Top Rankings
Clay County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 4 public schools serving 1,322 students in Clay County Schools. This district's average testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public schools in North Carolina.
Public Schools in Clay County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 61% (versus the North Carolina public school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 55% (versus the 50% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 16% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public school average of 58% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
4 Schools
2,729 Schools
# Students
1,322 Students
1,548,397 Students
# Teachers
92 Teachers
96,034 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Clay 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 87% has increased from 85-89% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#97 out of 325 school districts
(Top 30%)
(Top 30%)
Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)60%
51%
Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
55%
50%
Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
68%
63%
Graduation Rate
87%
86.5%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)30.9%
28.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.28
0.72
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
n/a
5%
% Hispanic
11%
22%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 22-year historical data available below ↓
% Black
n/a
24%
Showing 2007–2021. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
% White
84%
42%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
6%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $15,263 is higher than the state median of $13,318. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $14,843 is higher than the state median of $13,934. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$20 MM
$20,622 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending
$20 MM
$21,575 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Revenue / Student
$15,263
$13,318
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending / Student
$14,843
$13,934
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Best Clay County Schools Public Schools (2026-27)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Hayesville High School
(Math: 70-79% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
205 Yellow Jacket Drive
Hayesville, NC 28904
(828) 389-6532
Hayesville, NC 28904
(828) 389-6532
Gr: 9-12 | 366 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 15%
Rank: #22.
Hayesville Elementary School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
72 Elementary School Drive
Hayesville, NC 28904
(828) 389-8586
Hayesville, NC 28904
(828) 389-8586
Gr: 3-5 | 280 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #33.
Hayesville Middle School
(Math: 56% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
135 School Drive
Hayesville, NC 28904
(828) 389-9924
Hayesville, NC 28904
(828) 389-9924
Gr: 6-8 | 301 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 19%
Rank: n/an/a
698 Anderson St
Hayesville, NC 28904
(828) 389-3763
Hayesville, NC 28904
(828) 389-3763
Gr: PK-2 | 375 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 15%
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools belong to Clay County Schools?
Clay County Schools manages 4 public schools serving 1,322 students.
What is the rank of Clay County Schools?
Clay County Schools is ranked #96 out of 314 school districts in North Carolina (top 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2021-2022 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of North Carolina school districts for: Highest graduation rate (Top 20%) and Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Clay County Schools?
84% of Clay County Schools students are White, 11% of students are Hispanic, 4% of students are Two or more races, and 1% of students are American Indian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Clay County Schools?
Clay County Schools has a student/teacher ratio of 14:1, which is lower than the North Carolina state average of 16:1.
What is Clay County Schools's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $14,843 is higher than the state median of $13,934. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Recent Articles
Does Your Public School Have Enough Nurses?
Learn whether your public school has enough nurses, how staffing affects student safety, chronic illness management, emergency care, and what parents should ask about available school health services today.
When Your Child Falls Behind Without Special Education
Learn what happens when your child falls behind academically but doesn't qualify for special education, including available school interventions, parent rights, tutoring options, and practical strategies for securing support.
When Your Child Finishes Classwork Faster Than Others
Discover why some children finish classwork faster than classmates, how teachers manage early finishers, and what parents can do to ensure meaningful learning, appropriate challenges, and continued academic growth.
