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Best Public Schools in Cleveland County, NC

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its North Carolina rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

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At a glance

Schools

17,012

Students

Districts

5-star schools

Top rankedCasar Elementary80^th of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools

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Biggest riser

James Love Elementary up 280 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

East Elementary 10.8 students per teacher

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Newly ranked this year

Turning Point Academy

SchoolDigger ratings

5★

4★

3★

2★

1★

5 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

See the top-ranked North Carolina schools →

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOC Biology (2026)	EOC English II (2026)	EOC Math I (2026)	EOC Math III (2026)	EOG Mathematics (2026)						EOG Reading (2026)						EOG Science (2026)		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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	2527 US 221A Hwy	Mooresboro	28114	Cleveland County	Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(828) 657-9998	1,330	62	21.4		907 (68.2%)	111 (8.3%)	150 (11.3%)	35 (2.6%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	124 (9.3%)								(n/a)	85.3	83.3	16.7	76.2	70.6	79.8	83.9	97.2	80.8	72.1	71.6	78.0	79.6	83.2	77.9	77.7	91.4	96.2
Pinnacle Classical Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	2401 Joes Lake Rd	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Pinnacle Classical Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(704) 740-4040	1,178	42	27.7		848 (72.0%)	122 (10.4%)	86 (7.3%)	27 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	95 (8.1%)								(n/a)	74.1	71.4	16.7	66.2	75.3	71.4	65.6	61.9	76.8	44.3	68.2	76.9	68.9	68.0	87.9	70.9	72.2	79.7
Boiling Springs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1522 Patrick Avenue	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8361	558	38	14.8	99.5%	389 (69.7%)	82 (14.7%)	42 (7.5%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (7.7%)	79.1	252^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	83.1%		85.1	172^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	88.5%	80					80.0	80.2	84.4				55.8	71.9	60.0				85.6		$9,229	$1,162	$8,067
Burns High	Public	9-12	307 E Stagecoach Trail	Lawndale	28090	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8335	928	58	15.9	99.5%	626 (67.5%)	156 (16.8%)	95 (10.2%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (5.0%)	62.3	239^th of 662 public high schools	63.9%		38.3	390^th of 641 public high schools	39.2%	151	91.1	64.1	58.3	75.7															$9,886	$976	$8,911
Burns Middle	Public	6-8	215 Shady Grove Road	Lawndale	28090	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8223	744	43	17.1	99.6%	512 (68.8%)	116 (15.6%)	73 (9.8%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.1%)	60.5	294^th of 778 public middle schools	62.2%		53.5	349^th of 773 public middle schools	54.9%	55								73.4	62.2	46.3				59.5	52.8	58.8		75.4	$9,061	$807	$8,254
Casar Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	436 School House Road	Casar	28020	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8255	275	19	14.2	98.9%	238 (86.5%)	7 (2.5%)	23 (8.4%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.5%)	92.4	80^th of 1492 public elementary schools	94.6%		82.5	206^th of 1490 public elementary schools	86.2%	126					83.0	92.9	91.7				76.6	73.8	77.1				93.8		$11,433	$1,395	$10,038
Crest High	Public	9-12	800 Old Boiling Springs Road	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8331	1,098	58	18.8	99.7%	671 (61.1%)	254 (23.1%)	91 (8.3%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	76 (6.9%)	64.2	226^th of 662 public high schools	65.9%		42.2	361^st of 641 public high schools	43.7%	135	70.9	62.3	64.5	80.5															$8,650	$808	$7,842
Crest Middle	Public	6-8	315 Beaver Dam Church Rd	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8221	810	50	16.3	98.9%	490 (60.5%)	200 (24.7%)	71 (8.8%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (5.7%)	64.2	255^th of 778 public middle schools	67.2%		60.9	276^th of 773 public middle schools	64.3%	21								61.2	63.4	62.1				55.9	60.3	69.7		68.2	$8,409	$668	$7,741
Elizabeth Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	220 S Post Road	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8371	649	37	17.7	99.5%	154 (23.7%)	315 (48.5%)	115 (17.7%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (9.2%)	32.4	1050^th of 1492 public elementary schools	29.6%		35.8	985^th of 1490 public elementary schools	33.9%	65					52.9	62.5	55.6				31.8	55.0	42.0				56.8		$9,413	$1,457	$7,956
Fallston Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	112 Gary Street	Fallston	28042	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8240	502	36	13.8	99.4%	374 (74.5%)	54 (10.8%)	41 (8.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.4%)	66.3	483^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	67.6%		54	670^th of 1490 public elementary schools	55.0%	187					78.7	64.8	71.2				62.3	62.6	46.6				82.2		$9,874	$1,550	$8,324
Township Three Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	526 Davis Road	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8245	540	35	15.2	99.4%	218 (40.4%)	191 (35.4%)	65 (12.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (12.2%)	28	1137^th of 1492 public elementary schools	23.8%		25	1186^th of 1490 public elementary schools	20.4%	49					58.1	51.9	40.6				45.9	50.6	39.1				55.1		$9,675	$1,374	$8,301
Washington Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1907 Stony Point Road	Shelby	28150	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8260	376	26	14.3	97.9%	206 (54.8%)	62 (16.5%)	70 (18.6%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (9.6%)	48	767^th of 1492 public elementary schools	48.6%		39.7	923^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	38.1%	156					73.2	61.3	55.4				60.7	56.5	41.5				61.5		$9,971	$1,530	$8,441
Union Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1440 Union Church Road	Shelby	28150	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8250	413	30	13.6	99.3%	248 (60.0%)	95 (23.0%)	27 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (9.7%)	48.5	760^th of 1492 public elementary schools	49.1%		56.9	613^th of 1490 public elementary schools	58.9%	147					63.8	68.4	75.3				46.4	50.9	43.8				64.4		$10,135	$1,538	$8,597
Springmore Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	616 McBrayer Homestead Road	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8235	618	41	15.1	99.5%	445 (72.0%)	77 (12.5%)	63 (10.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (5.2%)	81.4	224^th of 1492 public elementary schools	85.0%		82.2	212^th of 1490 public elementary schools	85.8%	12					80.2	76.6	86.1				62.0	66.0	65.2				88.7		$9,568	$1,145	$8,422
Bethware Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	115 Bethware Drive	Kings Mountain	28086	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8346	548	38	14.4	99.5%	337 (61.5%)	110 (20.1%)	58 (10.6%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	35 (6.4%)	69.4	428^th of 1492 public elementary schools	71.3%		79.5	252^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	83.1%	176					75.5	70.7					59.4	62.9							$9,644	$1,089	$8,555
Turning Point Academy	Public	6-12	409 West Sumter Street	Shelby	28150	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8399	142	12	11.8	97.9%	65 (45.8%)	59 (41.5%)	7 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (7.7%)	0.4	662^nd of 662 public high schools	0.0%					(n/a)	339.0	10.3	537.0	5.4					10.0	7.7					20.0	15.4		15.4	$21,288	$1,682	$19,606
East Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	600 N Cleveland Avenue	Kings Mountain	28086	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8356	199	18	10.8	97.5%	83 (41.7%)	84 (42.2%)	24 (12.1%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.0%)	51.4	707^th of 1492 public elementary schools	52.6%		56.4	626^th of 1490 public elementary schools	58.0%	81					55.9	69.4					52.9	58.3							$11,443	$1,678	$9,765
Grover Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	206 Carolina Avenue	Grover	28073	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8351	323	21	15.2	99.1%	226 (70.0%)	46 (14.2%)	15 (4.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (10.8%)	74	339^th of 1492 public elementary schools	77.3%		75	313^th of 1490 public elementary schools	79.0%	26					68.0	80.0					58.0	73.3							$10,632	$1,366	$9,266
James Love Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	309 James Love Road	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8385	376	30	12.3	98.7%	92 (24.5%)	198 (52.7%)	56 (14.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (7.4%)	35.3	996^th of 1492 public elementary schools	33.2%		20.3	1276^th of 1490 public elementary schools	14.4%	280					49.2	61.1	54.9				36.5	48.1	52.9				66.7		$12,191	$1,637	$10,553
Jefferson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1166 Wyke Road	Shelby	28150	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8390	439	30	14.6	99.3%	166 (37.8%)	196 (44.6%)	32 (7.3%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (9.6%)	75	323^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	78.4%		68.6	412^th of 1490 public elementary schools	72.3%	89					84.7	71.4	70.5				68.2	61.0	60.7				77.0		$10,297	$1,501	$8,795
Kings Mountain High	Public	9-12	500 Phifer Road	Kings Mountain	28086	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8330	1,305	72	18.1	98.8%	771 (59.1%)	297 (22.8%)	119 (9.1%)	17 (1.3%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	98 (7.5%)	60.4	251^st of 662 public high schools	62.1%		52.3	278^th of 641 public high schools	56.6%	27	60.5	61.3	63.8	82.3															$9,036	$654	$8,382
Kings Mountain Intermediate	Public	5-6	227 Kings Mountain Boulevard	Kings Mountain	28086	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8366	601	32	19.0	99.3%	352 (58.6%)	144 (24.0%)	56 (9.3%)	8 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	40 (6.7%)								(n/a)							63.0	69.5					52.0	58.5			71.2		$8,233	$1,444	$6,788
Kings Mountain Middle	Public	7-8	1000 Phifer Road	Kings Mountain	28086	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8340	631	37	16.9	99.5%	348 (55.2%)	162 (25.7%)	58 (9.2%)	7 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (8.9%)	52.6	373^rd of 778 public middle schools	52.1%		54.9	329^th of 773 public middle schools	57.4%	44									53.5	53.8					58.0	60.8		62.1	$8,838	$691	$8,147
North Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	900 N Ramseur Street	Kings Mountain	28086	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8225	272	23	12.0	98.9%	143 (52.6%)	84 (30.9%)	23 (8.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (7.7%)	63.7	523^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	64.9%		72.1	363^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	75.6%	160					83.3	63.6					53.7	60.0							$10,709	$1,428	$9,282
North Shelby	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1701 Charles Road	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8230	76	13	5.6	96.1%	43 (56.6%)	18 (23.7%)	8 (10.5%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.3%)	5 (6.6%)								(n/a)																			$33,367	$4,866	$28,501
Shelby High	Public	9-12	230 E Dixon Boulevard	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8325	792	51	15.4	99.6%	231 (29.2%)	417 (52.7%)	79 (10.0%)	10 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	54 (6.8%)	31.7	467^th of 662 public high schools	29.5%		15.5	557^th of 641 public high schools	13.1%	90	52.4	54.0	31.0	57.9															$9,492	$690	$8,802
Shelby Middle	Public	6-8	1480 South Dekalb Street	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8328	588	35	16.6	99.5%	178 (30.3%)	293 (49.8%)	74 (12.6%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.5%)	32	538^th of 778 public middle schools	30.8%		37.6	488^th of 773 public middle schools	36.9%	50								48.5	38.4	58.9				42.5	40.7	52.4		48.6	$11,218	$923	$10,295
West Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	500 W Mountain Street	Kings Mountain	28086	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 476-8345	289	21	13.9	99.0%	182 (63.0%)	61 (21.1%)	24 (8.3%)	3 (1.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.5%)	71.4	391^st of 1492 public elementary schools	73.8%		57.7	600^th of 1490 public elementary schools	59.7%	209					85.4	58.1					66.7	67.7							$9,202	$1,108	$8,094
Cleveland ECHS	Public	9-12	1800 E Marion St	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8232	225	11	20.2	98.7%	128 (56.9%)	35 (15.6%)	45 (20.0%)	5 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.3%)	91.9	55^th of 662 public high schools	91.7%		90.8	69^th of 641 public high schools	89.2%	14	94.3	96.2	91.4	94.9															$7,781	$522	$7,258
Cleveland Innovation	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	400 W Marion St	Shelby	28150	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(704) 476-8164	187	13	14.2	56.7%	124 (66.3%)	28 (15.0%)	16 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (9.6%)								(n/a)	90.0	81.8	35.7	87.5					70.0	42.9					70.0	71.4		64.3

SchoolDigger rankings lists for North Carolina:

Elementary Schools Middle Schools High Schools Districts 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.