Burke County Schools

Public Regional · 8 towns Grades PK–12 BSchool Grade

Public schools for Morganton, Valdese, Connelly Springs, Hildebran, Drexel, Glen Alpine, Rutherford College and Rhodhiss, and parts of Hickory and Long View.

At a glance

11,667Students enrolled

27Schools

8Towns served

$12,539Spent per student

17:1Student–teacher ratio

99%Free / reduced lunch

School path

Where would my kid go?

MorgantonValdeseConnelly SpringsHildebranDrexelGlen AlpineRutherford CollegeRhodhiss

Grades PK–5

Mountain View Elementary or Forest Hill Elementary or Hillcrest ElementaryDepends on your addressThis district

Grades 6–8

Liberty Middle or Walter R Johnson MiddleDepends on your addressThis district

Grades 9–12

Freedom High or Patton High SchoolDepends on your addressThis district

Grades PK–5

Valdese Elementary530 students · ValdeseThis district

Grades 6–8

Heritage Middle475 students · ValdeseThis district

Grades 9–12

Draughn High School661 students · ValdeseThis district

Grades PK–5

14 elementary schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 6–8

5 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 9–12

4 high schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–5

Hildebran Elementary297 students · HildebranThis district

Grades 6–8

5 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 9–12

4 high schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–5

Drexel Elementary477 students · MorgantonThis district

Grades 6–8

5 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 9–12

4 high schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–5

Glen Alpine Elementary295 students · MorgantonThis district

Grades 6–8

5 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 9–12

4 high schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–5

14 elementary schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 6–8

5 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 9–12

4 high schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades PK–5

Ray Childers Elementary460 students · HickoryThis district

Grades 6–8

9 middle schoolsDepends on your address · see the listThis district

Grades 9–12

4 high 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 proficiency43%

State average 41.9%

Reading / language arts47%

State average 47.2%

Graduation rate (4-year)92%

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

$12,539

per student each year · 4% below the NC average

Spending

Classroom instruction60%

Support & administration34%

Other6%

Paid for by

Local (mostly property tax)18%

State62%

Federal20%

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

Enrollment · last 5 years

11,733’20

11,632’21

11,770’22

11,690’23

11,667’24

Students

White · 62%7,266

Hispanic · 21%2,484

Two or more races · 6%740

Asian · 6%664

Black · 4%457

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander · 0%39

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

Towns served

📍

Morganton17,646 people

📍

Valdese4,704 people

📍

Connelly Springs2,427 people

📍

Hildebran2,207 people

📍

Drexel2,146 people

📍

Glen Alpine1,991 people

📍

Rutherford College1,374 people

📍

Rhodhiss1,166 people

Also covers small parts of Hickory and Long View.

Schools27 in district

Level

All 27 Elementary 14 Middle 5 High 6 Other 2

Mountain View ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 762 students · Morganton

Valdese ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 530 students · Valdese

Drexel ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 477 students · Morganton

Salem ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 476 students · Morganton

Ray Childers ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 460 students · Hickory

George Hildebrand ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 327 students · Connelly Springs

W A Young ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 327 students · Morganton

Oak Hill ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 310 students · Morganton

Forest Hill ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 305 students · Morganton

Hildebran ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 297 students · Hildebran

Glen Alpine ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 295 students · Morganton

Mull ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 291 students · Morganton

Icard ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 265 students · Connelly Springs

Hillcrest ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 254 students · Morganton

East Burke MiddleMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 630 students · Connelly Springs

Heritage MiddleMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 475 students · Valdese

Liberty MiddleMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 453 students · Morganton

Walter R Johnson MiddleMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 441 students · Morganton

Table Rock MiddleMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 427 students · Morganton

Freedom HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 1,299 students · Morganton

East Burke HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 874 students · Connelly Springs

Patton High SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12 · 756 students · Morganton

Draughn High SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12 · 661 students · Valdese

Burke Middle CollegeHigh · Grades 11–12 · 130 students · Morganton

Hallyburton AcademyHigh · Grades 6–12 · 73 students · Drexel

North LibertyOther · Grades PK–12 · 72 students · Morganton

Burke Virtual AcademyOther · Grades K–12 · Valdese

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

Nearby districts

🏫

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

🏫

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

🏫

Hickory City SchoolsBrookford · $12,093 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.