Caldwell County Schools

Public Regional · 8 towns Grades PK–12 B-School Grade

Public schools for Lenoir, Sawmills, Granite Falls, Hudson, Gamewell, Cajah's Mountain, Rhodhiss and Cedar Rock, and parts of Hickory, Rutherford College and Blowing Rock.

At a glance

10,667Students enrolled

25Schools

8Towns served

$12,425Spent per student

18:1Student–teacher ratio

95%Free / reduced lunch

School path

Where would my kid go?

LenoirSawmillsGranite FallsHudsonGamewellCajah's MountainCedar Rock

Grades PK–5

4 elementary schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 6–8

4 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–5

Sawmills Elementary351 students · Granite FallsThis district

Grades 6–8

4 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–5

Granite Falls Elementary647 students · Granite FallsThis district

Grades 6–8

4 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–5

Hudson Elementary665 students · HudsonThis district

Grades 6–8

4 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–5

Gamewell Elementary459 students · LenoirThis district

Grades 6–8

Gamewell Middle457 students · LenoirThis district

Grades PK–8

13 schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 8

4 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–8

13 schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 8

4 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Based 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 proficiency38%

State average 41.9%

Reading / language arts46%

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

$12,425

per student each year · 5% below the NC average

Spending

Classroom instruction64%

Support & administration30%

Other6%

Paid for by

Local (mostly property tax)19%

State62%

Federal19%

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances (fiscal 2024).

Enrollment · last 5 years

10,691’20

10,773’21

10,758’22

10,665’23

10,667’24

Students

White · 72%7,689

Hispanic · 15%1,610

Two or more races · 6%687

Black · 5%579

Asian · 1%87

American Indian/Alaska Native · 0%11

Across the district's schools, as reported to NCES.

Towns served

📍

Lenoir18,299 people

📍

Sawmills5,042 people

📍

Granite Falls4,929 people

📍

Hudson3,772 people

📍

Gamewell3,689 people

📍

Cajah's Mountain2,704 people

📍

Rhodhiss1,166 people

📍

Cedar Rock306 people

Also covers small parts of Hickory, Rutherford College and Blowing Rock.

Schools25 in district

Level

All 25 Elementary 14 Middle 4 High 6 Other 1

📚

Hudson ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 665 students · Hudson

BPublic 📚

Granite Falls ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 647 students · Granite Falls

A-Public 📚

Gamewell ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 459 students · Lenoir

CPublic 📚

Dudley Shoals ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 433 students · Granite Falls

C+Public 📚

Davenport A+ SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 429 students · Lenoir

CPublic 📚

Lower Creek ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 396 students · Lenoir

BPublic 📚

Baton ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 357 students · Granite Falls

B+Public 📚

Sawmills ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 351 students · Granite Falls

CPublic 📚

Whitnel ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 330 students · Lenoir

DPublic 📚

Collettsville SchoolElementary · Grades PK–8 · 321 students · Collettsville

BPublic 📚

Valmead ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 305 students · Lenoir

Public 📚

Happy Valley ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–8 · 234 students · Lenoir

C+Public 📚

Kings Creek ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–8 · 153 students · Lenoir

BPublic 📚

Horizons ElementaryElementary · Grades K–5 · 29 students · Lenoir

D-Public

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES). Ratings are from neighbors on TownTapestry.

Nearby districts

🏫

Burke County SchoolsConnelly Springs · Valdese · $12,539 per student

🏫

Catawba County SchoolsConover · Newton · $11,777 per student

🏫

Hickory City SchoolsBrookford · Long View · $12,093 per student

🏫

Newton-Conover City SchoolsConover · Newton · $13,217 per student

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.