Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28789

Summary:

The data set provided information on a single public elementary school, Smokey Mountain Elementary, serving grades PK-8 in the 28789 zip code. This school has a diverse student population, with a significant Native American enrollment, but consistently underperforms on academic measures compared to district and state averages.

Smokey Mountain Elementary struggles with low test scores across multiple grade levels and subject areas, with proficiency rates well below the state average. The school also serves a high-poverty community, with 77.9% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite the relatively high spending per student of $11,755, the school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of North Carolina elementary schools, earning a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past three years.

While the school's diverse demographics and community needs present unique challenges, the combination of poor academic performance, high poverty rates, and persistent low rankings suggests that Jackson County Public Schools may need to implement targeted interventions and support to help Smokey Mountain Elementary improve student outcomes and provide a high-quality education for all its students.

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
Smokey Mountain Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	884 US Hwy 441N	Whittier	28789	Jackson County	Jackson County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 497-5535	353	25	14.1	77.9%	158 (44.8%)	2 (0.6%)	50 (14.2%)	5 (1.4%)	98 (27.8%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (11.3%)	8.1	1444^th of 1505 public elementary schools	4.1%		9.9	1422^nd of 1502 public elementary schools	5.3%	22	31.7	29.2	23.7	27.3	35.5	14.3	19.5	29.2	23.7	27.3	45.2	44.9	44.7	55.1	$11,755	$1,735	$10,021

Cities Near Zip Code 28789

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Whittier	2.87 mi	1	454^th
Cherokee	3.84 mi	2
Bryson City	5.72 mi	6	268^th
Sylva	7 mi	6	211^th
Cullowhee	12.83 mi	1	347^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.