53.0%	120 (89.6%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.0%)	50.1	744^th of 1505 public elementary schools	50.6%		53.7	702^nd of 1502 public elementary schools	53.3%	42	50.0	46.7	58.3	45.5	36.8	33.3	58.3	46.7	58.3	54.5	42.1	55.6	66.7	77.8	$14,795	$1,301	$13,494
Valle Crucis Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	2998 Broadstone Road	Sugar Grove	28679	Watauga County	Watauga County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 963-4712	342	31	11.1	43.3%	284 (83.0%)	2 (0.6%)	49 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.8%)	77.8	285^th of 1505 public elementary schools	81.1%		75.7	309^th of 1502 public elementary schools	79.4%	24	69.0	78.4	59.0	81.0	71.4	51.5	65.5	62.2	66.7	66.7	71.4	60.6	69.2	81.8	$10,351	$520	$9,831

Cities Near Zip Code 28679

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Sugar Grove	2.12 mi	2	99^th
Vilas	7.19 mi	1	178^th
Zionville	8 mi	1	379^th
Banner Elk	8.68 mi	1	2^nd
Elk Park	10.06 mi	2	50^th

See the top NC North Carolina cities

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.