Summary:
Watauga County Schools serves two high schools, Watauga High and Watauga Innovation Academy, both located in Boone, NC and serving grades 9–12. The district ranks in the top 20% of North Carolina districts with a 4-star rating, and both schools share one campus while offering very different high school experiences.
Watauga High is the larger, higher-ranked school, enrolling about 1,289 students. It has earned a 4-star rating every year and ranks in the 75th percentile statewide. It leads the district in Biology (73.8% proficient), English II (75.0%), and Math III (87.5%), and its students far exceed state averages in all subjects. The school also keeps chronic absenteeism at 12.4%, half the state rate, and graduates 91.4% of students. In contrast, Watauga Innovation Academy, with 292 students, is smaller and holds a 3-star rating. While its EOC proficiency is lower in most subjects, it actually outperforms Watauga High in Math I (68.8% vs. 65.7%) and posts a higher graduation rate of 94.4%. It also serves more economically disadvantaged students, with 44.2% eligible for free/reduced lunch compared to 33.1% at Watauga High.
Both schools share notable strengths. Their chronic absenteeism rates (around 12.5%) are just half the state average, and math results are especially strong; even the lower-performing school beats the state by 7 points in Math III and 26 points in Math I. The most striking contrast is per-pupil spending: in 2018-2019, Watauga High spent $11,160 per student while Watauga Innovation Academy spent only $2,667, a 4x difference that may reflect shared facilities and district resources. However, both schools saw large year-over-year improvements in Biology and Math I, while English II proficiency slipped at both schools. For parents, the choice is between the academically elite traditional high school and a smaller academy with a stronger graduation rate and math outcomes – each offering distinct advantages within the same district.
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