Enrollment
113
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Sylva, NC
Jackson Co Early College
Federal NCES profile for Jackson Co Early College, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370234003111
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 77
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jackson Co Early College earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina.
- #5 of 6
- public schools in Sylva · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 28.3:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 33.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Jackson Co Early College has class sizes larger than 98% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jackson Co Early College ranks #5 of 6 public schools in Sylva, NC.
School address
District: Jackson County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370234003111 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
4.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+79% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jackson Co Early College compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jackson Co Early College
Jackson Co Early College is a small high school in Sylva, North Carolina, enrolling 113 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.3:1 is larger than about 98% of North Carolina schools and 79% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.7% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 95% of North Carolina schools, with 113 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 22 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #22, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 54/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 113 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.8% 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 Sylva's high schools, it stands alongside Smoky Mountain High School (881 students): Jackson Co Early College is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (28.3:1 vs 16.3:1).
Jackson County Public Schools also operates Smoky Mountain High School (881 students) and Fairview Elementary (797 students) alongside Jackson Co 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 Jackson Co Early College compares
Jackson Co 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 | 28.3:1 | ▲ 79% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.7% | ▼ 49% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 113 | top 95% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.3:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
113
Bigger than 11% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
28.3:1
students per teacher
- 79% above state mean
Top 98% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
39.8%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 113 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 65.5%
Hispanic or Latino 15.9%
Two or More 8.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.3%
Asian 3.5%
African American 1.8%
Largest group: White at 65.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.5, Jackson Co Early College is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jackson County Public Schools, which includes Jackson Co 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 Jackson Co Early College Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoky Mountain High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fairview Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cullowhee Valley School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Scotts Creek Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Smokey Mountain Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jackson Co 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 high schools in Sylva
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~113 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jackson Co Early College's federal record.
- Compare Jackson Co 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 Jackson Co Early College
How many students attend Jackson Co Early College?
Jackson Co Early College has 113 students enrolled. It is a high school in Sylva, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jackson Co Early College?
The student-teacher ratio at Jackson Co Early College is 28.3:1, which is 79% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 80% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Jackson Co Early College?
33.7% of students at Jackson Co Early College are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jackson Co Early College?
The largest demographic group at Jackson Co Early College is White at 65.5% of enrollment, in Sylva, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jackson Co Early College?
Jackson Co Early College has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Jackson Co Early College rank among public schools in Sylva?
By Resource Investment Index, Jackson Co Early College ranks #5 of 6 public schools in Sylva, 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 Sylva on the city page.
Is Jackson Co Early College a good school?
Jackson Co Early College earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina. 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 Jackson Co 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.