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Hayesville Elementary

Q: Is Hayesville Elementary a good school?

Hayesville Elementary ranks 406 th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 3-5

406^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 73% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Hayesville Elementary is a small, rural school in far western North Carolina serving 280 students in grades 3–5 as part of Clay County Schools. Despite nearly 99% of its students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school is a standout performer, ranking in the 73rd percentile statewide (406th of 1,492 elementary schools) and earning a 4-star rating in 2025–26.

Hayesville Elementary outperforms every nearby comparable school, including Peachtree Elementary (66th percentile) and Murphy Elementary (60th). Its strongest academic areas are math and science, where students exceed state averages in every grade tested. For example, 3rd-grade math proficiency is 81.0% compared to the state’s 66.4%. The one soft spot is 4th-grade reading, which dipped below the state average in 2025–26, though scores in this grade tend to swing from year to year due to small class sizes. The school’s success extends to economically disadvantaged students, who rank in the 80th percentile statewide, signaling that the instructional approach works well for its population.

Attendance is another bright spot. Hayesville Elementary’s chronic absenteeism rate of 23.5% is below the state average and far better than many regional peers, such as Peachtree Elementary (50.6%) and even its own primary school, Hayesville Primary School (33.0%), which serves the same community. Interestingly, the school achieves these results while spending less per student than neighboring districts. For parents, Hayesville Elementary represents a school where consistent improvement, strong math and science instruction, and a focus on attendance are producing impressive outcomes despite economic challenges.

280

Students ?

14.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

Community Eligibility

All students receive free meals (2024-25) ?

72 Elementary School Drive
Hayesville, NC 28904-9765

(828) 389-8586

District: Clay County Schools

Students who attend Hayesville Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Hayesville Middle
High:	Hayesville High

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.4%

Hispanic:

8.6%

Two or more races:

4.6%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Hayesville Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 80th percentile in 2023 → 73rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (69% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Above the North Carolina median (73rd percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 80th-percentile peak (2023) to 73rd (2026)

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school69%

District avg69%

North Carolina avg61%

406^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 27%▲ up 22 pts since 2016

From top 49% (2016) to top 27% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

77^th of 246Clay 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	70.5	406 of 1492	72.8%	★★★★☆
2025	64.2	495 of 1490	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	75.7	318 of 1505	78.9%	★★★★☆
2023	75.9	305 of 1502	79.7%	★★★★☆
2022	70.8	392 of 1514	74.1%	★★★★☆
2021	67.8	430 of 1489	71.1%	★★★★☆
2019	65.0	486 of 1473	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	49.9	752 of 1434	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2017	55.1	662 of 1429	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2016	51.3	705 of 1425	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2015	51.1	732 of 1440	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2014	50.7	693 of 1390	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	50.6	651 of 1403	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	30.0	1089 of 1388	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	58.2	645 of 1381	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	43.7	868 of 1363	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	44.1	863 of 1354	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2008	53.3	659 of 1324	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2007	55.7	637 of 1293	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2006	59.7	543 of 1276	57.4%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	56.3	193 of 634	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	44.2	310 of 646	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	42.2	490 of 878	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.9	596 of 897	33.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	61.8	505 of 1447	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	54.5	645 of 1451	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	71.5	344 of 1455	76.4%	★★★★☆
2023	75.2	291 of 1459	80.1%	★★★★☆
2022	64.3	471 of 1458	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	64.7	439 of 1440	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	63.0	504 of 1424	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.0	744 of 1405	47.0%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	68.4	158 of 743	78.7%	★★★★☆
2025	61.4	291 of 710	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	14.5	654 of 669	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	68.0	102 of 582	82.5%	★★★★☆
2022	70.2	14 of 500	97.2%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	84.7	78 of 915	91.5%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	72.0	283 of 1434	80.3%	★★★★☆
2025	76.1	214 of 1437	85.1%	★★★★☆
2024	88.4	59 of 1450	95.9%	★★★★★
2023	86.8	80 of 1437	94.4%	★★★★★
2022	75.3	202 of 1366	85.2%	★★★★☆
2021	71.5	238 of 1329	82.1%	★★★★☆
2019	78.9	173 of 1361	87.3%	★★★★☆
2018	56.3	561 of 1332	57.9%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	76.3	281 of 1451	80.6%	★★★★☆
2025	70.7	371 of 1450	74.4%	★★★★☆
2024	76.2	282 of 1464	80.7%	★★★★☆
2023	74.0	314 of 1461	78.5%	★★★★☆
2022	73.4	329 of 1464	77.5%	★★★★☆
2021	68.0	414 of 1444	71.3%	★★★★☆
2019	65.3	448 of 1430	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	51.1	731 of 1413	48.3%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	61.9	209 of 815	74.4%	★★★★☆
2025	55.8	259 of 821	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.6	113 of 801	85.9%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	46.5	647 of 1146	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	40.6	757 of 1172	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	56.4	505 of 1166	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.5	553 of 1183	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	47.7	640 of 1194	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	46.4	626 of 1172	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.8	664 of 1183	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	25.4	997 of 1178	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Hispanic (2023)91st percentile+12 vs school

Male (2026)81st percentile+8 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)80th percentile+7 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)79th percentile+6 vs school

Special Education (2026)74th percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)70th percentile-5 vs school

Female (2026)65th percentile-8 vs school

White (2026)44th percentile-29 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science77%+9 vs state

Mathematics74%+10 vs state

Reading61%+5 vs state

★

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Schools Near Hayesville Elementary

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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 Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOG Mathematics (2026)			EOG Reading (2026)			EOG Science (2026)	Vaccination (2025-26)		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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	Vaccination: Kindergartners up to date on all required vaccines	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hayesville Elementary	Public	3-5	72 Elementary School Drive	Hayesville	28904	Clay County	Clay County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 389-8586	280	19	14.7	—	242 (86.4%)	1 (0.4%)	24 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.6%)	70.5	406^th of 1492 public elementary schools	72.8%		64.2	495^th of 1490 public elementary schools	66.8%	89	81.0	66.7	74.4	62.0	55.3	69.2	76.6			$10,584	$1,072	$9,511
Hayesville Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	698 Anderson St	Hayesville	28904	Clay County	Clay County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 389-3763	375	25	15.0	—	317 (84.5%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (10.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.8%)								(n/a)								88%	6.5%
Peachtree Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	30 Upper Peachtree Road	Murphy	28906	Cherokee County	Cherokee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 837-2479	166	14	11.6	97.6%	142 (85.5%)	2 (1.2%)	12 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.2%)	64.3	512^th of 1492 public elementary schools	65.7%		81.5	231^st of 1490 public elementary schools	84.5%	281	66.7	78.3	68.8	60.0	78.3	56.3	50.0	81.8%	13.6%	$14,802	$1,757	$13,045
Andrews Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	205 Jean Christy Ave.	Andrews	28901	Cherokee County	Cherokee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 321-4415	330	23	14.3	—	250 (75.8%)	12 (3.6%)	47 (14.2%)	2 (0.6%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.5%)	30.2	1090^th of 1492 public elementary schools	26.9%		22.4	1236^th of 1490 public elementary schools	17.0%	146	48.2	33.9	52.9	35.7	42.9	51.0	80.4	87%	8.7%	$12,783	$1,671	$11,111
Martins Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1459 Tobe Stalcup Road	Murphy	28906	Cherokee County	Cherokee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 837-2831	137	9	14.6	97.8%	122 (89.1%)	3 (2.2%)	6 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.2%)	61.6	554^th of 1492 public elementary schools	62.9%		36.1	979^th of 1490 public elementary schools	34.3%	425	87.5	47.6	57.9	83.3	63.6	57.9	57.9	76%	12%	$14,033	$1,512	$12,522
Murphy Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	315 Valley River Avenue	Murphy	28906	Cherokee County	Cherokee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 837-2424	467	39	11.9	—	386 (82.7%)	11 (2.4%)	18 (3.9%)	6 (1.3%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	42 (9.0%)	59.4	592^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	60.3%		52.9	692^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	53.6%	100	65.9	65.3	68.2	63.4	63.9	56.1	59.1	81.4%	11.9%	$12,640	$1,376	$11,264
Robbinsville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	54 Moose Branch Road	Robbinsville	28771	Graham County	Graham County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 479-9850	521	37	14.1	—	405 (77.7%)	3 (0.6%)	27 (5.2%)	2 (0.4%)	76 (14.6%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.5%)	24.1	1205^th of 1492 public elementary schools	19.2%		24.3	1198^th of 1490 public elementary schools	19.6%	7	50.7	37.3	63.2	41.1	32.5	39.7	61.8	90.8%	8.2%	$13,368	$1,813	$11,555

Frequently Asked Questions about Hayesville Elementary

What schools do graduates of Hayesville Elementary attend?

Students who attend Hayesville Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Hayesville Middle
High : Hayesville High

What district is Hayesville Elementary in?

Clay County Schools

Is Hayesville Elementary a good school?

Hayesville Elementary ranks 406^th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Hayesville Elementary?

Students at Hayesville Elementary are 86% White, 9% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

How many students attend Hayesville Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 280 students attended Hayesville Elementary.

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Schools in Hayesville, NC

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2020–21 through 2025–26 immunization ratesNewOct 19, 2026

2022–23 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

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

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 2, 2026

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.