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Nantahala School

Public, Alternative Grades K-12

Summary

Nantahala School is an alternative public school located in Topton, North Carolina, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 85 students. The school is part of the Macon County Schools district, which is ranked 87 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Nantahala School consistently outperforms the Macon County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in various end-of-course (EOC) and end-of-grade (EOG) assessments. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Nantahala School had a 66.7% proficiency rate in EOC/Biology, compared to 50.1% for Macon County Schools and 53.4% for North Carolina. The school also has a significantly lower student-teacher ratio of 6.7, compared to 34 at Macon Virtual Academy and 124.2 at Cherokee Extension School. However, Nantahala School has experienced fluctuations in its free and reduced lunch rates, ranging from 27.06% in 2021-2022 to 78.82% in 2022-2023.

The consistently strong academic performance of Nantahala School, along with its unique student-teacher ratio, suggests that the school is effectively meeting the educational needs of its students. While Cherokee Extension School serves a more diverse student population, it has a much higher student-teacher ratio and lower free and reduced lunch rates compared to Nantahala School. Similarly, Macon Virtual Academy has a higher percentage of white students but a significantly higher student-teacher ratio and lower free and reduced lunch rates. These comparisons provide valuable insights into the factors that contribute to student success in this unique educational setting.

Students ?

11.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,882

Per pupil spending ?

96.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

213 Windingstairs Rd
Topton, NC 28781-9728

(828) 321-4388

District: Macon County Schools

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.5%

Hispanic:

8.2%

Two or more races:

5.2%

See top rated North Carolina public schools

Compare Nantahala School to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 43rd percentile in 2013 → 74th in 2024

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 31 percentile points since 2013

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (55% vs 66% meeting standards)

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school55%

District avg71%

North Carolina avg66%

Not ranked this year

Nantahala School did not have enough recent test-score data to be ranked. Check the trend below for past years.

113^th of 242Macon 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	86.6	145 of 1473	90.2%	★★★★★
2015	50.2	748 of 1440	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2013	42.6	799 of 1403	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2012	54.3	701 of 1388	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	30.1	1069 of 1381	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	50.1	769 of 1363	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2009	26.3	1078 of 1354	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	19.4	1141 of 1324	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	50.6	728 of 1293	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2006	55.3	616 of 1276	51.7%	★★★☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	70.1	201 of 786	74.4%	★★★★☆
2015	67.1	215 of 705	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	64.5	201 of 673	70.1%	★★★★☆
2012	70.2	196 of 662	70.4%	★★★★☆
2011	64.5	258 of 648	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	81.8	68 of 640	89.4%	★★★★☆
2009	46.1	402 of 630	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	51.5	337 of 620	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2007	44.9	397 of 606	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2006	58.8	277 of 598	53.7%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	52.7	294 of 658	55.3%	★★★☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	72.6	168 of 640	73.8%	★★★★☆
2016	22.5	367 of 507	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	46.7	203 of 531	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2014	53.3	135 of 451	70.1%	★★★★☆
2012	42.1	296 of 502	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2011	69.0	92 of 506	81.8%	★★★★☆
2010	66.6	114 of 499	77.2%	★★★★☆
2009	37.6	356 of 490	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	69.0	76 of 477	84.1%	★★★★☆
2007	46.0	264 of 453	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2006	50.8	225 of 431	47.8%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	59.4	235 of 553	57.5%	★★★☆☆

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)

Middle school

White (2022)55th percentile-19 vs school

High school

White (2024)58th percentile-16 vs school

★

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Schools Near Nantahala School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				EOC Biology (2025)	EOC English II (2025)	EOC Math III (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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Nantahala School	Public, Alternative	K-12	213 Windingstairs Rd	Topton	28781	Macon County	Macon County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 321-4388	97	8	11.7	96.9%	81 (83.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.2%)								(n/a)			54.5	$21,882	$1,206	$20,675
Macon Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	1202 Old Murphy Rd	Franklin	28734	Macon County	Macon County Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(828) 524-3314	44	0		43.2%	38 (86.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.3%)								(n/a)	36.4	42.9
Cherokee Extension School	Public, Alternative	K-12	50 Main Street	Bryson City	28713	Swain County	Swain County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 488-3129	110	0		2.7%	75 (68.2%)	3 (2.7%)	16 (14.5%)	1 (0.9%)	5 (4.5%)	1 (0.9%)	9 (8.2%)								(n/a)				$6,438	$455	$5,983

Frequently Asked Questions about Nantahala School

What is the racial makeup of Nantahala School?

Students at Nantahala School are 84% White, 8% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% American Indian.

How many students attend Nantahala School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 97 students attended Nantahala School.

What district is Nantahala School in?

Macon County Schools

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Schools in Topton, NC

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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.