Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Sylva

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
B−

Jackson County Schools

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 4 towns

Serves Sylva, Webster, Forest Hills and Dillsboro, and parts of Highlands.

Sylva’s School Grade B− better than 46% of North Carolina school districts

Students
3,444
Schools
9
Spent per student
$14,411
NC $13,045
Students per teacher
17:1
Free or reduced lunch
98%
Debt
$7.1M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Jackson County Schools

  • Its letter, B−: results better than 46% of North Carolina districts
  • Reading proficiency 6 pts below the state
  • Spends 10% more per student than the NC average
  • 17 students per teacher
  • Debt of $7.1M, about $2,071 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B−: better than 46% 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 below the state, 2021–22
C+
GraduationFour-year graduation above the state, class of 2023
B
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
B−Sylva 2,691Webster 387Forest Hills 325Dillsboro 217

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Sylva. Grade by grade →

PK–85 schoolsThis district
9–123 high schoolsThis district

Test scores vs. NC

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency46%
State average 50.8% · 1,578 students tested
Reading / language arts44%
State average 49.9% · 1,798 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)88%
State average 86.5% · 312 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
$14,411 per student · 10% above NC
Spending
Classroom instruction 59%Support & administration 35%Other 6%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 27%State 56%Federal 17%

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

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

Enrollment over time
3,542’20
3,516’21
3,557’22
3,546’23
3,444’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
White 62%Hispanic 23%American Indian/Alaska Native 7%Two or more races 6%Black 1%Asian <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

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

Fairview School
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Sylva
B
797 students17:1
Cullowhee Valley School
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Cullowhee
C+
570 students16:1
Scotts Creek School
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Sylva
C−
422 students15:1
Smokey Mountain Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Whittier
C−
340 students16:1
Blue Ridge School
Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Cashiers
C
144 students15:1
Jackson Community School
High · Grades 5–12 · Sylva
D−
50 students14:1
Blue Ridge Early College
High · Grades 7–13 · Cashiers
C+
127 students16:1
Smoky Mountain High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Sylva
A
881 students21:1
Jackson Co Early College
High · Grades 9–13 · Sylva
A+
113 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.