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A−

Madison County Schools

Public school districtGrades K–12Regional · 3 towns

Serves Mars Hill, Marshall and Hot Springs.

Mars Hill’s School Grade A− better than 78% of North Carolina school districts

Students
2,063
Schools
7
Spent per student
$14,815
NC $13,045
Students per teacher
12:1
Free or reduced lunch
99%
Debt
$3M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Madison County Schools

  • Its letter, A−: results better than 78% of North Carolina districts
  • Math proficiency 12 pts above the state
  • Reading proficiency 9 pts above the state
  • Graduation rate 6 pts above the state
  • Spends 14% more per student than the NC average
  • 12 students per teacher
  • Debt of $3M, about $1,458 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

A−: better than 78% of the 325 North Carolina school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well above the state, 2021–22
A−
GraduationFour-year graduation well above the state, class of 2023
B+
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
A−Mars Hill 2,280Marshall 802Hot Springs 548

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Mars Hill. Grade by grade →

K–5Mars Hill ElementaryThis district
6–8Madison Middle SchoolThis district
9–122 high schoolsThis district

Test scores vs. NC

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency63%
State average 50.8% · 932 students tested
Reading / language arts59%
State average 49.9% · 1,060 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)90–94%
State average 86.5% · 167 in the class

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$14,815 per student · 14% above NC
Spending
Classroom instruction 62%Support & administration 33%Other 6%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 20%State 69%Federal 11%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
2,158’20
2,137’21
2,108’22
2,130’23
2,063’24

Down 4.4% since 2020–21.

Students
White 92%Hispanic 5%Two or more races 3%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%Black <1%Asian <1%

Schools in the district

7 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with North Carolina’s other public schools.

Mars Hill Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Mars Hill
B
445 students13:1
Brush Creek Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Marshall
A−
356 students12:1
Hot Springs Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Hot Springs
A−
128 students11:1
Madison Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Marshall
B
468 students12:1
Madison High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Marshall
B+
377 students8:1
Madison Early College High
High · Grades 9–13 · Marshall
A+
270 students27:1
Madison Velocity Learning Center
High · Grades 9–12 · Marshall
19 students

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within North Carolina.