Top Rankings
Catawba County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 6 public middle schools serving 2,468 students in Catawba County Schools. This district's average middle testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public middle schools in North Carolina.
Public Middle Schools in Catawba County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 56% (versus the North Carolina public middle school average of 48%), and reading proficiency score of 52% (versus the 50% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 41% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public middle school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
28 Schools
872 Schools
# Students
16,003 Students
496,921 Students
# Teachers
903 Teachers
31,042 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
18:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Catawba County Schools, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 314 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 86% has decreased from 92% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#119 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)59%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
51%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
71%
63%
Graduation Rate
(21-22)86%
86%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)21.7%
28.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.61
0.71
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
8%
4%
% Hispanic
20%
21%
% Black
6%
25%
% White
58%
43%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
8%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,556 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,177. The school district revenue/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,490 is less than the state median of $11,601. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$169 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$168 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,556
$11,177
Spending / Student
$10,490
$11,601
Best Catawba County Schools Public Middle Schools (2026-27)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Jacobs Fork Middle School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
3431 Plateau Road
Newton, NC 28658
(704) 462-1827
Newton, NC 28658
(704) 462-1827
Gr: 7-8 | 482 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 32%
Rank: #22.
Mill Creek Middle School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
1041 Shiloh Road
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-1494
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-1494
Gr: 7-8 | 477 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 26%
Rank: #33.
Maiden Middle School
(Math: 57% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
518 North C Avenue
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-2326
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-2326
Gr: 7-8 | 451 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: #44.
Harry M Arndt Middle School
(Math: 56% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
3350 34th Street Drive Ne
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-9545
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-9545
Gr: 7-8 | 601 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 54%
Rank: #55.
River Bend Middle School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
4670 Oxford School Road
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-2754
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-2754
Gr: 7-8 | 450 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 53%
Rank: #66.
Catawba Rosenwald Education Center
Special Education School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤10% )
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
403 6th Ave Sw
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-2734
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-2734
Gr: K-12 | 7 students Student-teacher ratio: 1:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
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