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

Etowah Elementary

Q: Is Etowah Elementary a good school?

Etowah Elementary ranks 269 th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

269^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 82% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Etowah Elementary, located in Etowah, NC, is a mid-sized public school serving 302 students in grades K–5 as part of Henderson County Schools. The school holds a 4-star state rating, ranking 269th out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools — the 82nd percentile for the 2025–26 school year. With about 53% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, Etowah serves a more economically diverse population than many nearby high performers, yet its results remain solidly above average. A student-teacher ratio of 13.9 also means smaller classes than at Glenn C Marlow Elementary (15.9), Mills River Elementary (15.5), or Fletcher Elementary (15.3).

Academically, Etowah shines brightest in the upper grades. In 5th grade, 78.9% of students are proficient in reading — well above the district’s 57.2% and the state’s 55.3% — and 75.4% are proficient in math. Science is the standout subject: 86% proficiency is among the highest in the region, comparable to Clear Creek Elementary (86.8%) and Mills River Elementary (85.7%) and ahead of Glenn C Marlow Elementary (82.2%) and Hendersonville Elementary (78.8%). The school also earns exceptional statewide rankings for students who often face the biggest hurdles: low-income students place in the 91st percentile and gifted students in the 96th. The one soft spot is 3rd-grade reading (54.2% vs. 58.2% district), but since reading proficiency jumps to well above average by 4th and 5th grade, this looks like a recent cohort blip rather than a systemic weakness.

Attendance is another clear strength. Chronic absenteeism fell from 20.6% in 2022–23 to 12.8% in 2024–25 — better than the district rate of 14.5% and less than half the state’s 24.2%; Brevard Academy, by comparison, sits at 21.7%. Locally, Etowah trails only Glenn C Marlow Elementary, Hendersonville Elementary, and Mills River Elementary in overall state ranking while finishing ahead of Atkinson Elementary, Fletcher Elementary, Clear Creek Elementary, Pisgah Forest Elementary, and Bruce Drysdale Elementary — an especially impressive standing given its less affluent student body. The school has not yet returned to its pre-pandemic 5-star peak, but improving attendance, standout upper-grade academics, and excellent outcomes for low-income and gifted students make Etowah a compelling choice for families.

302

Students ?

13.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

52.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

320 Etowah School Road
Etowah, NC 28729

(828) 891-6560

District: Henderson County Schools

Students who attend Etowah Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Rugby Middle
High:	Henderson County Early College
	West Henderson High

Racial breakdown:

White:

75.5%

Hispanic:

18.2%

Two or more races:

5.0%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Etowah Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 73rd percentile in 2021 → 82nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (73% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 18% of North Carolina elementary schools

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 82nd (2026) from a 73rd-percentile low (2021)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school73%

District avg63%

North Carolina avg61%

269^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 18%▼ down 11 pts since 2016

From top 7% (2016) to top 18% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

74^th of 246Henderson 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	77.8	269 of 1492	82.0%	★★★★☆
2025	81.8	224 of 1490	85.0%	★★★★☆
2024	71.6	375 of 1505	75.1%	★★★★☆
2023	71.1	387 of 1502	74.2%	★★★★☆
2022	77.2	289 of 1514	80.9%	★★★★☆
2021	70.0	398 of 1489	73.3%	★★★★☆
2019	85.0	165 of 1473	88.8%	★★★★☆
2018	89.2	107 of 1434	92.5%	★★★★★
2017	88.5	103 of 1429	92.8%	★★★★★
2016	89.0	100 of 1425	93.0%	★★★★★
2015	89.5	94 of 1440	93.5%	★★★★★
2014	82.8	196 of 1390	85.9%	★★★★☆
2013	90.2	101 of 1403	92.8%	★★★★★
2012	87.2	79 of 1388	94.3%	★★★★★
2011	84.6	130 of 1381	90.6%	★★★★★
2010	87.1	85 of 1363	93.8%	★★★★★
2009	86.9	91 of 1354	93.3%	★★★★★
2008	86.4	108 of 1324	91.8%	★★★★★
2007	82.5	128 of 1293	90.1%	★★★★★
2006	82.6	138 of 1276	89.2%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	66.2	430 of 1447	70.3%	★★★★☆
2025	77.4	254 of 1451	82.5%	★★★★☆
2024	63.4	486 of 1455	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	63.6	495 of 1459	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	82.8	188 of 1458	87.1%	★★★★☆
2021	69.9	367 of 1440	74.5%	★★★★☆
2019	80.6	202 of 1424	85.8%	★★★★☆
2018	86.3	117 of 1405	91.7%	★★★★★

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	69.2	31 of 743	95.8%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	77.3	144 of 981	85.3%	★★★★☆
2025	60.6	314 of 961	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	47.7	483 of 951	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	63.7	246 of 915	73.1%	★★★★☆
2021	53.1	327 of 843	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	81.9	88 of 865	89.8%	★★★★☆
2018	91.3	28 of 851	96.7%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	82.0	134 of 1434	90.7%	★★★★★
2025	86.8	80 of 1437	94.4%	★★★★★
2024	75.7	220 of 1450	84.8%	★★★★☆
2023	77.8	201 of 1437	86.0%	★★★★☆
2022	87.8	66 of 1366	95.2%	★★★★★
2021	67.2	298 of 1329	77.6%	★★★★☆
2019	89.9	56 of 1361	95.9%	★★★★★
2018	92.6	31 of 1332	97.7%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	83.6	185 of 1451	87.3%	★★★★☆
2025	82.3	200 of 1450	86.2%	★★★★☆
2024	72.3	349 of 1464	76.2%	★★★★☆
2023	74.4	307 of 1461	79.0%	★★★★☆
2022	68.7	404 of 1464	72.4%	★★★★☆
2021	67.7	420 of 1444	70.9%	★★★★☆
2019	87.8	120 of 1430	91.6%	★★★★★
2018	89.5	95 of 1413	93.3%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	64.3	175 of 801	78.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	61.7	432 of 1146	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	73.4	277 of 1172	76.4%	★★★★☆
2024	64.1	395 of 1166	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.2	571 of 1183	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.5	420 of 1194	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	54.9	505 of 1172	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	73.1	274 of 1183	76.8%	★★★★☆
2018	75.8	256 of 1178	78.3%	★★★★☆

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)

Gifted and Talented (2026)96th percentile+14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)91st percentile+9 vs school

Male (2026)87th percentile+5 vs school

Hispanic (2026)85th percentile+3 vs school

Special Education (2024)78th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)70th percentile-12 vs school

White (2026)62nd percentile-20 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science86%+18 vs state

Mathematics76%+13 vs state

Reading66%+10 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Etowah Elementary and help other families decide.

Rate Etowah Elementary

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

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Etowah Elementary

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)				EOG Mathematics (2026)						EOG Reading (2026)						EOG Science (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	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
Etowah Elementary	Public	K-5	320 Etowah School Road	Etowah	28729	Henderson County	Henderson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 891-6560	302	22	13.9	52.6%	228 (75.5%)	3 (1.0%)	55 (18.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.0%)	77.8	269^th of 1492 public elementary schools	82.0%		81.8	224^th of 1490 public elementary schools	85.0%	45	81.3	72.9	75.4				54.2	62.7	78.9				86.0		$10,276	$964	$9,313
Mills River Elementary	Public	K-5	94 School House Road	Mills River	28759	Henderson County	Henderson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 891-6563	608	39	15.5	40.6%	497 (81.7%)	7 (1.2%)	76 (12.5%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	22 (3.6%)	78.6	258^th of 1492 public elementary schools	82.7%		83.2	199^th of 1490 public elementary schools	86.6%	59	84.1	71.2	74.1				73.2	66.3	58.9				85.7		$9,074	$912	$8,162
Atkinson Elementary	Public	K-5	2510 Old Kanuga Road	Hendersonville	28739	Henderson County	Henderson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 697-4755	288	22	13.2	42.4%	240 (83.3%)	5 (1.7%)	26 (9.0%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (1.0%)	10 (3.5%)	76.9	281^st of 1492 public elementary schools	81.2%		64.5	490^th of 1490 public elementary schools	67.1%	209	88.6	67.4	70.5				70.5	58.7	81.8				75.0		$9,752	$871	$8,881
Brevard Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	1110 Hendersonville Highway	Pisgah Forest	28768	Transylvania County	Brevard Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(828) 885-2665	435	28	15.4		388 (89.2%)	8 (1.8%)	21 (4.8%)	8 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.3%)	73.1	358^th of 1492 public elementary schools	76.0%		65.6	473^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	68.3%	115	75.0	84.4	60.9	59.1	54.3	54.8	79.5	77.8	56.5	60.5	65.2	71.4	78.3	90.5
Hendersonville Elementary	Public	K-5	1039 Randall Circle	Hendersonville	28791	Henderson County	Henderson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 697-4752	323	22	14.3	38.7%	263 (81.4%)	8 (2.5%)	27 (8.4%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (7.1%)	88.5	139^th of 1492 public elementary schools	90.7%		90.2	108^th of 1490 public elementary schools	92.8%	31	86.3	90.2	75.0				76.5	88.5	71.2				78.8		$10,145	$1,115	$9,030
Glenn C Marlow Elementary	Public	K-5	1985 Butler Bridge Road	Mills River	28759	Henderson County	Henderson County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 654-3225	562	35	15.9	30.2%	443 (78.8%)	18 (3.2%)	58 (10.3%)	18 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	20 (3.6%)	89.5	122^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	91.8%		91.3	89^th of 1490 public elementary schools	94.0%	33	89.5	86.5	83.3				75.6	82.3	66.7				82.2		$9,247	$669	$8,577
Bruce Drysdale Elementary	Public	K-5	271 Bearcat Blvd.	Hendersonville	28792	Henderson County	Henderson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 697-5568	473	32	14.5	99.4%	203 (42.9%)	48 (10.1%)	145 (30.7%)	2 (0.4%)	7 (1.5%)	17 (3.6%)	51 (10.8%)	51.8	698^th of 1492 public elementary schools	53.2%		49.5	750^th of 1490 public elementary schools	49.7%	52	60.5	38.6	63.0				61.0	59.0	63.0				69.5		$10,708	$1,509	$9,198
Pisgah Forest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1076 Ecusta Rd	Brevard	28712	Transylvania County	Transylvania County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 877-4481	431	38	11.4	99.3%	308 (71.5%)	13 (3.0%)	88 (20.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.7%)	17 (3.9%)	63.9	519^th of 1492 public elementary schools	65.2%		56.6	622^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	58.3%	103	70.1	84.9	52.5				55.2	75.3	57.4				65.6		$9,707	$841	$8,866
The Mountain Community School	Public, Charter	K-8	613 Glover Street	Hendersonville	28792	Henderson County	The Mountain Community School	Yes	No	No	No	(828) 696-8480	190	13	14.1		158 (83.2%)	2 (1.1%)	17 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.8%)	82	217^th of 1492 public elementary schools	85.5%		67.8	432^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	71.0%	215	76.2	54.5	90.5	68.2	56.5	27.8	85.7	77.3	90.5	63.6	87.0	50.0	95.2	61.1
Fletcher Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	500 Howard Gap Road	Fletcher	28732	Henderson County	Henderson County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 684-0580	434	28	15.3	57.4%	278 (64.1%)	29 (6.7%)	97 (22.4%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (5.3%)	67.3	466^th of 1492 public elementary schools	68.8%		68.3	422^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	71.7%	44	80.0	72.6	63.5				63.3	61.3	58.1				71.6		$10,006	$951	$9,055

Frequently Asked Questions about Etowah Elementary

Is Etowah Elementary a good school?

Etowah Elementary ranks 269^th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Etowah Elementary in?

Henderson County Schools

What is the racial makeup of Etowah Elementary?

Students at Etowah Elementary are 75% White, 18% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

How many students attend Etowah Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 302 students attended Etowah Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Etowah Elementary attend?

Students who attend Etowah Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Rugby Middle
High : Henderson County Early College
High : West Henderson High

Rate Etowah Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina Elementary School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Etowah, NC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Etowah Elementary!

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.