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 2026-27 school year, there are 8 public high schools serving 4,753 students in Cleveland County Schools. This district's average high testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public high schools in North Carolina.
Public High Schools in Cleveland County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 61% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 58% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Cleveland County School have a Graduation Rate of 83%, which is less than the North Carolina average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Cleveland Echs, with ≥90% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 44% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the North Carolina public high school average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
28 Schools
758 Schools
# Students
14,504 Students
568,636 Students
# Teachers
928 Teachers
31,535 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Cleveland 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 84% has decreased from 88% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#139 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)

Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓

(21-22)
56%
51%

Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

48%
50%

Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

65%
63%
84%
86.5%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

(2022-23)
29.6%
28.7%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.61
0.71

Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓

% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
4%

Showing 2010–2023. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

% Hispanic
10%
21%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 27-year historical data available below ↓

% Black
27%
25%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓

% White
55%
44%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓

% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
5%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,056 is higher than the state median of $13,318. The school district revenue/student has grown by 15% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $14,987 is higher than the state median of $13,934. The school district spending/student has grown by 19% over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$218 MM
$20,622 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending
$217 MM
$21,575 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Revenue / Student
$15,056
$13,318

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending / Student
$14,987
$13,934

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Best Cleveland County Schools Public High Schools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Cleveland Echs
(Math: 80-89% | Reading: 85-89% )
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
1800 E. Marion Street
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8232
Gr: 9-13 | 225 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1 Minority enrollment: 43%
Rank: #22.
Crest High School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 59%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
800 Old Boiling Springs Road
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8331
Gr: 9-12 | 1,098 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #33.
Kings Mountain High School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
500 Phifer Road
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
(704) 476-8330
Gr: 9-12 | 1,305 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 41%
Rank: #44.
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 | 76 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Minority enrollment: 43%
Rank: #55.
Burns High School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 64%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
307 E Stagecoach Trail
Lawndale, NC 28090
(704) 476-8335
Gr: 9-12 | 928 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 32%
Rank: #66.
Shelby High School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
230 E Dixon Boulevard
Shelby, NC 28152
(704) 476-8325
Gr: 9-12 | 792 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 71%
Rank: #77.
Cleveland Innovation
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
400 W Marion St
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 476-8163
Gr: K-12 | 187 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 34%
Rank: #88.
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 | 142 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 54%

Recent Articles

How Much Choice Do High School Students Have?
How Much Choice Do High School Students Have?
Learn how graduation requirements, prerequisites, electives, staffing, scheduling conflicts, AP courses, dual enrollment, and career pathways determine how much control high school students have over schedules each year.
Does Your Child Need More Recess?
Does Your Child Need More Recess?
Explore whether your child may benefit more from recess than another academic period, including research on attention, learning, physical activity, stress, social development, and school-day balance today.
Combined Grade Classrooms, What Parents Should Know
Combined Grade Classrooms, What Parents Should Know
Learn how combined-grade classrooms work, why public schools use them, potential benefits and challenges, and the questions parents should ask before enrolling their child in one today.

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • District size: 28 schools
  • Grades: PK-13
  • Enrollment: 14,504 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 45%
  • : 84% (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

Quick Links