Enrollment
127
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cashiers, NC
Blue Ridge Early College
Federal NCES profile for Blue Ridge Early College, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370234003104
👥 S:T ratio 58
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Blue Ridge Early College earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Cashiers · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.6:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 61.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Blue Ridge Early College has class sizes smaller than 93% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Blue Ridge Early College ranks #2 of 3 schools in Cashiers, NC.
School address
District: Jackson County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370234003104 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Blue Ridge Early College compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Blue Ridge Early College
Blue Ridge Early College is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Cashiers, North Carolina, enrolling 127 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.6:1, Blue Ridge Early College is leaner than roughly 93% of North Carolina schools and 33% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 61.4% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 94% of North Carolina schools, with 127 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 38 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #24.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (51%) and White (47%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 254 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Cashiers's public schools, it stands alongside Summit Charter (315 students): Blue Ridge Early College is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.6:1 vs 15.8:1).
Jackson County Public Schools also operates Smoky Mountain High School (881 students) and Fairview Elementary (797 students) alongside Blue Ridge Early College.
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 Blue Ridge Early College compares
Blue Ridge Early College 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 | 10.6:1 | ▼ 33% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.4% | ▼ 7% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 127 | top 94% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.6:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
127
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% 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
10.6:1
students per teacher
- 33% below state mean
Top 7% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
47.2%
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
$13,534
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 51.2%
White 46.5%
Two or More 2.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.1, Blue Ridge Early College is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jackson County Public Schools, which includes Blue Ridge Early College.
$13,534
Per student
+13%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.8%
State 51.8%
Federal 24.5%
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 Blue Ridge Early College Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoky Mountain High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fairview Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cullowhee Valley School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Scotts Creek Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Smokey Mountain Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Blue Ridge Early College's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 881
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 570
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 422
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 340
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in Cashiers
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~127 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Blue Ridge Early College's federal record.
- Compare Blue Ridge Early College against another school. Compare schools
- Jackson County Public 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 Blue Ridge Early College
How many students attend Blue Ridge Early College?
Blue Ridge Early College has 127 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cashiers, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Blue Ridge Early College?
The student-teacher ratio at Blue Ridge Early College is 10.6:1, which is 33% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 32% 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 Blue Ridge Early College?
61.4% of students at Blue Ridge Early College are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Blue Ridge Early College?
The largest demographic group at Blue Ridge Early College is Hispanic or Latino at 51.2% of enrollment, in Cashiers, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Blue Ridge Early College?
Blue Ridge Early College has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Blue Ridge Early College rank among schools in Cashiers?
By Resource Investment Index, Blue Ridge Early College ranks #2 of 3 schools in Cashiers, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Cashiers on the city page.
Is Blue Ridge Early College a good school?
Blue Ridge Early College earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of North Carolina schools. 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 Jackson County Public Schools?
Besides Blue Ridge Early College, Jackson County Public Schools also operates Smoky Mountain High School (881 students), Fairview Elementary (797 students), and Cullowhee Valley School (570 students). See the Jackson County Public 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.