Catherine Truitt North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction | North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website
Catherine Truitt North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction | North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website
McDowell High School registered the highest enrollment among McDowell County's 15 schools in the 2023-24 school year, welcoming 1,356 students.
North Carolina’s student-teacher ratio is roughly 15.4 students per teacher, aligning with the national average. However, rising teacher turnover threatens to push class sizes higher, making it harder for students to get individualized attention.
If vacancies continue to grow, schools may struggle to maintain this ratio, impacting the quality of instruction. Districts in lower-funded areas face the biggest challenges, as limited budgets make it harder to attract and retain teachers.
| School name | Total Enrollment in 2022-23 | Total Enrollment in 2023-24 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell High School | - | 1,356 | - |
| West McDowell Middle School | 609 | 585 | -3.9% |
| East McDowell Middle School | 468 | 408 | -12.8% |
| Glenwood Elementary School | 397 | 379 | -4.5% |
| West Marion Elementary School | 347 | 367 | 5.8% |
| Marion Elementary School | 335 | 333 | -0.6% |
| Nebo Elementary School | 322 | 312 | -3.1% |
| Old Fort Elementary School | 288 | 288 | 0% |
| Pleasant Gardens Elementary School | 276 | 281 | 1.8% |
| Eastfield Global Magnet School | 250 | 262 | 4.8% |
| McDowell Early College | 225 | 227 | 0.9% |
| North Cove Elementary School | 199 | 203 | 2% |
| Foothills Community School | 189 | 193 | 2.1% |
| McDowell Academy for Innovation | 111 | 125 | 12.6% |
| McDowell Virtual Academy | 131 | 100 | -23.7% |
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