High Country Times

There were 8,176 students enrolled in Wilkes County Schools in the 2023-24 school year, 0.4% less than the previous year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Wilkes County Schools roughly covers 22 schools within Wilkes County and has a main office in North Wilkesboro.

Among the 22 schools in Wilkes County Schools, Wilkes Central High School recorded the highest enrollment of 722 students in the 2023-24 school year.

North Carolina’s student-teacher ratio is roughly 15.4 students per teacher, aligning with the national average. However, rising teacher turnover threatens to push class sizes higher, making it harder for students to get individualized attention.

If vacancies continue to grow, schools may struggle to maintain this ratio, impacting the quality of instruction. Districts in lower-funded areas face the biggest challenges, as limited budgets make it harder to attract and retain teachers.

School	Total Enrollment
Wilkes Central High School	722
Millers Creek Elementary School	637
West Wilkes High School	586
Central Wilkes Middle School	573
North Wilkes High School	569
East Wilkes High School	474
Mountain View Elementary School	452
West Wilkes Middle School	451
North Wilkes Middle School	445
Mulberry Elementary School	378
Wilkesboro Elementary School	358
East Wilkes Middle School	356
Community College Wright Elementary School	298
Ronda-Clingman Elementary School	290
North Wilkesboro Elementary School	280
C. B. Eller Elementary School	254
Wilkes Early College High School	252
Moravian Falls Elementary School	230
Mount Pleasant Elementary School	215
Roaring River Elementary School	172
Boomer-Ferguson Elementary School	105
Traphill Elementary School	79