B
Burke County Schools
Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 8 towns
Serves Morganton, Valdese, Connelly Springs, Hildebran, Drexel, Glen Alpine, Rutherford College and Rhodhiss, and parts of Hickory and Long View.
Students
11,667
Schools
27
Spent per student
$12,539
NC $13,045
Students per teacher
17:1
Free or reduced lunch
99%
Debt
$18.9M
fiscal 2024
What stands out about Burke County Schools
- School Grade B: better than 57% of North Carolina districts
- 17 students per teacher
- Debt of $18.9M, about $1,619 per student
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Catawba.
PK–6Catawba Elementary SchoolCatawba County Schools
7–85 middle schoolsCatawba County Schools
9–126 high schoolsCatawba County Schools
Test scores vs. NC
2020–21Math proficiency43%
State average 41.9%
Reading / language arts47%
State average 47.2%
Graduation rate (4-year)92%
State average 87.7%
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$12,539 per student · 4% below NC
Spending
Classroom instruction 60%Support & administration 34%Other 6%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 18%State 62%Federal 20%
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
11,733’20
11,632’21
11,770’22
11,690’23
11,667’24
About steady.
Students
White 62%Hispanic 21%Two or more races 6%Asian 6%Black 4%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%
Schools in the district
27 public schools.
Mountain View Elementary
C762 students15:1
Valdese Elementary
B530 students18:1
Drexel Elementary
B477 students16:1
Salem Elementary
B+476 students17:1
Ray Childers Elementary
C+460 students16:1
George Hildebrand Elementary
C+327 students15:1
W A Young Elementary
C+327 students13:1
Oak Hill Elementary
B−310 students15:1
Forest Hill Elementary
C305 students16:1
Hildebran Elementary
C+297 students19:1
Glen Alpine Elementary
B295 students13:1
Mull Elementary
B−291 students14:1
Icard Elementary
A−265 students13:1
Hillcrest Elementary
D254 students14:1
East Burke Middle
B630 students16:1
Heritage Middle
B+475 students16:1
Liberty Middle
B−453 students16:1
Walter R Johnson Middle
C441 students13:1
Table Rock Middle
C+427 students14:1
Freedom High
B+1,299 students23:1
East Burke High
A−874 students23:1
Patton High School
A756 students24:1
Draughn High School
A−661 students27:1
Burke Middle College
B−130 students43:1
Hallyburton Academy
D−73 students8:1
North Liberty
D−72 students6:1
Burke Virtual Academy
0 students
Towns served
Nearby districts
Compare spending and schools next door.
District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES directory and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings are opinions.