Macon County Schools

Franklin, North Carolina — 12 schools

4,450
Total Enrollment
12
Schools
$15,639
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Macon County Schools operates 12 public schools serving 4,450 students, placing it among the smaller districts in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 7 other, 2 high, 2 elementary, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 4,469 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Macon County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,639 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 20.4% local, 56.4% state, and 23.2% 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 $78,105 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 64/100, ranked #65 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 12 schools offering Advanced Placement (7 AP courses district-wide), a 351:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 29.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 73.0% White, 22.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American across the district's schools.

Franklin High accounts for 22.3% of all Macon County Schools student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Macon 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

Macon County Schools school enrollment varies 23× across entities

Macon County Schools school enrollment ranges from 44 students (lowest) to 996 students (highest), a spread of 952 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.

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

Macon County Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 60.7% 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

Macon County Schools student-counselor ratio is 351:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Macon County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 29.3% — 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 Macon County Schools is typically wider than the Macon 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?

23.2%
Federal
56.4%
State
20.4%
Local

Funding Equity

64
Equity Score
65 / 293
State Rank
45
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Macon County county, where this district is located.

$681
Studio/mo
$830
1 BR/mo
$987
2 BR/mo
$1,183
3 BR/mo
$1,325
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$78,105
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 12 schools in Macon County Schools.

White 73.0%
Hispanic or Latino 22.2%
African American 0.8%
Multiracial 3.0%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

2 / 12
Schools with AP
7 AP courses total
351:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
29.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Macon County Schools

School Enrollment
Franklin High
996
Mountain View Intermediate
614
Macon Middle School
576
South Macon Elementary
465
Iotla Valley Elementary
408
Cartoogechaye Elementary
354
Highlands School
344
East Franklin Elementary
315
Macon Early College High School
154
Union Academy
102
Nantahala School
97
Macon Virtual Academy
44

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 · $14,074/pupil
Compare vs Macon County Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $15,997/pupil
Compare vs Macon County Schools →
Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $13,788/pupil
Compare vs Macon County Schools →
Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools
52,717 students · 81 schools · $14,195/pupil
Compare vs Macon County Schools →
Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,982/pupil
Compare vs Macon County Schools →

Compare Macon 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 Macon County Schools?

Macon County Schools has 12 schools, including 2 high, 2 elementary, 1 middle, 7 other. Total enrollment is 4,450 students.

How much does Macon County Schools spend per student?

Macon County Schools spends $15,639 per student. The district has an equity score of 64/100, ranking #65 in North Carolina.

What is the average teacher salary in Macon County Schools?

The average teacher salary in Macon County Schools is $78,105 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Macon County Schools?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Macon County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Macon County Schools?

Macon County Schools students are 73.0% White, 22.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 12 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Macon County Schools?

Macon County Schools has an equity score of 64/100, ranking #65 out of 293 districts in North Carolina. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

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