High Schools in Asheville City Schools

The Asheville City Schools district contains two high schools — Asheville High and Silsa — both serving grades 9–12 from the same McDowell Street campus in Asheville, NC. Combined, these schools enroll about 1,553 students, with Asheville High accounting for roughly 79% of the district's high school population (1,221 students) compared to Silsa's 332. The district ranks 81st out of 246 North Carolina districts, earning a 3-star rating, and both schools have nearly identical economic profiles, with about 40% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch.

Silsa is the clear academic standout. It ranks higher than Asheville High every year, peaking at #145 in North Carolina (77th percentile, 4 stars) in 2024–2025. Silsa beats Asheville High in every subject on End-of-Course tests in both reported school years and also exceeds both district and state proficiency rates across the board. This success comes despite a much higher student–teacher ratio (23.9 vs. 13.7) and less than half the per-pupil spending ($7,028 vs. $14,811). Even with a chronic absenteeism rate of 26%, Silsa posts a strong graduation rate of 94.9%, well above the state average. Its most recent data shows some slippage in math and state ranking, but it remains comfortably ahead of its larger counterpart.

Asheville High, the district's larger traditional school, enjoys a much lower student–teacher ratio and spends over twice as much per student, yet trails district averages in every subject in both reported years. Its most urgent concern is Math I, with only 29.5% proficiency in 2025–2026, more than 12 points below the state rate of 42.1%. The school did improve sharply from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026 in Biology, English II, and Math III, but Math I proficiency fell. English II is the strongest subject at both schools, with Silsa reaching 86.2% and Asheville High 78.3% proficiency. Given that both schools share a campus, Silsa may be a selective program or academy within Asheville High, which could help explain its stronger academic outcomes despite higher absenteeism and lower funding.