Smoky Mountain High School

Summary:

Smoky Mountain High School is a public high school located in Sylva, North Carolina, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 899. The school is part of the Jackson County Public Schools district, which is ranked 171 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Smoky Mountain High School has a relatively diverse student population, with 70.41% White, 17.91% Hispanic, and 5.34% Native American students. Academically, the school's performance is generally on par with or slightly below the district and state averages, with proficiency rates ranging from 40.6% to 53.8% in various end-of-course tests. However, the school's statewide ranking and SchoolDigger rating have declined over the years, from a high of 114 out of 469 North Carolina high schools and a 4-star rating in 2017-2018 to a ranking of 372 out of 640 high schools and a 2-star rating in the 2023-2024 school year.

Compared to nearby schools, Blue Ridge Early College and Jackson Community School generally have lower academic performance and lower statewide rankings, while the Jackson County Early College, located very close to Smoky Mountain High School, has significantly higher academic performance and a much higher statewide ranking, being ranked 103 out of 640 high schools in North Carolina. Additionally, Smoky Mountain High School has seen a significant increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting an increase in economic disadvantage among the student population, which may impact academic performance.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 100 Smoky Mountain Drive
       Sylva, NC  28779-5600


(828) 586-2177

District: Jackson County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
372nd of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,017 Help


Feeder schools for Smoky Mountain High School:

Elementary:    Cullowhee Valley School
    Fairview School
    Scotts Creek School
    Smokey Mountain Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  16.6 Help
Number of students:  899

Racial breakdown:

White:
69.5%
Hispanic:
19.6%
American Indian:
4.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  53.4% Help


 See top rated North Carolina high schools

 Compare Smoky Mountain High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Smoky Mountain High School ranks worse than 58.1% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 2nd among 4 ranked high schools in the Jackson County Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.77. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Smoky Mountain High School has the largest high school student body size in the Jackson County Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (69.5%), Hispanic (19.6%), American Indian (4.4%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 53.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Smoky Mountain High School is 16.6. 2 high schools in the Jackson County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Smoky Mountain High School employs 53.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Smoky Mountain High School is $11,017. 2 high schools in the Jackson County Public Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Smoky Mountain High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Smoky Mountain High School 372nd of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Smoky Mountain High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
Native American students:
White students:


Jackson County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Jackson County Public Schools 171st of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Smoky Mountain High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 54.16 202nd 431 53.1%
2007 64.92 105th 453 76.8%
2008 66.67 93rd 477 80.5%
2009 68.76 84th 490 82.9%
2010 64.44 141st 499 71.7%
2011 55.72 228th 506 54.9%
2012 57.73 168th 502 66.5%
2013 42.62 211th 505 58.2%
2014 44.38 192nd 451 57.4%
2015 46.24 206th 531 61.2%
2016 48.00 176th 507 65.3%
2017 54.21 165th 476 65.3%
2018 67.43 114th 469 75.7%
2019 64.46 120th 514 76.7%
2021 55.18 239th 594 59.8%
2022 48.87 296th 621 52.3%
2023 37.21 378th 626 39.6%
2024 39.77 372nd 640 41.9%
See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 27.24 175th 226 22.6%
2023 7.76 240th 249 3.6%
2024 85.52 24th 261 90.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 65.43 22nd 156 85.9%
2023 29.38 163rd 226 27.9%
2024 35.99 165th 262 37.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 45.57 149th 349 57.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.23 66th 424 84.4%
2019 63.63 63rd 446 85.9%
2021 51.25 108th 432 75.0%
2022 53.55 201st 544 63.1%
2023 37.21 350th 597 41.4%
2024 38.66 344th 613 43.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.66 65th 449 85.5%
2019 73.75 78th 475 83.6%
2021 53.83 166th 475 65.1%
2022 49.47 286th 594 51.9%
2023 35.89 374th 588 36.4%
2024 39.41 359th 602 40.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.75 21st 349 94.0%
2019 70.08 52nd 364 85.7%
2021 53.29 105th 334 68.6%
2022 52.78 113th 330 65.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 64.46 105th 325 67.7%
2021 82.42 11th 337 96.7%
2022 64.53 157th 398 60.6%
2023 70.44 119th 403 70.5%
2024 68.77 123rd 403 69.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.33 158th 463 65.9%
2019 55.64 166th 488 66.0%
2021 54.12 149th 481 69.0%
2022 47.97 281st 585 52.0%
2023 37.67 360th 602 40.2%
2024 39.08 361st 607 40.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.66 39th 340 88.5%
2019 84.33 23rd 354 93.5%
2021 48.48 117th 370 68.4%
2022 40.03 237th 436 45.6%
2023 20.51 387th 449 13.8%
2024 23.11 373rd 454 17.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.57 1st 16 93.8%
2019 78.30 1st 17 94.1%
2022 47.90 7th 15 53.3%
2023 55.83 4th 16 75.0%
2024 71.88 2nd 15 86.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Smoky Mountain High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.30 221st 427 48.2%
2019 47.50 205th 444 53.8%
2021 44.63 202nd 439 54.0%
2022 40.11 315th 534 41.0%
2023 29.80 401st 537 25.3%
2024 29.83 418th 553 24.4%
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.

Smoky Mountain High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Smoky Mountain High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 726 14 4 5 85 n/a n/a 8 842
1989 924 18 7 6 65 n/a n/a 0 1020
1990 898 11 8 2 72 n/a n/a -2 989
1991 851 12 9 3 66 n/a n/a 0 941
1992 827 14 7 2 64 n/a n/a -4 910
1993 787 13 7 1 66 n/a n/a 0 874
1994 778 11 6 3 75 n/a n/a 0 873
1995 806 4 4 4 93 n/a n/a 0 911
1996 806 4 4 4 93 n/a n/a 0 911
1997 844 12 4 6 88 n/a n/a 0 954
1998 876 11 5 9 81 n/a n/a 0 982
1999 855 21 8 8 83 n/a n/a 0 975
2000 864 19 4 4 81 n/a n/a 0 972
2001 878 19 5 6 84 n/a n/a 0 992
2002 850 19 8 10 75 n/a n/a 0 962
2003 850 19 8 10 75 n/a n/a 0 962
2004 821 31 9 13 75 n/a n/a 0 949
2005 835 31 9 19 76 n/a n/a 0 970
2006 824 29 7 23 86 n/a n/a 0 969
2007 821 18 4 18 73 n/a n/a 7 941
2008 765 12 9 24 72 n/a n/a 3 885
2009 723 11 6 27 100 n/a n/a 0 867
2010 675 11 6 29 67 n/a n/a 0 788
2011 661 4 4 37 62 0 2 0 770
2012 653 7 7 38 62 0 6 0 773
2013 672 6 6 30 62 0 6 0 782
2014 688 10 9 46 57 0 12 0 822
2015 692 16 8 55 53 0 15 0 839
2016 720 18 6 60 58 0 16 0 878
2017 705 19 7 74 56 0 22 0 883
2018 719 18 10 73 64 0 19 0 903
2019 671 17 12 82 66 0 18 0 866
2020 660 15 13 108 59 0 38 0 893
2021 657 11 14 121 55 0 35 0 893
2022 630 6 15 141 56 0 39 0 887
2023 633 11 11 161 48 0 35 0 899
2024 625 11 9 176 40 0 38 0 899

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 Smoky Mountain High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 842 47.0 17.9 12.8
1989 1020 70.0 14.5 22.9
1990 989 77.0 12.8 27.5
1991 941 77.0 12.2 28.9
1992 910 77.0 11.8 6.7
1993 874 69.0 12.7 14.2
1994 873 63.0 13.9 12.7
1995 911 63.0 14.5 14.6
1996 911 63.0 14.5 14.6
1997 954 64.0 14.9 12.9
1998 982 70.0 14.0 15.7
1999 975 70.0 13.9 19.7
2000 972 70.0 13.9 18.2
2001 992 70.0 14.2 24.9
2002 962 71.0 13.5 52.5
2003 962 71.0 13.5 52.5
2004 949 71.0 13.4 30.6
2005 970 71.0 13.7 27.7
2006 969 71.0 13.6 29.7
2007 941 69.4 13.6 34.2
2008 885 67.7 13.1 35.9
2009 867 62.4 13.9 33.2
2010 788 56.2 14.0 38.6
2011 770 58.2 13.2 42.6
2012 773 57.1 13.5 47.5
2013 782 57.9 13.4 47.6
2014 822 56.7 14.4 47.2
2015 839 57.0 14.7 45.5
2016 878 56.0 15.6 42.6
2017 883 57.0 15.4 42.7
2018 903 57.1 15.8 39.8
2019 866 55.2 15.6 39.6
2020 893 54.1 16.5 41.2
2021 893 55.0 16.2 27.4
2022 887 49.8 17.7 30.6
2023 899 54.1 16.5 54.2
2024 899 53.8 16.6 53.4

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 Smoky Mountain High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 842 47.0 17.9 12.8
1989 1020 70.0 14.5 22.9
1990 989 77.0 12.8 27.5
1991 941 77.0 12.2 28.9
1992 910 77.0 11.8 6.7
1993 874 69.0 12.7 14.2
1994 873 63.0 13.9 12.7
1995 911 63.0 14.5 14.6
1996 911 63.0 14.5 14.6
1997 954 64.0 14.9 12.9
1998 982 70.0 14.0 15.7
1999 975 70.0 13.9 19.7
2000 972 70.0 13.9 18.2
2001 992 70.0 14.2 24.9
2002 962 71.0 13.5 52.5
2003 962 71.0 13.5 52.5
2004 949 71.0 13.4 30.6
2005 970 71.0 13.7 27.7
2006 969 71.0 13.6 29.7
2007 941 69.4 13.6 34.2
2008 885 67.7 13.1 35.9
2009 867 62.4 13.9 33.2
2010 788 56.2 14.0 38.6
2011 770 58.2 13.2 42.6
2012 773 57.1 13.5 47.5
2013 782 57.9 13.4 47.6
2014 822 56.7 14.4 47.2
2015 839 57.0 14.7 45.5
2016 878 56.0 15.6 42.6
2017 883 57.0 15.4 42.7
2018 903 57.1 15.8 39.8
2019 866 55.2 15.6 39.6
2020 893 54.1 16.5 41.2
2021 893 55.0 16.2 27.4
2022 887 49.8 17.7 30.6
2023 899 54.1 16.5 54.2
2024 899 53.8 16.6 53.4

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 Smoky Mountain High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $880 (8.0%) $10,137 (92.0%) $11,017

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Smoky Mountain High School

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 120th of 514 High schoolsRanks 378th of 626 High schools
 37%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Smoky Mountain High School)64.451.7
 12.7%
   End of Course Biology (Jackson County Public Schools)61.151
 10.1%
   End of Course Biology (North Carolina)59.654.1
 5.5%
End of Course English II (Smoky Mountain High School)66.550.7
 15.8%
   End of Course English II (Jackson County Public Schools)62.752.6
 10.1%
   End of Course English II (North Carolina)59.758.5
 1.2%
End of Course Math I (Smoky Mountain High School)65.844.1
 21.7%
   End of Course Math I (Jackson County Public Schools)57.743.7
 14%
   End of Course Math I (North Carolina)41.235.9
 5.3%
End of Course Math III (Smoky Mountain High School)53.736.7
 17%
   End of Course Math III (Jackson County Public Schools)50.741.1
 9.6%
   End of Course Math III (North Carolina)46.858.3
 11.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students866899
 3.8%
African American1711
 35.3%
American Indian6648
 27.3%
Asian1211
 8.3%
Hispanic82161
 96.3%
Pacific Islander00
White671633
 5.7%
Two or More Races1835
 94.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients39.6%54.2%
 14.6%


Schools Near Smoky Mountain High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Smoky Mountain High School

Students at Smoky Mountain High School are 70% White, 20% Hispanic, 4% American Indian, 4% Two or more races, 1% African American, 1% Asian.

Smoky Mountain High School ranks 372nd of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 899 students attended Smoky Mountain High School.

Smoky Mountain High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cullowhee Valley School
Elementary : Fairview School
Elementary : Scotts Creek School
Elementary : Smokey Mountain Elementary


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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.





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