- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Sylva, NC
Smoky Mountain High School
Federal NCES profile for Smoky Mountain High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370234001008
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smoky Mountain High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #4 of 6
- public schools in Sylva · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.3:1
- students per teacher
- 49.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Smoky Mountain High School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smoky Mountain High School ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Sylva, NC.
School address
District: Jackson County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370234001008 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+0 students YoY
Smoky Mountain High School held near 899 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+0 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 54.2 → 53.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+0 students YoY 370234001008 · Sylva, NC High · MID · TRAD
881 enr · 16.3:1 · 49.5% lunch · RII 40
Nearest enrollment peer: Fairview Elementary (797 students)
Smoky Mountain High School held near 899 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+0 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 54.2 → 53.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Smoky Mountain High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Smoky Mountain High School
881 students
- Fairview Eleme
Fairview Elementary
797 students
- Cullowhee Vall
Cullowhee Valley School
570 students
- Scotts Creek E
Scotts Creek Elementary
422 students
- Smokey Mountai 340
Smokey Mountain Elementary
340 students
- Blue Ridge Sch 144
Blue Ridge School
144 students
What this shows Smoky Mountain High School reports 881 students on the CCD universe file.
How Smoky Mountain High School compares
Smoky Mountain High School held steady on CCD headcount: 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 | 16.3:1 | ▲ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.5% | ▼ 25% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 881 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.3:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
881
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
49.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% 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
16.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 66% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 34% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.9%
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
$13,568
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 220 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
183
in-school suspensions + 58 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 66.4%
Hispanic or Latino 21.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.6%
Two or More 5.3%
African American 0.9%
Asian 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 66.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.9, Smoky Mountain High School is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Jackson County Public Schools reports $13,568 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Smoky Mountain High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairview Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cullowhee Valley School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Scotts Creek Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Smokey Mountain Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Blue Ridge School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Smoky Mountain High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- Enrollment
- 144
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar high schools in Sylva
1 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 (~881 students)
Frequently asked questions about Smoky Mountain High School
How many students attend Smoky Mountain High School?
Smoky Mountain High School has 881 students enrolled. It is a high school in Sylva, NC. CCD year-over-year: 899 (2022-23) → 899 (2023-24), nearly flat (+0).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smoky Mountain High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Smoky Mountain High School is 16.3:1, which is 3% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Smoky Mountain High School?
49.5% of students at Smoky Mountain High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Smoky Mountain High School?
The largest demographic group at Smoky Mountain High School is White at 66.4% of enrollment, in Sylva, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smoky Mountain High School?
Smoky Mountain High School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Smoky Mountain High School rank among public schools in Sylva?
By Resource Investment Index, Smoky Mountain High School ranks #4 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.
What other schools are in Jackson County Public Schools?
Besides Smoky Mountain High School, Jackson County Public Schools also operates Fairview Elementary (797 students), Cullowhee Valley School (570 students), and Scotts Creek Elementary (422 students). See the Jackson County Public Schools district page for the complete list.