Top Rankings
Watauga County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 8 public preschools serving 3,067 students in Watauga County Schools. This district's average pre testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 10% of public pre schools in North Carolina.
Public Preschools in Watauga County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 64% (versus the North Carolina public pre school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 61% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 18% 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
11 Schools
1,005 Schools
# Students
4,658 Students
477,346 Students
# Teachers
336 Teachers
32,717 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Watauga County Schools, which is ranked within the top 20% 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 90% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#61 out of 325 school districts
(Top 20%)
(Top 20%)
Showing 2013–2023. View full 14-year historical data
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)65%
51%
Showing 2012–2022. View full 13-year historical data
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
63%
50%
Showing 2012–2022. View full 13-year historical data
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
74%
63%
Graduation Rate
90%
86.5%
Showing 2014–2023. View full 13-year historical data
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)18.2%
28.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.32
0.73
Showing 2014–2023. View full 36-year historical data
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
2%
4%
Showing 2014–2023. View full 30-year historical data
% Hispanic
12%
24%
Showing 2014–2023. View full 26-year historical data
% Black
1%
25%
Showing 2012–2023. View full 36-year historical data
% White
82%
40%
Showing 2014–2023. View full 36-year historical data
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
6%
Showing 2014–2023. View full 13-year historical data
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $13,733 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 $14,214 is higher than the state median of $13,934. The school district spending/student has grown by 7% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$64 MM
$20,622 MM
Showing 2014–2023. View full 34-year historical data
Spending
$66 MM
$21,575 MM
Showing 2014–2023. View full 34-year historical data
Revenue / Student
$13,733
$13,318
Showing 2014–2023. View full 34-year historical data
Spending / Student
$14,214
$13,934
Showing 2014–2023. View full 34-year historical data
Best Watauga County Schools Public Preschools (2026-27)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Blowing Rock Elementary School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 72%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
165 Morris Street
Blowing Rock, NC 28605
(828) 295-3204
Blowing Rock, NC 28605
(828) 295-3204
Gr: PK-8 | 409 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 9%
Rank: #22.
Parkway Elementary School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
160 Parkway School Dr
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-3032
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-3032
Gr: PK-8 | 610 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 18%
Rank: #33.
Hardin Park Elementary School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
361 Jefferson Road
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-8481
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-8481
Gr: PK-8 | 854 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 30%
Rank: #44.
Valle Crucis Elementary School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
175 Pioneer Trail
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 963-4712
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 963-4712
Gr: PK-8 | 345 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 17%
Rank: #55.
Cove Creek Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
930 Vanderpool Rd
Vilas, NC 28692
(828) 297-2781
Vilas, NC 28692
(828) 297-2781
Gr: PK-8 | 289 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 13%
Rank: #66.
Bethel Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
138 Bethel School Rd
Sugar Grove, NC 28679
(828) 297-2240
Sugar Grove, NC 28679
(828) 297-2240
Gr: PK-8 | 128 students Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 Minority enrollment: 10%
Rank: #77.
Green Valley Elementary School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
189 Big Hill Road
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-3606
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 264-3606
Gr: PK-8 | 292 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 13%
Rank: #88.
Mabel Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
404 Mabel School Road
Zionville, NC 28698
(828) 297-2512
Zionville, NC 28698
(828) 297-2512
Gr: PK-8 | 140 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 9%
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