Alexander County Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Taylorsville, North Carolina - 12 schools

An equity score of 63/100 ranks Alexander County Schools #76 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,879 per pupil, Alexander County Schools ranks #97 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

4,525
Total Enrollment
12
Schools
$12,879
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Alexander County Schools operates 12 public schools serving 4,525 students, placing it among the smaller districts in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined, 3 elementary, 2 high, 2 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Alexander County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,879 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending. See how North Carolina compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 16.3% local, 63.6% state, and 20.1% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 63/100, ranked #76 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 12 schools offering Advanced Placement (12 AP courses district-wide), a 265:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 15.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 74.4% White, 13.0% Hispanic or Latino, 4.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Taylorsville Elementary, with a diversity index of 63.5/100.

Its largest campus is Alexander Central High, enrolling 1,254 students (29% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Alexander Virtual Academy, at 13 students, a 96x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Alexander Central High accounts for 27.7% of all Alexander County Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Alexander County Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Alexander County Schools school enrollment varies 96× across entities

Alexander County Schools school enrollment ranges from 13 students (lowest) to 1,254 students (highest), a spread of 1,241 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Alexander County Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 56.0% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Alexander County Schools student-counselor ratio is 265:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Alexander County Schools is typically wider than the Alexander County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Alexander County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 15.6% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Alexander County Schools is typically wider than the Alexander County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

20.1%
Federal
63.6%
State
16.3%
Local

Funding Equity

63
Equity Score
76 / 293
State Rank
45
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 12 schools in Alexander County Schools.

White 74.4%
Hispanic or Latino 13.0%
African American 4.5%
Asian 2.0%
Multiracial 5.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 40.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Alexander County Schools's schools, below the North Carolina average of 56.1.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Taylorsville Elementary 63.5
  2. 2 Hiddenite Elementary 52.1
  3. 3 Alexander Early College 45.5
  4. 4 Stony Point Elementary 44.4
  5. 5 East Alexander Middle 42.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 12
Schools with AP
12 AP courses total
265:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
15.6%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Alexander County Schools

School Enrollment
Alexander Central High
1,254
East Alexander Middle
510
West Alexander Middle
467
Bethlehem Elementary
435
Hiddenite Elementary
370
Wittenburg Elementary
294
Taylorsville Elementary
241
Stony Point Elementary
237
Sugar Loaf Elementary
196
Alexander Early College
172
Ellendale Elementary
168
Alexander Virtual Academy
13

How Alexander County Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The North Carolina districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Currituck County Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Macon County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Asheboro City Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Person County Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Watauga County Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Alexander County Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in North Carolina

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Wake County Schools
159,778 students · 197 schools · $11,859/pupil
Compare vs Alexander County Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $11,853/pupil
Compare vs Alexander County Schools →
Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $13,036/pupil
Compare vs Alexander County Schools →
Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,412/pupil
Compare vs Alexander County Schools →

Compare Alexander County Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Wake County Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Alexander County Schools?

Alexander County Schools has 12 schools, including 2 high, 2 middle, 5 combined, 3 elementary. Total enrollment is 4,525 students.

How much does Alexander County Schools spend per student?

Alexander County Schools spends $12,879 per student. The district has an equity score of 63/100, ranking #76 in North Carolina.

What is the demographic composition of Alexander County Schools?

Alexander County Schools students are 74.4% White, 13.0% Hispanic or Latino, 4.5% African American, 2.0% Asian, averaged across 12 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Alexander County Schools?

Alexander County Schools has an equity score of 63/100, ranking #76 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.