High Country Times

Avery County High School had the highest enrollment among Avery County schools, welcoming 599 students during the 2022-23 school year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Among the eight schools in Avery County, Avery Middle School ranked second in enrollment numbers with 229 students, while Newland Elementary School welcomed 189 students and ranked third in the 2022-23 school year.

Avery County High School is part of Avery County Schools district, which roughly covers institutions within Avery County and has a main office in Newland.

In the previous school year, Avery County High School also had the highest number of students among Avery County schools.

Despite boasting a favorable teacher-student ratio of 1:15, surpassing the national average, North Carolina's public schools face a significant funding gap. The state's per-student expenditure of $10,519 falls considerably short of the national average of $14,295.

North Carolina's public schools faced a staggering 58.4% surge in vacant teaching positions in the 2021-22 school year, leaving over 5,000 classrooms without qualified instructors.

School name	City	Total School Enrollment
Avery County High School	Newland	599
Avery Middle School	Newland	229
Newland Elementary School	Newland	189
Crossnore Elementary School	Crossnore	178
Banner Elk Elementary School	Banner Elk	156
Mayland Early College	Spruce Pine	114
Riverside Elementary School	Newland	85
Marjorie Williams Academy	Crossnore	69