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Mount Airy Historic DistrictPhoto: G Keith Hall · CC BY-SA 3.0
B+
Schools in Mount Airy · Mount Airy City Schools, Surry County Schools

Mount Airy’s public schools outscore 66% of North Carolina districts

Math proficiency in Mount Airy’s districts is 59%, above the North Carolina average (51%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Mount Airy, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within North Carolina, not nationally.

#59of 290 North Carolina townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From North Carolina state tests taken in spring 2022, when 100% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
53%
▲ 3 pts vs NC 50%
2021–22
Math proficiency
59%
▲ 8 pts vs NC 51%
2021–22
Graduate on time
90%
▲ 4 pts vs NC 86%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$12.5K
▼ 4% vs NC $13.0K
FY2024 · Surry County Schools
Students per teacher
14.8
NC 16.0 · smaller classes
Schools in town
5
1,786 students on the public path
In brief

Mount Airy’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 193 North Carolina towns with household incomes within a quarter of Mount Airy’s, its schools beat 88%, higher than their 66% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state on both counts

Reading proficiency is 53% and math 59% across both districts in spring 2022, against 50% and 51% statewide; 90% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 86%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Mount Airy City Schools spends $14,010 per student and Surry County Schools $12,463, against $13,045 across North Carolina (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Choice beyond the district

Millennium Charter Academy is in town. Every school ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Mount Airy’s grade

B+ Test scoresB+ Graduation

B+: better than 66% of North Carolina school districts, #59 of 290 North Carolina towns. Test scores and graduation are both above the North Carolina average; graduation is the stronger of the two.

North Carolina school districts we grade (325)Better than 66%
Lower resultsHigher results
North Carolina towns with similar household incomes (193)Better than 88%
BB+A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 4,509 test results and a graduating class of 630 could put Mount Airy anywhere from B to B+. The tests are from spring 2022, when 100% of Mount Airy’s students in the tested grades sat them (4,299 in math, 4,720 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Mount Airy, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–2Bruce H. Tharrington PrimaryMount Airy City SchoolsNo scores
3–5Jones IntermediateMount Airy City SchoolsB
6–8Mount Airy MiddleMount Airy City SchoolsB
9–12Mount Airy HighMount Airy City SchoolsA−

Mount Airy runs its own schools through grade 12 (Mount Airy City Schools). From grade PK, students attend the Surry County Schools, shared with Dobson and Pilot Mountain. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Mount Airy

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Mount Airy City SchoolsGrades PK–12 · 4 schools · 1,786 students, up 7% since 2020–21 · 14.6 per teacher (NC 16.0)
$14,010NC $13,045 · FY2024
B
Surry County SchoolsGrades PK–12 · 20 schools · 7,318 students · 14.8 per teacher (NC 16.0)
$12,463NC $13,045 · FY2024
B+
Test scores · 2021–22

Above the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, Mount Airy City Schools51%
State average 49.9% · 949 students tested
Math · PK–12, Mount Airy City Schools55%
State average 50.8% · 833 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Surry County Schools54%
State average 49.9% · 3771 students tested
Math · PK–12, Surry County Schools60%
State average 50.8% · 3466 students tested

Mount Airy vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the North Carolina towns that share Mount Airy’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Mount AiryB+Mount Airy City Schools PK–12 · Surry County Schools PK–12

Every school in Mount Airy

5 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with North Carolina’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

District schools in Mount Airyby address
Bruce H. Tharrington Primary
Elementary · Grades PK–2
432 students15:1Rate it →
Jones Intermediate
Elementary · Grades 3–5
B
339 students14:1Rate it →
Mount Airy Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8
B
395 students13:1Rate it →
Mount Airy High
High · Grades 9–12
A−
620 students17:1Rate it →
Charter schoolsfree, open by application
Millennium Charter Academy
Grades K–12
A−
Charter
628 students15:1Rate it →

Questions about Mount Airy’s schools

Are Mount Airy’s schools good?

By North Carolina’s own tests, yes: the public schools Mount Airy children attend outscore 66% of North Carolina’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B+ Schools grade, #59 of 290 North Carolina towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 88%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Mount Airy in?

Two districts: Mount Airy City Schools runs grades PK–12, and Surry County Schools runs grades PK–12, shared with Dobson and Pilot Mountain.

Where do Mount Airy kids go to high school?

Mount Airy High, with 620 students; its own test results earn an A−.

What is Mount Airy’s graduation rate?

90% of the class of 2023 in Surry County Schools graduated in four years, against 86% across North Carolina.

How much does Mount Airy spend per student?

$14,010 in Mount Airy City Schools and $12,463 in Surry County Schools (FY2024), against $13,045 across North Carolina. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Mount Airy families are saying about school.

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Looking for colleges? Colleges near Mount Airy → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within North Carolina. Stars are from neighbors.