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Morganton, North Carolina - 27 schools
An equity score of 56/100 ranks Burke County Schools #100 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $11,845 per pupil, Burke County Schools ranks #146 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
11,770
Total Enrollment
27
Schools
$11,845
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
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 combined, 5 high, 5 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage 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 Burke County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,845 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 15.2% local, 61.7% state, and 23.1% 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 56/100, ranked #100 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 4 of 27 schools offering Advanced Placement (56 AP courses district-wide), a 295.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 38.1% 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. Its most demographically mixed campus is Freedom High, with a diversity index of 65.3/100.
Its largest campus is Freedom High, enrolling 1,299 students (11% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is North Liberty, at 72 students, a 18x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
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). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. 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 38.1% — 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 combined, 5 middle. Total enrollment is 11,770 students.
How much does Burke County Schools spend per student?
Burke County Schools spends $11,845 per student. The district has an equity score of 56/100, ranking #100 in North Carolina.
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 56/100, ranking #100 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.