Cleveland County Schools

400 West Marion Street
Shelby, NC 28150
(District boundaries shown in map)
6/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Cleveland 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 2025-26 school year, there are 22 public elementary schools serving 9,450 students in Cleveland County Schools. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public elementary schools in North Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Cleveland County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 55% (versus the North Carolina public elementary school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 46% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 44% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the North Carolina public elementary school average of 57% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
28 Schools
2,171 Schools
# Students
14,458 Students
1,090,440 Students
# Teachers
948 Teachers
73,859 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Cleveland County Schools, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 320 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 84% has decreased from 88% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#139 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(21-22)
56%
51%
48%
50%
65%
63%
(21-22)
86%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.60
0.72
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
9%
21%
% Black
27%
25%
% White
56%
43%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $11,058 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,191. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,102 is less than the state median of $11,616. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$160 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$161 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,058
$11,191
Spending / Student
$11,102
$11,616

Best Cleveland County Schools Public Elementary Schools (2025-26)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
North Shelby
Special Education School
(Math: 60-79% | Reading: 60-79%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
1701 Charles Road
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8230
Gr: PK-12 | 77 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Minority enrollment: 45%
Rank: #22.
Boiling Springs Elementary School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
1522 Patrick Avenue
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8361
Gr: PK-5 | 555 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 26%
Rank: #33.
Springmore Elementary School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 56%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
616 Mcbrayer Homestead Road
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8235
Gr: PK-5 | 581 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 29%
Rank: #44.
Casar Elementary School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
436 Schoolhouse Road
Casar, NC 28020
(704) 476-8255
Gr: PK-5 | 279 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 13%
Rank: #55.
Jefferson Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
1166 Wyke Road
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 476-8390
Gr: PK-5 | 425 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 62%
Rank: #6 - 76. - 7.
Grover Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
206 Carolina Avenue
Grover, NC 28073
(704) 476-8351
Gr: PK-4 | 323 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 29%
Rank: #6 - 76. - 7.
West Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
500 W Mountain Street
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
(704) 476-8345
Gr: PK-4 | 287 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 34%
Rank: #88.
Kings Mountain Intermediate
(Math: 65% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
227 Kings Mountain Boulevard
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
(704) 476-8366
Gr: 5-6 | 632 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 41%
Rank: #9 - 119. - 11.
Bethware Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
115 Bethware Drive
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
(704) 476-8346
Gr: PK-4 | 530 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: #9 - 119. - 11.
East Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
600 Cleveland Avenue
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
(704) 476-8356
Gr: PK-4 | 203 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 56%
Rank: #9 - 119. - 11.
James Love Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
309 James Love Road
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8385
Gr: PK-5 | 356 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 75%
Rank: #1212.
Fallston Elementary School
(Math: 58% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
112 Gary Street
Fallston, NC 28042
(704) 476-8240
Gr: PK-5 | 487 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 25%
Rank: #1313.
North Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
900 N Ramseur Street
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
(704) 476-8225
Gr: PK-4 | 291 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 46%
Rank: #1414.
Union Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1440 Union Church Road
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 476-8250
Gr: PK-5 | 424 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #1515.
Burns Middle School
(Math: 55% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
215 Shady Grove Road
Lawndale, NC 28090
(704) 476-8223
Gr: 6-8 | 756 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 32%
Rank: #1616.
Crest Middle School
(Math: 55% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
315 Beaverdam Church Rd
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 476-8221
Gr: 6-8 | 833 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #1717.
Washington Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1907 Stony Point Road
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 476-8260
Gr: PK-5 | 386 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 43%
Rank: #1818.
Township Three Elementary School
(Math: 50% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
526 Davis Road
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8245
Gr: PK-5 | 541 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 60%
Rank: #1919.
Cleveland Innovation
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
400 W Marion St
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 476-8000
Gr: K-12 | 164 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 36%
Rank: #2020.
Shelby Middle School
(Math: 37% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1480 South Dekalb Street
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8328
Gr: 6-8 | 591 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 72%
Rank: #2121.
Elizabeth Elementary School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
220 S Post Road
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8371
Gr: PK-5 | 581 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 77%
Rank: #2222.
Turning Point Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
409 West Sumter Street
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 476-8399
Gr: 6-12 | 148 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 56%

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Quick Facts (2025-26)

  • District size: 28 schools
  • Grades: PK-13
  • Enrollment: 14,458 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 44%
  • : 86% (Top 50% in NC)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 56% (Top 50%)
  • : 48% (Btm 50%)
  • : 65% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

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