Enrollment
542
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Newland, NC
Avery County High
Federal NCES profile for Avery County High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370030000081
👥 S:T ratio 44
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 61
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Avery County High earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in Newland · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 53.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Avery County High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Avery County High ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Newland, NC.
School address
District: Avery County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370030000081 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Avery County High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Avery County High
Avery County High is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Newland, North Carolina, enrolling 542 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 53.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 542 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 496 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #21, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 36/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 196 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Avery County Schools spends $15,311 per pupil, 27% above the North Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 131 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 542 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Avery County Schools also operates Newland Elementary (214 students) and Cranberry Middle (202 students) alongside Avery County High.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Avery County High compares
Avery County High on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.9:1 | ▼ 12% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.5% | ▼ 19% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 542 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
542
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 34% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,311
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.8 FTE
Per 196 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
97
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 78.0%
Hispanic or Latino 17.0%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
African American 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 78.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.1, Avery County High is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Avery County Schools, which includes Avery County High.
$15,311
Per student
+27%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.0%
State 50.1%
Federal 18.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Avery County High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newland Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cranberry Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Freedom Trail Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Crossnore Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Avery Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Avery County High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 214
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 202
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 202
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 184
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 181
- Students per teacher
- 8.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~542 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Avery County High's federal record.
- Compare Avery County High against another school. Compare schools
- Avery County Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Avery County High
How many students attend Avery County High?
Avery County High has 542 students enrolled. It is a high school in Newland, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Avery County High?
The student-teacher ratio at Avery County High is 13.9:1, which is 12% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Avery County High?
53.5% of students at Avery County High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Avery County High?
The largest demographic group at Avery County High is White at 78.0% of enrollment, in Newland, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Avery County High?
Avery County High has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Avery County High rank among public schools in Newland?
By Resource Investment Index, Avery County High ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Newland, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Newland on the city page.
Is Avery County High a good school?
Avery County High earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Avery County Schools?
Besides Avery County High, Avery County Schools also operates Newland Elementary (214 students), Cranberry Middle (202 students), and Freedom Trail Elementary (202 students). See the Avery County Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.