Jackson County School District

398 Hospital Road
Sylva, NC 28779-5196
(District boundaries shown in map)
: 
4/
10
Bottom 50%
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 5 public preschools serving 2,273 students in Jackson County School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in North Carolina.
Public Preschools in Jackson County School District have an average math proficiency score of 47% (versus the North Carolina public pre school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 42% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 39% 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
9 Schools
1,005 Schools
# Students
3,438 Students
477,346 Students
# Teachers
200 Teachers
32,717 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
17:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Jackson County School District, which is ranked within the bottom 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.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#205 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)

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

(21-22)
46%
51%

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

44%
50%

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

61%
63%
86%
86.5%

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

(2022-23)
35.3%
28.7%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.56
0.73

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

% American Indian
7%
1%

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

% Asian
1%
4%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓

% Hispanic
23%
24%

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

% Black
1%
25%

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

% White
62%
40%

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

% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%

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

All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,154 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 $14,767 is higher than the state median of $13,934. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$52 MM
$20,622 MM

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

Spending
$51 MM
$21,575 MM

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

Revenue / Student
$15,154
$13,318

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

Spending / Student
$14,767
$13,934

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

Best Jackson County School District Public Preschools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Fairview School
(Math: 63% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
251 Big Orange Way
Sylva, NC 28779
(828) 586-2819
Gr: PK-8 | 797 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 31%
Rank: #22.
Blue Ridge School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
95 Bobcat Drive
Cashiers, NC 28717
(828) 743-2646
Gr: PK-6 | 144 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 46%
Rank: #33.
Cullowhee Valley School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
240 Wisdom Drive
Cullowhee, NC 28723
(828) 293-5667
Gr: PK-8 | 570 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 40%
Rank: #44.
Scotts Creek School
(Math: 35% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
516 Parris Branch
Sylva, NC 28779
(828) 631-2740
Gr: PK-8 | 422 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 31%
Rank: #55.
Smokey Mountain Elementary School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
884 Us Hwy 441n
Whittier, NC 28789
(828) 497-5535
Gr: PK-8 | 340 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 63%

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Quick Facts (26-27)

  • District size: 9 schools
  • Grades: PK-13
  • Enrollment: 3,438 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 17:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 38%
  • : 86% (Top 50% in NC)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 46% (Btm 50%)
  • : 44% (Btm 50%)
  • : 61% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

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