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 school year, there are 10 public preschools serving 5,134 students in Catawba County Schools. This district's average pre testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public pre schools in North Carolina.
Public Preschools in Catawba County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 57% (versus the North Carolina public pre school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 45% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 44% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public preschool average of 60% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
28 Schools
1,007 Schools
# Students
16,003 Students
477,947 Students
# Teachers
903 Teachers
32,759 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
0.73
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
8%
4%
% Hispanic
20%
24%
% Black
6%
25%
% White
58%
40%
% 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 $11,170. 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 $11,594. 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
$11,170
Spending / Student
$10,490
$11,594
Best Catawba County Schools Public Preschools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Clyde Campbell Elementary School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
2121 35th Avenue Drive Ne
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-2769
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-2769
Gr: PK-6 | 505 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #22.
Snow Creek Elementary School
(Math: 67% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
3238 Snow Creek Rd
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-2335
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-2335
Gr: PK-6 | 551 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 41%
Rank: #33.
Balls Creek Elementary School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
2620 Balls Creek Road
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 464-4766
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 464-4766
Gr: PK-6 | 686 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 26%
Rank: #44.
Startown Elementary School
(Math: 57% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
4119 Startown Road
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 464-1257
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 464-1257
Gr: PK-6 | 540 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 46%
Rank: #55.
Maiden Elementary School
(Math: 54% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
245 Bob Smyre Ave
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-8769
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-8769
Gr: PK-6 | 562 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 37%
Rank: #66.
Claremont Elementary School
(Math: 53% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
3384 E Main Street
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 459-7921
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 459-7921
Gr: PK-6 | 462 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 51%
Rank: #77.
Catawba Elementary School
(Math: 54% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
5415 Hudson Chapel Road
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-3131
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-3131
Gr: PK-6 | 450 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #88.
Lyle Creek Elementary School
(Math: 50% | Reading: 35%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
1845 Edgewater Drive Nw
Conover, NC 28613
(828) 464-0299
Conover, NC 28613
(828) 464-0299
Gr: PK-6 | 458 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 64%
Rank: #99.
Oxford Elementary School
(Math: 45% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
5915 Oxford School Road
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 459-7220
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 459-7220
Gr: PK-6 | 540 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 42%
Rank: #1010.
Webb A Murray Elementary School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
3901 Section House Road
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-2196
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-2196
Gr: PK-6 | 380 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
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