- Enrollment
- 467
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Murphy, NC
Hiwassee Dam High
Federal NCES profile for Hiwassee Dam High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370078002626
👥 S:T ratio 58
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hiwassee Dam High earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of North Carolina schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Murphy · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.5:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 53.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Hiwassee Dam High has class sizes smaller than 93% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hiwassee Dam High ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Murphy, NC.
School address
District: Cherokee County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370078002626 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-17 students YoY
Hiwassee Dam High shrank from 158 students in 2022-23 to 141 in 2023-24 (-10.8%).
Teacher FTE added 13.4 → 14.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-17 students YoY 370078002626 · Murphy, NC High · SMALL · TRAD
137 enr · 10.5:1 · 53.8% lunch · RII 43
Nearest enrollment peer: Murphy Elementary (467 students)
Hiwassee Dam High shrank from 158 students in 2022-23 to 141 in 2023-24 (-10.8%). Teacher FTE added 13.4 → 14.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Hiwassee Dam High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Murphy Element
Murphy Elementary
467 students
- Murphy High
Murphy High
424 students
- Murphy Middle
Murphy Middle
353 students
- Andrews Elemen
Andrews Elementary
330 students
- Ranger Element
Ranger Elementary/Middle
264 students
- This school 137
Hiwassee Dam High
137 students
What this shows Hiwassee Dam High reports 137 students on the CCD universe file.
How Hiwassee Dam High compares
Hiwassee Dam High is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.5:1 | ▼ 34% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.8% | ▼ 18% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 137 | top 93% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.5:1
Leaner classes than 86% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
137
Bigger than 13% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
53.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
10.5:1
students per teacher
- 34% 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
46.7%
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
$14,303
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
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
1
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 92.7%
Two or More 4.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2.9%
Largest group: White at 92.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 13.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 13.8, Hiwassee Dam High is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Cherokee County Schools reports $14,303 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Hiwassee Dam High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Murphy High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Murphy Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Andrews Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ranger Elementary/Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hiwassee Dam High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 330
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 264
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high schools in Murphy
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~137 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.5:1)
Frequently asked questions about Hiwassee Dam High
How many students attend Hiwassee Dam High?
Hiwassee Dam High has 137 students enrolled. It is a high school in Murphy, NC. CCD year-over-year: 158 (2022-23) → 141 (2023-24), down 17.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hiwassee Dam High?
The student-teacher ratio at Hiwassee Dam High is 10.5:1, which is 34% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 33% 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 Hiwassee Dam High?
53.8% of students at Hiwassee Dam High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hiwassee Dam High?
The largest demographic group at Hiwassee Dam High is White at 92.7% of enrollment, in Murphy, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hiwassee Dam High?
Hiwassee Dam High has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Hiwassee Dam High rank among high schools in Murphy?
By Resource Investment Index, Hiwassee Dam High ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Murphy, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Murphy on the city page.
What other schools are in Cherokee County Schools?
Besides Hiwassee Dam High, Cherokee County Schools also operates Murphy Elementary (467 students), Murphy High (424 students), and Murphy Middle (353 students). See the Cherokee County Schools district page for the complete list.