Top Rankings
Buncombe County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 15 public preschools serving 6,075 students in Buncombe County Schools School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public pre schools in North Carolina.
Public Preschools in Buncombe County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 52% (versus the North Carolina public pre school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 47% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 38% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public preschool average of 59% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
45 Schools
994 Schools
# Students
22,126 Students
464,055 Students
# Teachers
1,549 Teachers
33,275 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Buncombe County Schools School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 320 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 90% has increased from 88% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#136 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
54%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
51%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
64%
63%
Graduation Rate
90%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.53
0.72
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
21%
23%
% Black
7%
25%
% White
65%
41%
% Hawaiian
1%
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $13,030 is higher than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,902 is higher than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$288 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$286 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$13,030
$11,187
Spending / Student
$12,902
$11,612
Best Buncombe County Schools School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Glen Arden Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
50 Pinehurst Circle
Arden, NC 28704
(828) 654-1800
Arden, NC 28704
(828) 654-1800
Grades: PK-4
| 471 students
Rank: #2 - 32. - 3.
Bell Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
90 Maple Springs Road
Asheville, NC 28805
(828) 298-3789
Asheville, NC 28805
(828) 298-3789
Grades: PK-5
| 204 students
Rank: #2 - 32. - 3.
Haw Creek Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
10 Bethesda Road
Asheville, NC 28805
(828) 298-4022
Asheville, NC 28805
(828) 298-4022
Grades: PK-5
| 394 students
Rank: #44.
North Buncombe Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
251 Flat Creek Church Rd
Weaverville, NC 28787
(828) 645-6054
Weaverville, NC 28787
(828) 645-6054
Grades: PK-4
| 585 students
Rank: #55.
Estes Elementary School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
275 Overlook Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 654-1795
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 654-1795
Grades: PK-4
| 790 students
Rank: #66.
Black Mountain Primary
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
301 East State Street
Black Mountain, NC 28711
(828) 669-2645
Black Mountain, NC 28711
(828) 669-2645
Grades: PK-3
| 344 students
Rank: #77.
Candler Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
121 Candler School Road
Candler, NC 28715
(828) 670-5018
Candler, NC 28715
(828) 670-5018
Grades: PK-4
| 365 students
Rank: #88.
Barnardsville Elementary School
(Math: 50-59% | Reading: 40-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
20 Hillcrest Drive
Barnardsville, NC 28709
(828) 626-2290
Barnardsville, NC 28709
(828) 626-2290
Grades: PK-4
| 109 students
Rank: #99.
Sand Hill-venable Elementary School
(Math: 49% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
154 Sand Hill School Road
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 670-5028
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 670-5028
Grades: PK-4
| 539 students
Rank: #1010.
Avery's Creek Elementary School
(Math: 45% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
15 Park South Boulevard
Arden, NC 28704
(828) 654-1810
Arden, NC 28704
(828) 654-1810
Grades: PK-4
| 565 students
Rank: #1111.
Leicester Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
31 Gilbert Road
Leicester, NC 28748
(828) 683-2341
Leicester, NC 28748
(828) 683-2341
Grades: PK-4
| 394 students
Rank: #1212.
Oakley Elementary School
(Math: 40% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
753 Fairview Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 274-7515
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 274-7515
Grades: PK-5
| 444 students
Rank: #1313.
Williams Elementary School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
161 Bee Tree Road
Swannanoa, NC 28778
(828) 686-3856
Swannanoa, NC 28778
(828) 686-3856
Grades: PK-5
| 465 students
Rank: #1414.
Johnston Elementary School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 15-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
230 Johnston Boulevard
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 232-4291
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 232-4291
Grades: PK-4
| 184 students
Rank: n/an/a
39 S Main Street
Weaverville, NC 28787
(828) 645-4275
Weaverville, NC 28787
(828) 645-4275
Grades: PK-1
| 222 students
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