For the 2025 school year, there are 4 public high schools serving 1,208 students in Jackson County School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public high schools in North Carolina.
Public High Schools in Jackson County School District have an average math proficiency score of 43% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 49% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Jackson County School District have a Graduation Rate of 85%, which is equal to the North Carolina average of 85%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Blue Ridge Early College, with ≥90% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 33% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public high school average of 55% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
9 Schools
761 Schools
# Students
3,541 Students
565,764 Students
# Teachers
244 Teachers
33,453 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Jackson County School District, which is ranked within the bottom 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 86% has decreased from 92% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#205 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
44%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
61%
63%
Graduation Rate
90%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.54
0.70
% American Indian
6%
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
21%
20%
% Black
1%
24%
% White
65%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $12,706 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 $12,496 is higher than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$45 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$44 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,706
$11,187
Spending / Student
$12,496
$11,612
Best Jackson County School District Public High Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Jackson Co Early College
(Math: ≥50% | Reading: ≥80%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
404 College Drive
Sylva, NC 28779
(828) 339-4499
Sylva, NC 28779
(828) 339-4499
Grades: 9-13
| 109 students
Rank: #22.
Smoky Mountain High School
(Math: 40-59% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
100 Smoky Mountain Drive
Sylva, NC 28779
(828) 586-2177
Sylva, NC 28779
(828) 586-2177
Grades: 9-12
| 899 students
Rank: #33.
Jackson Community School
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
3770 Skyland Drive
Sylva, NC 28779
(828) 586-4328
Sylva, NC 28779
(828) 586-4328
Grades: 5-12
| 69 students
Rank: #44.
Blue Ridge Early College
(Math: 30-39% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
95 Bobcat Dr
Cashiers, NC 28717
(828) 743-2646
Cashiers, NC 28717
(828) 743-2646
Grades: 7-13
| 131 students
Recent Articles
The Link Between Education and Incarceration: The NAACP Report
Education and the rate of incarceration have been linked in a recent NAACP report. Learn about the report and the troubling findings.
The Debate Over Mandatory AP Exams: Balancing Academic Rigor and Student Well-being
Some public schools are forcing students in AP courses to take the AP exam. Here's a look at both sides of the debate and the potential benefits in store for both students and high schools.
The 15 Biggest Failures of the American Public Education System
The world is in a constant state of change and those who fail to adjust fall behind. Unfortunately, the American public education system has not kept up with the times and is currently facing a number of serious problems. Keep reading to learn about the biggest failures affecting the modern U.S. public education system as well as some of the trends that could spark change.
