Is Avery County High a good school?

Avery County High ranks 441 st of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Avery County High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 594 students attended Avery County High.

What is the racial makeup of Avery County High?

Students at Avery County High are 79% White, 15% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What schools feed into Avery County High?

Avery County High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Banner Elk Elementary Elementary : Crossnore Elementary Elementary : Freedom Trail Elementary Elementary : Newland Elementary Elementary : Riverside Elementary Middle : Avery Middle Middle : Cranberry Middle

Avery County High

Summary:

Avery County High is a public high school in Newland, North Carolina, serving 613 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Avery County Schools district, which is ranked 69 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Avery County High has seen a decline in its academic performance in recent years, dropping from a statewide ranking of 191 out of 514 high schools in 2018-2019 to 441 out of 640 high schools in 2023-2024. The school's proficiency rates on End-of-Course (EOC) exams are generally below the state average, ranging from 26.2% in Math I to 54.8% in Math III. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with particularly low rankings for Hispanic, White, and Gifted and Talented students. However, the school performs better for Disabled and Low Socio-Economic Status (SES) student subgroups.

Compared to nearby schools, Avery County High performs significantly worse than Watauga High, which is ranked 153 out of 640 high schools in North Carolina, and better than Mitchell High, which is ranked 455 out of 640. The Mayland Early College, a small high school within the Mitchell County Schools district, stands out with exceptional academic performance, ranking 113 out of 640 high schools.

Detail:

Public 9-12

401 Avery County High School R
Newland, NC 28657

(828) 733-0151

District: Avery County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
441^st of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,821

Feeder schools for Avery County High:

Elementary:	Banner Elk Elementary
	Crossnore Elementary
	Freedom Trail Elementary
	Newland Elementary
	More...
	Riverside Elementary
Middle:	Avery Middle
	Cranberry Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 15.6

Number of students: 594

Racial breakdown:

White:

79.0%

Hispanic:

15.2%

Two or more races:

3.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.5%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Avery County High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Avery County High ranks worse than 68.9% of high schools in North Carolina. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.05. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (79%), Hispanic (15.2%), two or more races (3.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Avery County High is 15.6. (See more...)

Compare Avery County High employs 37.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Avery County High is $10,821.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Avery County High:

SchoolDigger ranks Avery County High 441^st of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Avery County High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Avery County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Avery County Schools 69^th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Avery County High?

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Rank History for Avery County High

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Rank History for all students at Avery County High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2006	56.43	177^th	431	58.9%
2007	51.51	216^th	453	52.3%
2008	56.56	187^th	477	60.8%
2009	60.13	168^th	490	65.7%
2010	59.37	198^th	499	60.3%
2011	41.16	352^nd	506	30.4%
2012	22.67	412^th	502	17.9%
2013	37.31	254^th	505	49.7%
2014	16.55	373^rd	451	17.3%
2015	47.34	199^th	531	62.5%
2016	18.08	396^th	507	21.9%
2017	38.51	260^th	476	45.4%
2018	35.34	295^th	469	37.1%
2019	52.10	191^st	514	62.8%
2021	55.70	232^nd	594	60.9%
2022	59.65	235^th	621	62.2%
2023	40.18	351^st	626	43.9%
2024	31.05	441^st	640	31.1%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Avery County High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	30.74	193^rd	262	26.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Avery County High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	27.90	264^th	349	24.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Avery County High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	35.08	250^th	424	41.0%
2019	53.01	120^th	446	73.1%
2021	51.84	106^th	432	75.5%
2022	59.48	165^th	544	69.7%
2023	35.88	358^th	597	40.0%
2024	30.83	423^rd	613	31.0%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Avery County High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	25.13	341^st	449	24.1%
2019	53.91	176^th	475	62.9%
2021	58.47	140^th	475	70.5%
2022	65.71	189^th	594	68.2%
2023	44.52	320^th	588	45.6%
2024	32.55	414^th	602	31.2%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Avery County High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	34.50	214^th	349	38.7%
2019	65.06	69^th	364	81.0%
2021	45.72	136^th	334	59.3%
2022	49.92	120^th	330	63.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Avery County High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	67.85	85^th	325	73.8%
2021	74.79	49^th	337	85.5%
2022	63.70	162^nd	398	59.3%
2023	45.06	285^th	403	29.3%
2024	40.11	308^th	403	23.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Avery County High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	42.37	249^th	463	46.2%
2019	46.56	216^th	488	55.7%
2021	53.04	160^th	481	66.7%
2022	53.67	244^th	585	58.3%
2023	35.71	377^th	602	37.4%
2024	28.44	443^rd	607	27.0%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Avery County High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	16.38	325^th	354	8.2%
2021	22.69	302^nd	370	18.4%
2022	33.85	284^th	436	34.9%
2023	31.65	305^th	449	32.1%
2024	20.67	387^th	454	14.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Avery County High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	17.29	384^th	427	10.1%
2019	40.13	242^nd	444	45.5%
2021	47.33	185^th	439	57.9%
2022	51.98	255^th	534	52.2%
2023	24.93	423^rd	537	21.2%
2024	18.53	476^th	553	13.9%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High 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.

Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Avery County High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	811	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	815
1989	826	3	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	-15	816
1990	741	2	0	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	747
1991	706	5	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	716
1992	695	5	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	-1	704
1993	677	5	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	687
1994	689	2	1	4	4	n/a	n/a	0	700
1995	675	5	3	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	686
1996	675	5	3	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	686
1997	710	5	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	719
1998	672	4	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	681
1999	686	5	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	693
2000	660	6	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	669
2001	626	4	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	636
2002	629	6	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	640
2003	629	6	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	640
2004	654	8	0	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	670
2005	642	7	0	17	3	n/a	n/a	0	669
2006	645	6	3	16	2	n/a	n/a	0	672
2007	682	1	2	16	0	n/a	n/a	6	707
2008	626	1	3	27	1	n/a	n/a	5	663
2009	665	11	3	28	2	n/a	n/a	0	709
2010	634	6	3	23	4	n/a	n/a	0	670
2011	609	1	4	26	2	0	5	0	647
2012	239	1	2	8	1	0	4	0	255
2013	341	2	1	18	0	0	4	0	366
2014	349	2	0	29	0	0	5	0	385
2015	337	2	2	40	0	0	5	0	386
2016	362	0	1	39	0	0	4	0	406
2017	342	1	2	34	1	0	5	0	385
2018	323	2	1	36	1	1	9	0	373
2019	372	2	3	45	1	2	5	0	430
2020	466	2	3	59	1	2	10	0	543
2021	482	3	4	72	0	2	13	0	576
2022	481	4	4	76	1	1	13	0	580
2023	495	5	7	82	2	2	20	0	613
2024	469	4	7	90	1	1	22	0	594

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 Avery County High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	815	62.0	13.1	21.6
1989	816	59.0	13.8	35.9
1990	747	63.0	11.8	37.2
1991	716	63.0	11.3	38.8
1992	704	51.0	13.8	20.5
1993	687	48.0	14.3	25.3
1994	700	51.0	13.7	23.9
1995	686	54.0	12.7	21.3
1996	686	54.0	12.7	21.3
1997	719	56.0	12.8	23.5
1998	681	58.0	11.7	28.2
1999	693	58.0	11.9	36.2
2000	669	58.0	11.5	33.9
2001	636	58.0	11.0	n/a
2002	640	58.0	11.0	32
2003	640	58.0	11.0	32
2004	670	58.0	11.6	36.3
2005	669	58.0	11.5	37.4
2006	672	58.0	11.6	40
2007	707	51.2	13.8	35.7
2008	663	51.2	12.9	40.1
2009	709	48.8	14.5	42
2010	670	47.5	14.1	47.6
2011	647	44.7	14.4	48.1
2012	255	20.7	12.2	49
2013	366	17.8	20.5	50.8
2014	385	24.1	15.9	53.5
2015	386	27.0	14.2	50.3
2016	406	26.0	15.6	58.1
2017	385	26.4	14.5	56.6
2018	373	27.5	13.5	55.2
2019	430	21.4	20.0	46.5
2020	543	35.4	15.3	44.9
2021	576	38.7	14.8	41.3
2022	580	41.6	13.9	35.5
2023	613	39.8	15.3	58.4
2024	594	37.8	15.6	99.5

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 Avery County High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	815	62.0	13.1	21.6
1989	816	59.0	13.8	35.9
1990	747	63.0	11.8	37.2
1991	716	63.0	11.3	38.8
1992	704	51.0	13.8	20.5
1993	687	48.0	14.3	25.3
1994	700	51.0	13.7	23.9
1995	686	54.0	12.7	21.3
1996	686	54.0	12.7	21.3
1997	719	56.0	12.8	23.5
1998	681	58.0	11.7	28.2
1999	693	58.0	11.9	36.2
2000	669	58.0	11.5	33.9
2001	636	58.0	11.0	n/a
2002	640	58.0	11.0	32
2003	640	58.0	11.0	32
2004	670	58.0	11.6	36.3
2005	669	58.0	11.5	37.4
2006	672	58.0	11.6	40
2007	707	51.2	13.8	35.7
2008	663	51.2	12.9	40.1
2009	709	48.8	14.5	42
2010	670	47.5	14.1	47.6
2011	647	44.7	14.4	48.1
2012	255	20.7	12.2	49
2013	366	17.8	20.5	50.8
2014	385	24.1	15.9	53.5
2015	386	27.0	14.2	50.3
2016	406	26.0	15.6	58.1
2017	385	26.4	14.5	56.6
2018	373	27.5	13.5	55.2
2019	430	21.4	20.0	46.5
2020	543	35.4	15.3	44.9
2021	576	38.7	14.8	41.3
2022	580	41.6	13.9	35.5
2023	613	39.8	15.3	58.4
2024	594	37.8	15.6	99.5

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 Avery County High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$537 (5.0%)	$10,285 (95.0%)	$10,821

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Avery County High

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 191^st of 514 High schools	Ranks 351^st of 626 High schools	18.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Avery County High)	52	45.9	6.1%
End of Course Biology (Avery County Schools)	56.4	45.9	10.5%
End of Course Biology (North Carolina)	59.6	54.1	5.5%
End of Course English II (Avery County High)	57	52.1	4.9%
End of Course English II (Avery County Schools)	58.7	52.1	6.6%
End of Course English II (North Carolina)	59.7	58.5	1.2%
End of Course Math I (Avery County High)	58	30.5	27.5%
End of Course Math I (Avery County Schools)	43.7	30.5	13.2%
End of Course Math I (North Carolina)	41.2	35.9	5.3%
End of Course Math III (Avery County High)	53.8	64	10.2%
End of Course Math III (Avery County Schools)	54	64	10%
End of Course Math III (North Carolina)	46.8	58.3	11.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	430	613	42.6%
African American	2	5	150%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	3	7	133.3%
Hispanic	45	82	82.2%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	372	495	33.1%
Two or More Races	5	20	300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	46.5%	58.4%	11.9%

Schools Near Avery County High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOC Biology (2024)	EOC English II (2024)	EOC Math I (2024)	EOC Math III (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	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Avery County High	Public	9-12	401 Avery County High School R	Newland	28657	Avery County	Avery County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 733-0151	594	38	15.6	99.5%	469 (79.0%)	4 (0.7%)	90 (15.2%)	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (3.7%)	31.1	441^st of 640 public high schools	31.1%		40.2	351^st of 626 public high schools	43.9%	90	41.1	48.1	26.2	54.8	$10,821	$537	$10,285
Mayland Early College	Public	9-12	264 Mayland Dr	Spruce Pine	28777	Mitchell County	Mitchell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 766-2590	115	5	23.0	97.4%	91 (79.1%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (12.2%)	2 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (7.0%)	84.6	113^th of 640 public high schools	82.3%		94.4	34^th of 626 public high schools	94.6%	79	82.9	81.8	95.0	71.4	$7,370	$209	$7,160
Mitchell High	Public	9-12	416 Ledger School Rd	Bakersville	28705	Mitchell County	Mitchell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 766-3400	508	42	11.9	98.0%	422 (83.1%)	5 (1.0%)	65 (12.8%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.6%)	29.5	455^th of 640 public high schools	28.9%		36.5	384^th of 626 public high schools	38.7%	71	55.6	47.7	18.8	41.5	$11,982	$572	$11,410
Watauga High	Public	9-12	300 Go Pioneers Drive	Boone	28607	Watauga County	Watauga County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 264-2407	1,279	105	12.2	33.1%	1,046 (81.8%)	17 (1.3%)	151 (11.8%)	23 (1.8%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (3.0%)	75.2	153^rd of 640 public high schools	76.1%		78.8	133^rd of 626 public high schools	78.8%	20	69.7	72.8	62.6	78.3	$11,160	$624	$10,536
Watauga Innovation Academy	Public	9-12	300 Go Pioneers Drive	Boone	28607	Watauga County	Watauga County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 264-2407	305	0	60.8	42.6%	264 (86.6%)	2 (0.7%)	30 (9.8%)	4 (1.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	64.6	207^th of 640 public high schools	67.7%		60.4	223^rd of 626 public high schools	64.4%	16	68.2	62.0	54.7	69.9	$2,667	$110	$2,557

Avery County High

Avery County High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Avery County Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Avery County High

Rank History for all students at Avery County High

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Avery County High

Rank History for Special Education students at Avery County High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Avery County High

Rank History for Female students at Avery County High

Rank History for Disabled students at Avery County High

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Avery County High

Rank History for Male students at Avery County High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Avery County High

Rank History for White students at Avery County High

Enrollment information for Avery County High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Avery County High

Student/Teacher Ratio Avery County High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Avery County High

Impact of COVID-19 on Avery County High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Avery County High