North Carolina · NCES CCD 2024-25

Best-Resourced Public Schools in North Carolina

Top 50 schools ranked by resource quality score, based on student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance.

78/100
Top score
B+
Top grade
62/100
Avg score (top 50)
50
Schools ranked

The ranking in one line

Career Academy and Technical School in Troutman is North Carolina's top-resourced public school, scoring 78/100 on the NCES resource index.

78/100
top score (grade B+)
1
schools at the top grade (B+)
62/100
average across the top 50
#SchoolGradeScore
1Career Academy and Technical SchoolTroutmanB+78
2Philip J Weaver Ed CenterGreensboroB-69
3Wake Young Men's Leadership AcademyRaleighB-67
4Granville AcademyOxfordB-67
5Cleveland InnovationShelbyB-67
6Woodfin ElementaryAshevilleB-67
7Ellendale ElementaryTaylorsvilleB-66
8Lawsonville Elementary SchoolLawsonvilleB-65
9Gc Middle College HighGreensboroC+64
10Hickory Career Arts Magnet High SchoolHickoryC+63
11Edgecombe Early College HighTarboroC+63
12Barnardsville ElementaryBarnardsvilleC+63
13Sunny View Elementary SchoolMill SpringC+63
14Elizabeth City Pasquotank Early CollegeElizabeth CityC+63
15North Academy of World LanguagesHuntersvilleC+62
16Middle College at Gtcc-High PointHigh PointC+62
17Middle College Hs @ DtccDurhamC+62
18Stokes Early College High SchoolWalnut CoveC+62
19S W Snowden ElementaryAuroraC+62
20West Mecklenburg High SchoolCharlotteC+61
21Sea-TechCastle HayneC+61
22Caldwell Applied Sciences AcademyHudsonC+61
23Mcadenville ElementaryMcAdenvilleC+61
24T S Cooper ElementarySunburyC+61
25Yadkin Valley Regional Career AcademyLexingtonC+61
26Kearns AcademyHigh PointC+61
27Phillips MiddleChapel HillC+60
28Park Road MontessoriCharlotteC+60
29Williams Secondary MontessoriCharlotteC+60
30Vernon Malone College and Career AcademyRaleighC+60
31Highlands SchoolHighlandsC+60
32Forest Hill ElementaryMorgantonC+60
33Duplin Early College HighKenansvilleC+60
34Sugar Loaf ElementaryTaylorsvilleC+60
35Stem Early College @ Nc a&T SuGreensboroC+60
36Germanton Elementary SchoolGermantonC+60
37Pisgah ElementaryCandlerC+60
38Middle College at Gtcc-GreensboroGreensboroC+60
39Mcdowell Academy for InnovationMarionC+60
40Halifax County Early College HighWeldonC+60
41Roanoke Valley Early CollegeWeldonC+60
42Smith MiddleChapel HillC59
43Culbreth MiddleChapel HillC59
44Mills Park ElementaryCaryC59
45Providence Spring ElementaryCharlotteC59
46Sam D Bundy ElementaryFarmvilleC59
47Wake Young Women's Leadership AcademyRaleighC59
48Walnut Cove Elementary SchoolWalnut CoveC59
49West ElementaryKings MountainC59
50The Innovation Academy at South CampusSmithfieldC59

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best public schools in North Carolina?

The highest-ranked school in North Carolina is Career Academy and Technical School in Troutman with a quality score of 78/100 (grade B+). Rankings are based on student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, gifted programs, and attendance rates from NCES data.

How are school quality scores calculated?

Quality scores (0-100) are computed from NCES data across 4 metrics: student-teacher ratio (lower is better, national avg ~16:1), counselor availability (ASCA recommends 250:1), gifted program availability, and chronic absenteeism rate (lower is better). This measures school resources, not test scores.

Methodology

Quality scores (0-100) are computed from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 metrics: student-teacher ratio, school counselor availability, gifted program access, and chronic absenteeism rates. Schools must have at least 50 students and data for one or more metrics. This measures resource quality, not test scores. Higher scores indicate smaller class sizes, better counselor access, and lower absenteeism.