Foothills Review

There were 8,956 students enrolled in Rutherford County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 0.9% less than the previous year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Thomas Jefferson Class Academy registered the highest enrollment among Rutherford County's 20 schools in the 2022-23 school year, welcoming 1,340 students.

North Carolina's public schools are facing a significant funding gap, with a per-student expenditure of $10,519 - well below the national average of $14,295.

This financial strain is further compounded by a significant challenge in staffing with a staggering 58.4% surge in vacant teaching positions in the 2021-22 school year, leaving over 5,000 classrooms without qualified instructors.

School name	Total Enrollment in 2021-22	Total Enrollment in 2022-23	% Change
Thomas Jefferson Class Academy	1,305	1,340	2.7%
R-S Central High School	728	729	0.1%
East Rutherford High School	658	642	-2.4%
Chase High School	642	637	-0.8%
R-S Middle School	607	568	-6.4%
Ellenboro Elementary School	568	556	-2.1%
East Rutherford Middle School	540	548	1.5%
Chase Middle School	514	489	-4.9%
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School	448	455	1.6%
Lake Lure Classical Academy	480	425	-11.5%
Harris Elementary School	420	407	-3.1%
Rutherfordton Elementary School	368	375	1.9%
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School	340	351	3.2%
Spindale Elementary School	323	324	0.3%
Pinnacle Elementary School	211	222	5.2%
Mt. Vernon-Ruth Elementary School	220	222	0.9%
Cliffside Elementary School	214	213	-0.5%
Rutherford Early College High School	190	189	-0.5%
Sunshine Elementary School	176	165	-6.3%
Rutherford Opportunity Center	85	99	16.5%