High Country Times

There were 2,678 students enrolled in Ashe County only district in the 2022-23 school year, 0.2% more than the previous year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Ashe County Schools was the only district in Ashe County in the 2022-23 school year.

North Carolina's public schools are facing a significant funding gap, with a per-student expenditure of $10,519 - well below the national average of $14,295.

This financial strain is further compounded by a significant challenge in staffing with a staggering 58.4% surge in vacant teaching positions in the 2021-22 school year, leaving over 5,000 classrooms without qualified instructors.