Catawba County Schools
Public
Regional · 6 towns Grades PK–12 B+School Grade
Public schools for Hickory, Newton, Conover, Maiden, Claremont and Catawba, and parts of Brookford.
At a glance
16,003Students enrolled
28Schools
6Towns served
$11,777Spent per student
18:1Student–teacher ratio
84%Free / reduced lunch
School path
Where would my kid go?
Grades PK–6
Startown Elementary or North Newton Elementary or South Newton ElementaryDepends on your addressThis districtBased on district boundaries from the U.S. Department of Education. Where a town has more than one school at a grade, your street decides; check with the district before you enroll.
Academic performanceDistrict vs NC
Math proficiency54%
State average 41.9%
Reading / language arts51%
State average 47.2%
Graduation rate (4-year)89%
State average 87.7%
EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (tests 2020–21; graduation 2019–20). The tick marks the state average.
Where the money goes
$11,777
per student each year · 10% below the NC average
Spending
Paid for by
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances (fiscal 2024).
Enrollment · last 5 years
15,575’20
15,494’21
15,678’22
15,880’23
16,003’24
Students
White · 58%9,290
Hispanic · 20%3,137
Two or more races · 8%1,298
Asian · 8%1,241
Black · 6%1,021
American Indian/Alaska Native · 0%8
Across the district's schools, as reported to NCES.
Towns served
Hickory44,258 people
Newton13,333 people
Conover8,580 people
Maiden3,788 people
Claremont1,922 people
Catawba628 people
Also covers small parts of Brookford.
Schools28 in district
Saint Stephens ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 711 students · Conover
C+PublicMountain View ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 708 students · Hickory
APublicBalls Creek ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–6 · 686 students · Newton
A-PublicSherrills Ford ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 633 students · Sherrills Ford
APublicMaiden ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–6 · 562 students · Maiden
BPublicSnow Creek ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–6 · 551 students · Hickory
A-PublicOxford ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–6 · 540 students · Claremont
C+PublicStartown ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–6 · 540 students · Newton
B+PublicClyde Campbell ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–6 · 505 students · Hickory
A-PublicBlackburn ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 484 students · Newton
B+PublicClaremont ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–6 · 462 students · Claremont
C+PublicLyle Creek ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–6 · 458 students · Conover
B-PublicCatawba Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–6 · 450 students · Catawba
C+PublicWebb A Murray ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–6 · 380 students · Hickory
C+PublicCharles H Tuttle ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 368 students · Maiden
BPublicBanoak ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 291 students · Vale
B+PublicHarry M Arndt MiddleMiddle · Grades 7–8 · 601 students · Hickory
BPublicJacobs Fork MiddleMiddle · Grades 7–8 · 482 students · Newton
A-PublicMill Creek MiddleMiddle · Grades 7–8 · 477 students · Claremont
B+PublicMaiden Middle SchoolMiddle · Grades 7–8 · 451 students · Maiden
B+PublicRiver Bend MiddleMiddle · Grades 7–8 · 450 students · Claremont
B-PublicSaint Stephens HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 1,268 students · Hickory
A-PublicBandys HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 935 students · Catawba
APublicFred T Foard HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 930 students · Newton
APublicMaiden HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 852 students · Maiden
A-PublicBunker Hill HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 845 students · Claremont
B+PublicChallenger Early College HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 376 students · Hickory
A+PublicCatawba Rosenwald Education CenterOther · Grades K–12 · 7 students · Catawba
PublicSchool data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES). Ratings are from neighbors on TownTapestry.
Nearby districts
District facts from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory and school district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau's school finance survey. Test scores and graduation rates from EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings reflect opinions, not an official measure of school quality.