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Rutherford Early College High School

Q: Is Rutherford Early College High School a good school?

Rutherford Early College High School ranks 108 th of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

108^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 662 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 84% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Rutherford Early College High School is a small public school in Spindale, NC, serving 208 students in grades 9–12 on a community college campus as part of Rutherford County Schools. What makes this school stand out is that nearly 99% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, yet it consistently ranks among the strongest high schools in North Carolina — placing 108th of 662 schools in 2025–2026 (84th percentile) with 4-star ratings in every year of available data.

Within the region, only Polk County Early College ranks higher. Rutherford Early College dramatically outranks the district's three traditional high schools — CHASE High School, R-S Central High School, and East Rutherford High School — which all sit between the 26th and 63rd percentiles. Test scores tell a similar story: the school posted 96.3% proficiency in English II and 95.7% in Math III, roughly 30 points above state averages, with Biology also strong at 80.4%. The exception is Math I, where proficiency has declined sharply from 88% in 2022–2023 to 46.7% in 2025–2026 — still above the state average, but now below some nearby traditional high schools.

Two other trends merit attention. Chronic absenteeism spiked from 11.8% to 30.9% between 2023–2024 and 2024–2025, which is above the state average of 24.2%, though still better than most district high schools. The school's Gifted and Talented subgroup ranking also dropped from the 81st to the 30th percentile over roughly the same period. Finally, the school operates with a distinctive model: students take college courses taught by college instructors, which explains its unusually high reported student-teacher ratio and lower per-pupil spending compared to traditional schools. Despite these caveats, the early college model is producing exceptional outcomes for a student population that is overwhelmingly economically disadvantaged.

208

Students ?

55.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

98.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

286 ICC Loop Road
Spindale, NC 28160

(828) 288-2202

District: Rutherford County Schools

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.6%

Hispanic:

13.9%

Two or more races:

5.8%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Rutherford Early College High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 86th percentile in 2021 → 84th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (88% vs 60% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 16% of North Carolina high schools

Worth a look

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

!Large classes — about 55 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school88%

District avg60%

North Carolina avg60%

108^th of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Top 16%▼ down 2 pts since 2021

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

71^st of 246Rutherford 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	84.6	108 of 662	83.7%	★★★★☆
2025	85.9	104 of 641	83.8%	★★★★☆
2024	91.2	65 of 640	89.8%	★★★★☆
2023	88.6	84 of 626	86.6%	★★★★☆
2022	87.9	91 of 621	85.3%	★★★★☆
2021	87.6	84 of 594	85.9%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	85.4	96 of 629	84.7%	★★★★☆
2025	80.4	122 of 610	80.0%	★★★★☆
2024	88.0	79 of 602	86.9%	★★★★☆
2023	88.9	70 of 588	88.1%	★★★★☆
2022	84.5	93 of 594	84.3%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	48.8	283 of 407	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	45.2	280 of 412	32.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	74.2	78 of 403	80.6%	★★★★☆
2023	56.6	205 of 403	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.6	300 of 398	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	94.8	37 of 474	92.2%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	89.8	88 of 620	85.8%	★★★★☆
2025	93.3	63 of 606	89.6%	★★★★☆
2024	94.0	61 of 613	90.0%	★★★★★
2023	84.3	94 of 597	84.3%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	89.3	89 of 624	85.7%	★★★★☆
2025	92.7	62 of 601	89.7%	★★★★☆
2024	93.9	49 of 607	91.9%	★★★★★
2023	87.2	102 of 602	83.1%	★★★★☆
2022	89.2	86 of 585	85.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	76.3	136 of 551	75.3%	★★★★☆
2025	74.1	153 of 542	71.8%	★★★★☆
2024	86.3	85 of 553	84.6%	★★★★☆
2023	81.7	103 of 537	80.8%	★★★★☆
2022	80.8	106 of 534	80.1%	★★★★☆

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 (2026)92nd percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)86th percentile~ school

Male (2026)86th percentile~ school

Female (2026)85th percentile~ school

White (2026)75th percentile-8 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)30th percentile-53 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English II96%+32 vs state

Math III96%+27 vs state

Biology80%+22 vs state

Math I47%+5 vs state

3.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

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2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, May 12, 2010

I attended the 2010 meeting for this REACH program excited that Rutherford County had such a program for my child that would help him with a college education that myself or his step-dad did not get the opportunity to have. I was under the impression that this was the first priority of the program, to help the kids whose parents did not have a degree. After the results came in from the so called lottery drawing, we have contacted several friends and students who applied also. It was to our suprise that so far, 4 of the children selected, 2 in Rutherfordton - both parents have at least a 4 year or higher college degree, and are known to be very wealthy in town. This is not fair and an outrage and we have contacted Dr. Mason who claims that none of this matters if your name was not drawn in the lottery. So let me see...lets say there are 300 applicants. 250 applicants parents have went to college and 50 did not have a college degree. A lottery was drawn but none of the 50 students names were drawn. This means the program is not at all for these under priveleged children at all if the 50 are not considered first. What is the purpose of the program, and is there a white to black child ratio - as there should be. The NAACP needs to get involved also. This is a drawing like when you gamble, and a who you know program for the wealthy. Let's Get Real. Tell it for what it is. Another poorly ran program that is not what it claims to be. If my son had been chosen and I knew that another child was less fortunate, I would offer my slot first to those who need it most, not who got lucky in the drawing. After all those less fortunate were exausted, then the more fortunate could join in. That is the way it should be. FAIR and what it is advertised for first! Close Quote

Schools Near Rutherford Early College High School

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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 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
Rutherford Early College High School	Public	9-12	286 ICC Loop Road	Spindale	28160	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 288-2202	208	4	55.0	98.6%	149 (71.6%)	8 (3.8%)	29 (13.9%)	9 (4.3%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.8%)	84.6	108^th of 662 public high schools	83.7%		85.9	104^th of 641 public high schools	83.8%	4	80.4	96.3	46.7	95.7	$6,973	$327	$6,646
East Rutherford High School	Public	9-12	331 East High Rd	Bostic	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 245-6424	623	33	18.9	98.4%	411 (66.0%)	89 (14.3%)	74 (11.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	46 (7.4%)	28.3	490^th of 662 public high schools	26.0%		44.8	341^st of 641 public high schools	46.8%	149	42.4	52.0	21.3	65.7	$10,163	$1,106	$9,057
R-S Central High School	Public	9-12	641 Hwy 221 North	Rutherfordton	28139	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 287-3304	763	36	21.2	98.2%	539 (70.6%)	99 (13.0%)	60 (7.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (8.1%)	44.9	368^th of 662 public high schools	44.4%		38.1	391^st of 641 public high schools	39.0%	23	56.2	64.0	22.0	75.2	$10,966	$1,171	$9,795
Chase High School	Public	9-12	1603 Chase High Rd	Forest City	28043	Rutherford County	Rutherford County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 245-5883	596	29	20.7	98.7%	431 (72.3%)	37 (6.2%)	88 (14.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.4%)	61.8	243^rd of 662 public high schools	63.3%		62	220^th of 641 public high schools	65.7%	23	60.3	65.1	62.7	83.9	$10,771	$989	$9,782
Polk County Early College	Public	9-12	1545 East NC 108 Hwy	Columbus	28722	Polk County	Polk County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 894-2698	52	3	18.9	94.2%	46 (88.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (9.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)	89.1	84^th of 662 public high schools	87.3%		90.8	70^th of 641 public high schools	89.1%	14	100.0	90.5		92.9	$9,557	$127	$9,430
Polk County High School	Public	9-12	1681 East NC 108 Hwy	Columbus	28722	Polk County	Polk County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 894-2525	596	32	18.5	99.5%	433 (72.7%)	42 (7.0%)	93 (15.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.5%)	50.6	324^th of 662 public high schools	51.1%		52	280^th of 641 public high schools	56.3%	44	51.2	66.9	46.4	75.7	$12,130	$897	$11,232
Crest High	Public	9-12	800 Old Boiling Springs Road	Shelby	28152	Cleveland County	Cleveland County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 476-8331	1,098	58	18.8	99.7%	671 (61.1%)	254 (23.1%)	91 (8.3%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	76 (6.9%)	64.2	226^th of 662 public high schools	65.9%		42.2	361^st of 641 public high schools	43.7%	135	70.9	62.3	64.5	80.5	$8,650	$808	$7,842

Frequently Asked Questions about Rutherford Early College High School

What is the racial makeup of Rutherford Early College High School?

Students at Rutherford Early College High School are 72% White, 14% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 4% African American.

What schools feed into Rutherford Early College High School?

How many students attend Rutherford Early College High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 208 students attended Rutherford Early College High School.

Is Rutherford Early College High School a good school?

Rutherford Early College High School ranks 108^th of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Rutherford Early College High School in?

Rutherford County Schools

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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.