Best Public Schools in Banner Elk, NC

Summary:

The city of Banner Elk, North Carolina is home to a single elementary school, Banner Elk Elementary, which serves grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 168 students. The school is part of the Avery County Schools district, which is ranked 131 out of 242 school districts in North Carolina and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Banner Elk Elementary is a standout school in the region, consistently ranking among the top elementary schools in North Carolina. In the 2022-2023 school year, the school was ranked 25th out of 1,502 schools and received a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. Students at Banner Elk Elementary consistently outperform their peers in the Avery County Schools district and the state of North Carolina on standardized tests, with proficiency rates that are significantly higher in mathematics, reading, and science. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, 85.3% of 3rd graders at Banner Elk Elementary were proficient or better in mathematics, compared to 51.6% in the Avery County Schools district and 64.1% statewide.

Banner Elk Elementary spends $11,831 per student, which is higher than the state average, and has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 11.9, indicating a strong focus on individualized attention and support for students. However, the school has a high percentage of students (98.21%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a relatively low-income student population. The exceptional academic performance of Banner Elk Elementary, coupled with its resource allocation and potential equity concerns, make it a unique and noteworthy school within the broader educational landscape of North Carolina.

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)			EOG Reading (2025)			EOG Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Banner Elk Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	155 Orchard Lane	Banner Elk	28604	Avery County	Avery County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 737-5700	159	10	15.3	92.5%	139 (87.4%)	2 (1.3%)	14 (8.8%)	4 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	90.5	104^th of 1490 public elementary schools	93.0%		95	48^th of 1505 public elementary schools	96.8%	56	85.3	88.2	80.8	67.6	70.6	80.8	80.8	$11,831	$1,739	$10,092

Cities Near Banner Elk

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Boone	3.68 mi	8	100^th
Vilas	7.39 mi	1	90^th
Elk Park	7.94 mi	2	111^th
Newland	8.29 mi	5	399^th
Sugar Grove	8.57 mi	1	91^st

See the top NC North Carolina cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.