Is Challenger Early College High a good school?

Yes! Challenger Early College High is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 21 st of 640 North Carolina high schools.

How many students attend Challenger Early College High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 362 students attended Challenger Early College High.

What is the racial makeup of Challenger Early College High?

Students at Challenger Early College High are 39% White, 31% Hispanic, 17% Asian, 10% Two or more races, 3% African American.

Challenger Early College High

Summary:

Challenger Early College High is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Hickory, North Carolina, with a student population of 352 as of the 2022-2023 school year. This exceptional institution consistently ranks among the top high schools in the state, boasting exceptional academic performance, a diverse student body, and strong support for student subgroups.

Challenger Early College High's academic achievements are truly remarkable. The school consistently ranks 3rd out of over 600 high schools in North Carolina, with proficiency rates significantly higher than the Catawba County Schools district and the state of North Carolina across all End-of-Course (EOC) exams. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school had a 98.9% proficiency rate in EOC Biology, compared to 60.3% for the district and 53.4% for the state. This consistent high performance is a testament to the school's commitment to providing a quality education and its ability to effectively support student learning.

Another key differentiating factor for Challenger Early College High is its diverse student population. The school's racial makeup is more balanced compared to the nearby high schools, such as Bandys High, East Burke High, and Bunker Hill High, which have more homogeneous student populations. Challenger Early College High's diverse student body and its ability to support the academic achievement of various student subgroups, including female students, male students, and students from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, are particularly noteworthy.

Detail:

Public 9-12

2550 Hwy 70 SE
Hickory, NC 28602

(828) 485-2980

District: Catawba County Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,093

Student/teacher ratio: 23.7

Number of students: 362

Racial breakdown:

White:

38.7%

Hispanic:

31.5%

Asian:

17.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 47.2%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Challenger Early College High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Challenger Early College High ranks better than 96.7% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks first among 6 ranked high schools in the Catawba County Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.55. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Challenger Early College High has the smallest high school student body size in the Catawba County Schools District. Student population at Challenger Early College High is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (38.7%), Hispanic (31.5%), Asian (17.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 47.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Challenger Early College High is 23.7, which is the highest among 6 high schools in the Catawba County Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Challenger Early College High employs 15.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Challenger Early College High is $6,093, which is the lowest among 6 high schools in the Catawba County Schools District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Challenger Early College High:

SchoolDigger ranks Challenger Early College High 21^st of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Challenger Early College High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Catawba County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Catawba County Schools 71^st of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Challenger Early College High?

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Rank History for Challenger Early College High

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Rank History for all students at Challenger Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	96.54	6^th	514	98.8%
2021	97.77	9^th	594	98.5%
2022	97.33	3^rd	621	99.5%
2023	96.39	3^rd	626	99.5%
2024	95.55	21^st	640	96.7%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Challenger Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	98.42	2^nd	249	99.2%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Challenger Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	99.15	1^st	424	99.8%
2019	98.34	4^th	446	99.1%
2021	99.61	2^nd	432	99.5%
2022	99.49	2^nd	544	99.6%
2023	98.45	7^th	597	98.8%
2024	97.00	31^st	613	94.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Challenger Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	94.94	5^th	449	98.9%
2019	95.17	9^th	475	98.1%
2021	97.01	3^rd	475	99.4%
2022	96.99	3^rd	594	99.5%
2023	95.68	9^th	588	98.5%
2024	94.43	23^rd	602	96.2%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Challenger Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	83.19	6^th	325	98.2%
2021	84.68	5^th	337	98.5%
2022	83.99	1^st	398	99.7%
2023	81.54	13^th	403	96.8%
2024	79.42	7^th	403	98.3%

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

Rank History for Male students at Challenger Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	96.89	7^th	488	98.6%
2021	98.28	4^th	481	99.2%
2022	97.70	2^nd	585	99.7%
2023	97.51	2^nd	602	99.7%
2024	96.49	12^th	607	98.0%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Challenger Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	85.22	5^th	77	93.5%
2019	86.53	8^th	89	91.0%
2021	90.04	3^rd	83	96.4%
2022	90.79	1^st	91	98.9%
2023	89.32	4^th	98	95.9%
2024	87.93	5^th	101	95.0%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Challenger Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2018	98.68	3^rd	340	99.1%
2019	98.78	2^nd	354	99.4%
2021	97.21	5^th	370	98.6%
2022	99.05	1^st	436	99.8%
2023	98.74	3^rd	449	99.3%
2024	98.08	14^th	454	96.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Challenger Early College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	95.45	4^th	444	99.1%
2021	97.35	2^nd	439	99.5%
2022	95.37	8^th	534	98.5%
2023	93.71	26^th	537	95.2%
2024	92.77	30^th	553	94.6%

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 Challenger Early College High

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2006	56	10	22	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	95
2007	115	13	44	17	0	n/a	n/a	6	195
2008	144	13	73	27	0	n/a	n/a	8	265
2009	200	27	97	38	0	n/a	n/a	0	362
2010	187	27	98	47	0	n/a	n/a	0	359
2011	169	20	92	59	2	0	11	0	353
2012	171	20	87	60	0	0	10	0	348
2013	177	23	77	71	0	0	11	0	359
2014	175	24	75	69	0	0	10	0	353
2015	204	17	68	70	0	0	9	0	368
2016	205	19	56	78	1	0	7	0	366
2017	212	25	63	88	0	0	9	0	397
2018	223	28	65	84	0	0	11	0	411
2019	216	27	66	94	0	0	12	0	415
2020	197	19	72	86	0	0	20	0	394
2021	189	11	68	88	0	0	20	0	376
2022	156	10	55	94	0	1	28	0	344
2023	142	12	56	109	0	1	32	0	352
2024	140	10	62	114	0	1	35	0	362

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 Challenger Early College High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	95	6.0	15.8	n/a
2007	195	10.1	19.3	n/a
2008	265	13.2	20.1	10.9
2009	362	14.2	25.5	16.3
2010	359	15.3	23.4	31.8
2011	353	14.1	24.9	46.7
2012	348	13.5	25.6	58.6
2013	359	14.3	25.0	52.6
2014	353	13.0	27.0	47
2015	368	14.0	26.2	45.4
2016	366	14.0	26.1	41
2017	397	14.1	28.1	42.1
2018	411	14.0	29.3	39.7
2019	415	13.9	29.8	36.4
2020	394	13.9	28.2	31
2021	376	14.0	26.8	27.4
2022	344	13.9	24.6	27.9
2023	352	14.0	25.0	40.9
2024	362	15.2	23.7	47.2

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 Challenger Early College High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	95	6.0	15.8	n/a
2007	195	10.1	19.3	n/a
2008	265	13.2	20.1	10.9
2009	362	14.2	25.5	16.3
2010	359	15.3	23.4	31.8
2011	353	14.1	24.9	46.7
2012	348	13.5	25.6	58.6
2013	359	14.3	25.0	52.6
2014	353	13.0	27.0	47
2015	368	14.0	26.2	45.4
2016	366	14.0	26.1	41
2017	397	14.1	28.1	42.1
2018	411	14.0	29.3	39.7
2019	415	13.9	29.8	36.4
2020	394	13.9	28.2	31
2021	376	14.0	26.8	27.4
2022	344	13.9	24.6	27.9
2023	352	14.0	25.0	40.9
2024	362	15.2	23.7	47.2

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 Challenger Early College High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$246 (4.0%)	$5,847 (96.0%)	$6,093

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Challenger Early College 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 6^th of 514 High schools	Ranks 3^rd of 626 High schools	0.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course English II (Challenger Early College High)	95.2	99	3.8%
End of Course English II (Catawba County Schools)	63.3	60.1	3.2%
End of Course English II (North Carolina)	59.7	58.5	1.2%
End of Course Math I (Challenger Early College High)	98.4	97.4	1%
End of Course Math I (Catawba County Schools)	57.4	53.3	4.1%
End of Course Math I (North Carolina)	41.2	35.9	5.3%
End of Course Math III (Challenger Early College High)	95.6	99	3.4%
End of Course Math III (Catawba County Schools)	53.4	67.7	14.3%
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	415	352	15.2%
African American	27	12	55.6%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	66	56	15.2%
Hispanic	94	109	16%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	216	142	34.3%
Two or More Races	12	32	166.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	36.4%	40.9%	4.5%

Schools Near Challenger Early College 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
Challenger Early College High	Public	9-12	2550 Hwy 70 SE	Hickory	28602	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 485-2980	362	15	23.7	47.2%	140 (38.7%)	10 (2.8%)	114 (31.5%)	62 (17.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	35 (9.7%)	95.6	21^st of 640 public high schools	96.7%		96.4	3^rd of 626 public high schools	99.5%	18	98.9	97.9	94.5	92.6	$6,093	$246	$5,847
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School	Public	9-12	409 8th Avenue NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 328-6738	232	21	11.2	98.7%	115 (49.6%)	31 (13.4%)	57 (24.6%)	7 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (9.5%)	61.7	224^th of 640 public high schools	65.0%		77.2	143^rd of 626 public high schools	77.2%	81	64.4	82.3	38.5	59.2	$15,342	$1,043	$14,299
Newton-Conover High	Public	9-12	338 W 15th Street	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Newton Conover City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 465-0920	749	47	16.0	62.1%	325 (43.4%)	72 (9.6%)	234 (31.2%)	50 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (9.1%)	44	341^st of 640 public high schools	46.7%		31.9	420^th of 626 public high schools	32.9%	79	57.5	52.6	56.9	37.7	$10,228	$626	$9,601
Discovery High School	Public	9-12	301 West 18th St	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Newton Conover City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 466-5581	162	6	25.2	24.7%	101 (62.3%)	5 (3.1%)	34 (21.0%)	8 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (8.6%)	79.8	134^th of 640 public high schools	79.1%		77.6	141^st of 626 public high schools	77.5%	7	79.2	91.2	45.5	76.5	$7,999	$741	$7,259
Hickory High	Public	9-12	1234 3rd Street NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 322-5860	1,034	58	17.9	99.5%	339 (32.8%)	203 (19.6%)	329 (31.8%)	45 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	114 (11.0%)	37.8	390^th of 640 public high schools	39.1%		38.8	362^nd of 626 public high schools	42.2%	28	43.6	57.1	44.5	47.3	$8,704	$694	$8,010
Saint Stephens High	Public	9-12	3205 34th Street Drive NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 256-9841	1,298	67	19.3	56.9%	611 (47.1%)	98 (7.6%)	427 (32.9%)	64 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	97 (7.5%)	50.2	297^th of 640 public high schools	53.6%		46.9	309^th of 626 public high schools	50.6%	12	50.9	56.5	54.2	59.8	$8,502	$740	$7,761
Fred T Foard High	Public	9-12	3407 Plateau Road	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 462-1496	956	54	17.8	44.5%	696 (72.8%)	33 (3.5%)	105 (11.0%)	54 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	66 (6.9%)	57.9	245^th of 640 public high schools	61.7%		56.3	252^nd of 626 public high schools	59.7%	7	61.8	61.0	53.7	62.0	$8,769	$744	$8,025
Maiden High	Public	9-12	600 West Main Street	Maiden	28650	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 428-8197	879	49	17.7	50.1%	575 (65.4%)	50 (5.7%)	140 (15.9%)	57 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (6.5%)	59.8	235^th of 640 public high schools	63.3%		61	219^th of 626 public high schools	65.0%	16	63.1	54.6	61.0	69.0	$9,016	$684	$8,333
Bunker Hill High	Public	9-12	4675 Oxford School Road	Claremont	28610	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 241-3355	883	48	18.3	60.9%	475 (53.8%)	60 (6.8%)	188 (21.3%)	96 (10.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	64 (7.2%)	38.7	377^th of 640 public high schools	41.1%		45.3	321^st of 626 public high schools	48.7%	56	48.1	53.9	37.4	52.6	$8,880	$745	$8,136
East Burke High	Public	9-12	3695 East Burke Boulevard	Connelly Springs	28612	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 397-5541	868	45	19.3	99.3%	672 (77.4%)	11 (1.3%)	73 (8.4%)	62 (7.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (5.6%)	54.5	265^th of 640 public high schools	58.6%		49.1	297^th of 626 public high schools	52.6%	32	61.3	59.8	53.9	54.8	$9,240	$806	$8,435

Challenger Early College High

Challenger Early College High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Catawba County Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Challenger Early College High

Rank History for all students at Challenger Early College High

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Challenger Early College High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Challenger Early College High

Rank History for Female students at Challenger Early College High

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Challenger Early College High

Rank History for Male students at Challenger Early College High

Rank History for Asian students at Challenger Early College High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Challenger Early College High

Rank History for White students at Challenger Early College High

Enrollment information for Challenger Early College High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Challenger Early College High

Student/Teacher Ratio Challenger Early College High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Challenger Early College High

Impact of COVID-19 on Challenger Early College High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Challenger Early College High

Frequently Asked Questions about Challenger Early College High

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