Burke County Schools operates 27 public schools serving 11,770 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 17 other, 5 high, 5 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 11,786 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Burke County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,502 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 15.2% local, 61.7% state, and 23.1% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $71,538 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 54/100, ranked #107 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 4 of 27 schools offering Advanced Placement (56 AP courses district-wide), a 295.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 40.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 62.4% White, 20.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% Asian across the district's schools.
Burke County Schools school enrollment varies 18× across entities
Burke County Schools school enrollment ranges from 72 students (lowest) to 1,299 students (highest), a spread of 1,227 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Burke County Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 67.2% 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.
Burke County Schools student-counselor ratio is 295:1 — 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 Burke County Schools is typically wider than the Burke County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Burke County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 40.6% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Burke County Schools has 27 schools, including 5 high, 17 other, 5 middle. Total enrollment is 11,770 students.
How much does Burke County Schools spend per student?
Burke County Schools spends $12,502 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #107 in North Carolina.
What is the average teacher salary in Burke County Schools?
The average teacher salary in Burke County Schools is $71,538 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Burke County Schools?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Burke County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Burke County Schools?
Burke County Schools students are 62.4% White, 20.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% Asian, 3.7% African American, averaged across 27 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Burke County Schools?
Burke County Schools has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #107 out of 293 districts in North Carolina. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.