Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

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

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Fred T Foard High

Q: Is Fred T Foard High a good school?

Fred T Foard High ranks 303 rd of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

303^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 662 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 54% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Fred T Foard High is a traditional public high school in Newton, NC, serving about 930 students in grades 9-12 as part of Catawba County Schools. On its most recent state ranking, Foard earned a three-star rating and placed 303rd out of 662 high schools, putting it in the 54th percentile statewide. The school was a four-star performer in 2018-2019 but has settled into a solid mid-tier range since the pandemic. Just under half of Foard students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a much lower share than the 99 percent or more reported at several neighboring comprehensive high schools, including Saint Stephens High, Lincolnton High, East Burke High, and Hickory High.

Attendance and graduation are genuine strengths. Foard's chronic absenteeism rate has fallen every year since the pandemic, from 41.6 percent in 2021-2022 to 12.1 percent in 2024-2025 — the lowest rate in the local area and roughly one-third of the statewide figure. The four-year graduation rate stands at 92.2 percent, comfortably above both district and state averages. Academically, students shine in Math I and Biology: 63.7 percent score proficient in Math I, far above the state's 42.1 percent, and Foard also dwarfs the Math I results posted by Maiden High, Saint Stephens High, and Hickory High.

The story is more complicated in advanced math and English. Foard's Math III proficiency of 61.1 percent trails the district and state, meaning the strong start in Math I fades as students reach upper-level coursework. English II results also dip slightly below state averages. Foard is the highest-ranked traditional comprehensive high school in its immediate area, outranking Saint Stephens High and Maiden High, though selective programs such as Discovery High School and Challenger Early College High post higher scores with smaller, self-selected student bodies. Families should also watch for concerns: the student-teacher ratio jumped from 17.8 to 21.8 in a single year, and outcomes for some groups — including special education, English learner, and gifted students — have shown significant swings in recent state rankings.

930

Students ?

21.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

46.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3407 Plateau Road
Newton, NC 28658-9776

(704) 462-1496

District: Catawba County Schools

Feeder schools for Fred T Foard High:

Elementary:	Banoak Elementary
	Blackburn Elementary
	Mountain View Elementary
Middle:	Jacobs Fork Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

73.5%

Hispanic:

10.5%

Two or more races:

7.2%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Fred T Foard High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 57th percentile in 2016 → 54th in 2026

Strengths

✓92% graduate in 4 years — above the North Carolina average (87%)

✓Above the North Carolina median (54th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school63%

District avg63%

North Carolina avg60%

303^rd of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Top 46%▼ down 3 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

87^th of 246Catawba County Schools among North Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	53.1	303 of 662	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	52.6	274 of 641	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.9	245 of 640	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.3	252 of 626	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	54.8	260 of 621	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	59.6	210 of 594	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	67.1	109 of 514	78.8%	★★★★☆
2018	55.6	175 of 469	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	51.4	178 of 476	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	41.9	217 of 507	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2015	55.1	137 of 531	74.2%	★★★★☆
2014	61.5	109 of 451	75.8%	★★★★☆
2013	54.9	112 of 505	77.8%	★★★★☆
2012	59.9	150 of 502	70.1%	★★★★☆
2011	61.9	159 of 506	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2010	69.8	81 of 499	83.8%	★★★★☆
2009	64.4	121 of 490	75.3%	★★★★☆
2008	59.0	163 of 477	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2007	67.6	88 of 453	80.6%	★★★★☆
2006	66.4	101 of 431	76.6%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	30.1	302 of 437	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.3	279 of 430	35.1%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	21.7	84 of 103	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	11.7	96 of 106	9.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.2	79 of 101	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	19.0	83 of 98	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	19.2	78 of 91	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	39.7	59 of 83	28.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.9	64 of 89	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.6	64 of 77	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	37.6	177 of 330	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.1	196 of 349	43.8%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	24.4	231 of 289	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	68.7	35 of 273	87.2%	★★★★☆
2019	27.3	148 of 173	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	67.6	33 of 147	77.6%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	52.2	300 of 629	52.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.6	295 of 610	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.1	241 of 602	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.3	278 of 588	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.5	255 of 594	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	60.5	127 of 475	73.3%	★★★★☆
2019	65.5	114 of 475	76.0%	★★★★☆
2018	59.1	167 of 449	62.8%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	50.9	260 of 412	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	59.8	200 of 403	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	61.6	175 of 403	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.0	161 of 398	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	79.1	23 of 337	93.2%	★★★★★
2019	80.5	19 of 325	94.2%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	32.1	332 of 474	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	48.5	199 of 462	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.4	138 of 454	69.6%	★★★★☆
2023	44.3	225 of 449	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.0	158 of 436	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	59.9	65 of 370	82.4%	★★★★☆
2019	48.6	126 of 354	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	36.5	210 of 340	38.2%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	44.6	318 of 620	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	44.8	285 of 606	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	41.7	315 of 613	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	45.3	272 of 597	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.1	207 of 544	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	47.5	135 of 432	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.2	97 of 446	78.3%	★★★★☆
2018	44.3	200 of 424	52.8%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	51.6	296 of 624	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.3	256 of 601	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.5	234 of 607	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.7	220 of 602	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.9	242 of 585	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	58.0	136 of 481	71.7%	★★★★☆
2019	66.2	100 of 488	79.5%	★★★★☆
2018	50.2	202 of 463	56.4%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	43.8	155 of 265	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	52.7	112 of 253	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	42.0	154 of 261	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	53.7	105 of 249	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	74.5	42 of 226	81.4%	★★★★☆
2021	65.4	58 of 199	70.9%	★★★★☆
2019	18.6	176 of 195	9.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	17.3	157 of 185	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	38.5	218 of 372	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	19.2	322 of 352	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	19.4	328 of 349	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	44.3	323 of 551	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.7	320 of 542	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	48.7	287 of 553	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.5	283 of 537	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.0	292 of 534	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.6	183 of 439	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	58.5	143 of 444	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	41.1	247 of 427	42.2%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Male (2026)53rd percentile~ school

Female (2026)52nd percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)49th percentile-6 vs school

Disabled (2022)46th percentile-12 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)42nd percentile-13 vs school

Special Education (2026)41st percentile-13 vs school

White (2026)41st percentile-13 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)37th percentile-20 vs school

African American (2024)31st percentile-31 vs school

Hispanic (2026)30th percentile-24 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)20th percentile-34 vs school

Asian (2026)18th percentile-36 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Math I64%+22 vs state

Biology64%+5 vs state

English II63%~ state avg

Math III61%-8 vs state

5.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Fred T Foard High

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a student
Thursday, May 19, 2016

Its a great school! Close Quote

by a parent
Saturday, June 23, 2012

We looked at all 3 high schools in the area when we moved. Foard was our choice. We didn't have to worry about the gangs or fights like at the other two. I have been happy with the challenging courses my children have had. Go class of 2013! Close Quote

Schools Near Fred T Foard High

Load more schools when map is moved

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)	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Fred T Foard High	Public	9-12	3407 Plateau Road	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 462-1496	930	43	21.8	46.9%	684 (73.5%)	30 (3.2%)	98 (10.5%)	48 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	67 (7.2%)	53.1	303^rd of 662 public high schools	54.2%		52.6	274^th of 641 public high schools	57.3%	29	63.5	62.7	63.7	61.1	$8,769	$744	$8,025
Challenger Early College High	Public	9-12	2550 Hwy 70 SE	Hickory	28602	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 485-2980	376	11	33.5	49.5%	131 (34.8%)	10 (2.7%)	122 (32.4%)	72 (19.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	40 (10.6%)	93.6	20^th of 662 public high schools	97.0%		95.5	16^th of 641 public high schools	97.5%	4	98.9	100.0	96.2	95.7	$6,093	$246	$5,847
Maiden High	Public	9-12	600 West Main Street	Maiden	28650	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 428-8197	852	41	20.7	49.1%	528 (62.0%)	54 (6.3%)	150 (17.6%)	57 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (7.4%)	48.3	342^nd of 662 public high schools	48.3%		47.8	320^th of 641 public high schools	50.1%	22	54.3	63.7	49.2	69.9	$9,016	$684	$8,333
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School	Public	9-12	409 8th Avenue NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 328-6738	201	13	15.2	98.5%	107 (53.2%)	22 (10.9%)	45 (22.4%)	6 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (10.4%)	53.3	300^th of 662 public high schools	54.7%		56.6	253^rd of 641 public high schools	60.5%	47	60.0	64.9	38.6	83.3	$15,342	$1,043	$14,299
West Lincoln High	Public	9-12	172 Shoal Rd	Lincolnton	28092	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 736-9453	731	45	16.1	99.3%	612 (83.7%)	9 (1.2%)	78 (10.7%)	5 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.7%)	53	306^th of 662 public high schools	53.8%		58.1	242^nd of 641 public high schools	62.2%	64	62.3	60.2	48.1	77.8	$8,213	$515	$7,699
Newton-Conover High	Public	9-12	338 W 15th Street	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Newton Conover City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 465-0920	724	44	16.5	60.5%	314 (43.4%)	71 (9.8%)	222 (30.7%)	46 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (9.8%)	32.4	461^st of 662 public high schools	30.4%		28.9	466^th of 641 public high schools	27.3%	5	44.0	48.8	48.9	58.6	$10,228	$626	$9,601
Hickory High	Public	9-12	1234 3rd Street NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 322-5860	1,024	38	26.6	99.7%	358 (35.0%)	196 (19.1%)	297 (29.0%)	47 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.6%)	120 (11.7%)	28.5	487^th of 662 public high schools	26.4%		26.1	486^th of 641 public high schools	24.2%	1	45.0	54.6	30.8	56.0	$8,704	$694	$8,010
Discovery High School	Public	9-12	301 West 18th St	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Newton Conover City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 466-5581	146	7	22.1	29.5%	85 (58.2%)	4 (2.7%)	28 (19.2%)	15 (10.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (9.6%)	72	176^th of 662 public high schools	73.4%		83	121^st of 641 public high schools	81.1%	55	71.4	85.0	84.8	65.8	$7,999	$741	$7,259
East Burke High	Public	9-12	3695 East Burke Boulevard	Connelly Springs	28612	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 397-5541	874	38	23.1	99.4%	655 (74.9%)	16 (1.8%)	86 (9.8%)	71 (8.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	44 (5.0%)	44.1	377^th of 662 public high schools	43.1%		56.3	254^th of 641 public high schools	60.4%	123	52.1	62.7	49.0	62.5	$9,240	$806	$8,435
Lincolnton High	Public	9-12	803 N Aspen St	Lincolnton	28092	Lincoln County	Lincoln County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 735-3089	797	47	16.9	99.5%	350 (43.9%)	138 (17.3%)	235 (29.5%)	8 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (8.2%)	39.4	407^th of 662 public high schools	38.5%		47.2	328^th of 641 public high schools	48.8%	79	40.9	57.1	40.5	75.4	$9,236	$894	$8,342

Frequently Asked Questions about Fred T Foard High

What is the racial makeup of Fred T Foard High?

Students at Fred T Foard High are 74% White, 11% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 5% Asian, 3% African American.

How many students attend Fred T Foard High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 930 students attended Fred T Foard High.

What schools feed into Fred T Foard High?

Fred T Foard High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Banoak Elementary
Elementary : Blackburn Elementary
Elementary : Mountain View Elementary
Middle : Jacobs Fork Middle

What district is Fred T Foard High in?

Catawba County Schools

Is Fred T Foard High a good school?

Fred T Foard High ranks 303^rd of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Fred T Foard High!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina High School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Newton, NC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Fred T Foard High!

Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 2, 2026

2016–17 through 2024–25 graduation ratesSep 3, 2025

2024–25 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 3, 2025

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.