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Rutherford County Schools

At a glance

73^rdof 242 North Carolina districts

Better than 69% of North Carolina districts

Elementary 10 Middle 3 High 5Grades PK, KG-13

382 West Main Street
Forest City, NC 28043-3027·(828) 288-2200·All North Carolina district rankings →

Statewide performance 2017–2025

2025: better than 69.8% of districts

Schools

7,394

Students

Top rankedCliffside Elementary School150^th of 1,490 North Carolina elementary schools

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Biggest riser

Rutherfordton Elementary School up 235 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Cliffside Elementary School 14.9 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

2★

1 school without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

Compare North Carolina districts →See the top-ranked North Carolina schools →

Summary:

The Rutherford County Schools district in North Carolina consists of 18 schools, including 10 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 5 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The district as a whole is ranked 73 out of 242 in the state and is rated 4 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Several schools in the district stand out for their exceptional performance. Cliffside Elementary School and Ellenboro Elementary School are consistently ranked among the top elementary schools in the state, with high proficiency rates in math, reading, and science. At the high school level, Rutherford Early College High School is the top performer, ranking in the top 65-104 high schools in North Carolina with exceptional proficiency on end-of-course exams.

However, the district also has some lower-performing schools, particularly at the elementary and middle school levels, where proficiency rates can range from around 35% to 70% in math and reading. There is a clear correlation between economic disadvantage, as measured by free and reduced-price lunch rates, and lower academic performance across the district. The alternative school, Rutherford Opportunity Center, also struggles with very low proficiency rates compared to the rest of the district. Overall, the Rutherford County Schools district demonstrates a mix of strengths and weaknesses, with the top-performing schools showing that high achievement is possible, but the district as a whole having room for improvement, especially in raising the performance of its lower-achieving 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 (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOC Biology (2025)	EOC English II (2025)	EOC Math I (2025)	EOC Math III (2025)	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	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
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Forrest Hunt Drive	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 245-2161	460	24	19.2	98.3%	265 (57.6%)	37 (8.0%)	92 (20.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	64 (13.9%)	62.6	521^st of 1490 public elementary schools	65.0%		63.8	511^th of 1505 public elementary schools	66.0%	10					78.5	63.9	70.1				58.5	55.7	47.8				58.2		$10,377	$1,479	$8,898
R-S Middle School	Public	6-8	607 Westbrook Dr.	Rutherfordton	28139	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 286-4461	561	30	18.6	98.2%	373 (66.5%)	78 (13.9%)	51 (9.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	56 (10.0%)	48.9	393^rd of 773 public middle schools	49.2%		61.4	278^th of 793 public middle schools	64.9%	115								55.3	50.3	35.2				52.1	61.8	54.4		54.2	$8,987	$745	$8,242
Chase Middle School	Public	6-8	840 Chase High Rd	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 247-1043	484	27	18.1	97.1%	338 (69.8%)	30 (6.2%)	80 (16.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (7.4%)	61.1	275^th of 773 public middle schools	64.4%		61.2	279^th of 793 public middle schools	64.8%	4								70.0	57.5	36.7				60.7	62.5	54.4		63.9	$9,772	$780	$8,991
Chase High School	Public	9-12	1603 Chase High Rd	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 245-5883	596	29	20.7	98.7%	431 (72.3%)	37 (6.2%)	88 (14.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.4%)	62	220^th of 641 public high schools	65.7%		49.1	304^th of 640 public high schools	52.5%	84	34.6	67.4	57.1	85.9															$10,771	$989	$9,782
Cliffside Elementary School	Public	K-5	4016 US Hwy 221-A	Cliffside	28024	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 288-2235	188	13	14.9	94.7%	133 (70.7%)	11 (5.9%)	32 (17.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.9%)	86.7	150^th of 1490 public elementary schools	89.9%		91.5	95^th of 1505 public elementary schools	93.7%	55					89.5	71.4	84.0				63.2	76.2	68.0				80.0		$11,539	$1,925	$9,614
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	286 Learning Parkway	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 245-4978	459	25	18.4	98.3%	140 (30.5%)	161 (35.1%)	89 (19.4%)	8 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (13.3%)	72.3	357^th of 1490 public elementary schools	76.0%		78	278^th of 1505 public elementary schools	81.5%	79					75.8	91.4	55.7				56.1	82.7	44.3				67.2		$12,235	$3,287	$8,948
East Rutherford High School	Public	9-12	331 East High Rd	Bostic	28018	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 245-6424	623	33	18.9	98.4%	411 (66.0%)	89 (14.3%)	74 (11.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	46 (7.4%)	44.8	341^st of 641 public high schools	46.8%		49.2	303^rd of 640 public high schools	52.7%	38	41.3	55.2	41.7	66.7															$10,163	$1,106	$9,057
Ellenboro Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	813 Piney Mountain Church Rd	Ellenboro	28040	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 453-8185	567	30	18.7	97.4%	437 (77.1%)	36 (6.3%)	42 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (9.2%)	85.7	163^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	89.1%		78.8	263^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	82.5%	100					87.5	75.9	79.8				67.5	70.9	62.9				78.9		$9,921	$1,677	$8,244
Harris Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3330 US 221 S Hwy	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 248-2354	434	27	16.1	95.9%	367 (84.6%)	5 (1.2%)	37 (8.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.3%)	80.1	242^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	83.8%		80.6	232^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	84.6%	10					80.8	78.3	65.5				60.3	75.4	65.5				67.2		$9,551	$1,364	$8,186
Mt. Vernon-Ruth Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2785 Hudlow Road	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 287-4792	231	13	17.6	98.7%	182 (78.8%)	8 (3.5%)	15 (6.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (10.8%)	56.7	616^th of 1490 public elementary schools	58.7%		61.9	545^th of 1505 public elementary schools	63.8%	71					78.4	46.2	67.6				37.8	53.8	51.4				83.8		$11,338	$1,542	$9,796
East Rutherford Middle School	Public	6-8	259 East Church Street	Bostic	28018	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 245-3750	533	27	20.0	98.7%	350 (65.7%)	66 (12.4%)	76 (14.3%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (6.9%)	37.2	492^nd of 773 public middle schools	36.4%		52	375^th of 793 public middle schools	52.7%	117								54.6	43.1	36.3				40.2	49.7	48.5		52.4	$9,615	$916	$8,699
Rutherfordton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	201 Bob Hardin Road	Rutherfordton	28139	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 287-3778	397	24	16.4	95.2%	279 (70.3%)	34 (8.6%)	38 (9.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (11.6%)	74.7	320^th of 1490 public elementary schools	78.5%		61.3	555^th of 1505 public elementary schools	63.1%	235					87.1	80.6	63.1				61.3	77.4	60.0				54.5		$10,825	$1,582	$9,243
R-S Central High School	Public	9-12	641 Hwy 221 North	Rutherfordton	28139	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 287-3304	763	36	21.2	98.2%	539 (70.6%)	99 (13.0%)	60 (7.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (8.1%)	38.1	391^st of 641 public high schools	39.0%		41.9	359^th of 640 public high schools	43.9%	32	37.9	56.5	20.1	68.1															$10,966	$1,171	$9,795
Spindale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	161 N Oak St	Spindale	28160	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 286-2861	337	20	16.4	95.3%	168 (49.9%)	96 (28.5%)	39 (11.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (10.1%)	32.8	1040^th of 1490 public elementary schools	30.2%		40.7	919^th of 1505 public elementary schools	38.9%	121					67.4	45.3	56.9				46.5	38.5	40.4				37.9		$10,759	$1,904	$8,854
Sunshine Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	231 Toney Road	Bostic	28018	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 245-0658	217	13	16.4	98.6%	197 (90.8%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.6%)	68	427^th of 1490 public elementary schools	71.3%		74.1	340^th of 1505 public elementary schools	77.4%	87					82.1	48.1	76.0				57.1	51.9	64.0				76.0		$12,481	$1,748	$10,733
Pinnacle Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1204 Painters Gap Road	Rutherfordton	28139	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 287-3440	254	16	16.0	96.5%	209 (82.3%)	14 (5.5%)	22 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.5%)	61.5	539^th of 1490 public elementary schools	63.8%		61.4	554^th of 1505 public elementary schools	63.2%	15					84.8	61.5	53.7				57.6	53.8	58.5				63.4		$11,086	$1,573	$9,513
Rutherford Opportunity Center	Public	6-12	140 Old Caroleen Road	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 248-5294	82	10	8.2	96.3%	58 (70.7%)	12 (14.6%)	5 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (8.5%)								(n/a)		8.0						14.3						14.3		13.6		18.2	$26,764	$1,648	$25,116
Rutherford Early College High School	Public	9-12	286 ICC Loop Road	Spindale	28160	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 288-2202	208	4	55.0	98.6%	149 (71.6%)	8 (3.8%)	29 (13.9%)	9 (4.3%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.8%)	85.9	104^th of 641 public high schools	83.8%		91.2	65^th of 640 public high schools	89.8%	39	68.8	88.2	58.8	96.3															$6,973	$327	$6,646

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy	3.7 mi	1
Cleveland County Schools	10.53 mi	28	97^th
Polk County Schools	15.63 mi	7	41^st
Pinnacle Classical Academy	20.28 mi	1
Lake Lure Classical Academy	20.62 mi	1

See the top NC North Carolina districts

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.