For the 2025 school year, there are 6 public high schools serving 1,715 students in Macon County Schools School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public high schools in North Carolina.
Public High Schools in Macon County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 51% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 60% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Macon County School School District have a Graduation Rate of 86%, which is more than the North Carolina average of 85%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Franklin High School, with ≥95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 28% 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
12 Schools
761 Schools
# Students
4,455 Students
565,764 Students
# Teachers
323 Teachers
33,453 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Macon 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 89% has decreased from 92% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#155 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
50%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
51%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
63%
63%
Graduation Rate
89%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.41
0.70
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
22%
20%
% Black
1%
24%
% White
73%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $11,629 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 $11,826 is higher than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$52 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$53 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,629
$11,187
Spending / Student
$11,826
$11,612
Best Macon County Schools School District Public High Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Franklin High School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
100 Panther Drive
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 524-6467
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 524-6467
Grades: 9-12
| 1,036 students
Rank: #22.
Highlands School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
545 Pierson Dr
Highlands, NC 28741
(828) 526-2147
Highlands, NC 28741
(828) 526-2147
Grades: K-12
| 319 students
Rank: #33.
Macon Early College High School
(Math: ≥50% | Reading: ≥80%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
77 Siler Farm Road
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 524-2002
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 524-2002
Grades: 9-13
| 132 students
Rank: #44.
Nantahala School
(Math: 30-39% | Reading: 60-69%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
213 Windingstairs Rd
Topton, NC 28781
(828) 321-4388
Topton, NC 28781
(828) 321-4388
Grades: K-12
| 87 students
Rank: #55.
Macon Virtual Academy
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 50-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
158 Union School Rd
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 369-3314
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 369-3314
Grades: K-12
| 34 students
Rank: #66.
Bartram Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: 20-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
158 Union School Rd
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 369-1277
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 369-1277
Grades: 9-12
| 107 students
Recent Articles
Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.
Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.
Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.
