High Country Times

There were 1,710 students enrolled in Mitchell County only district in the 2022-23 school year, the same number as the previous year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Mitchell County Schools was the only district in Mitchell 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.