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Swain County West Elementary

Q: Is Swain County West Elementary a good school?

Swain County West Elementary ranks 902 nd of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-6

902^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,490 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 39% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Swain County West Elementary is a public elementary school in Bryson City, North Carolina, serving 419 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Swain County Schools district, which is ranked 186 out of 242 districts in the state.

Swain County West Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina elementary schools, with performance on state assessments generally below the state and district averages. However, the school's performance in 5th-grade science is a bright spot, with proficiency rates consistently higher than the state and district. The school has a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with nearly 100% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and a relatively low student-to-teacher ratio, which may contribute to its performance.

When compared to nearby schools, Swain County West Elementary's performance is on par with or slightly better than its counterpart, Swain County East Elementary. However, the school lags behind schools in the neighboring Jackson County Public Schools district, such as Scotts Creek School and Cullowhee Valley School, as well as the nearby Mountain Discovery charter school, in several subject areas.

403

Students ?

15.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,938

Per pupil spending ?

99.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4142 Hwy 19 West
Bryson City, NC 28713

(828) 488-2119

District: Swain County Schools

Students who attend Swain County West Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Swain County Middle School
High:	Swain County High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.7%

Two or more races:

11.7%

American Indian:

7.9%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Swain County West Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 69th percentile in 2015 → 39th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (52% vs 57% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 30 percentile points since 2015

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school52%

District avg47%

North Carolina avg57%

902^nd of 1,490

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 39%▼ down 29 pts since 2015

From top 31% (2015) to bottom 39% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2Elementary Schools in the Swain County Schools

186^th of 242Swain 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
2025	40.9	902 of 1490	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.3	907 of 1505	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.3	810 of 1502	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	47.6	782 of 1514	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	58.9	596 of 1489	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.9	716 of 1473	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	42.7	879 of 1434	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	55.0	663 of 1429	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	43.1	875 of 1425	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	68.3	447 of 1440	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2014	74.2	321 of 1390	76.9%	★★★★☆
2013	63.2	467 of 1403	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2012	57.4	655 of 1388	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2011	66.5	481 of 1381	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	67.2	461 of 1363	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2009	62.4	564 of 1354	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	66.1	421 of 1324	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2007	57.5	597 of 1293	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2006	43.4	817 of 1276	36.0%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	59.4	168 of 634	73.5%	★★★★☆
2021	60.3	170 of 646	73.7%	★★★★☆
2019	56.7	285 of 878	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	43.0	482 of 897	46.3%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	33.6	1015 of 1451	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.8	1093 of 1455	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	35.9	951 of 1459	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.8	816 of 1458	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	57.1	576 of 1440	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	48.8	764 of 1424	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.9	747 of 1405	46.8%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	51.9	443 of 669	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	53.2	322 of 500	35.6%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	42.4	854 of 1437	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.3	612 of 1450	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.4	563 of 1437	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	57.2	517 of 1366	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	69.7	260 of 1329	80.4%	★★★★☆
2019	51.1	652 of 1361	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	47.0	717 of 1332	46.2%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	46.7	783 of 1450	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	53.4	686 of 1464	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	61.3	541 of 1461	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	51.2	704 of 1464	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	58.3	572 of 1444	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.2	637 of 1430	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	37.6	966 of 1413	31.6%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	33.3	572 of 821	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.0	532 of 801	33.6%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	22.7	999 of 1172	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.3	980 of 1166	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	31.8	888 of 1183	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.0	961 of 1194	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	36.4	779 of 1172	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.8	938 of 1183	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.8	1040 of 1178	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Disabled (2022)74th percentile+25 vs school

Male (2025)46th percentile+7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)41st percentile~ school

Gifted and Talented (2024)34th percentile-6 vs school

Special Education (2025)30th percentile-9 vs school

Female (2025)30th percentile-9 vs school

White (2025)15th percentile-25 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Science82%+20 vs state

Mathematics55%-6 vs state

Reading40%-13 vs state

★

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Schools Near Swain County West Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)						EOG Reading (2025)						EOG Science (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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
Swain County West Elementary	Public	K-6	4142 Hwy 19 West	Bryson City	28713	Swain County	Swain County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 488-2119	403	26	15.7	99.3%	293 (72.7%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (6.5%)	5 (1.2%)	32 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (11.7%)	40.9	902^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	39.5%		41.3	907^th of 1505 public elementary schools	39.7%	5	61.3	48.2	56.7				38.7	38.6	41.8				82.1		$10,938	$1,448	$9,491
Mountain Discovery	Public, Charter	K-8	890 Jenkins Branch Rd N	Bryson City	28713	Swain County	Mountain Discovery Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(828) 488-1222	221	14	16.2		174 (78.7%)	4 (1.8%)	3 (1.4%)	3 (1.4%)	17 (7.7%)	1 (0.5%)	19 (8.6%)	43.5	860^th of 1490 public elementary schools	42.3%		40.5	923^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	38.7%	63	45.5	40.9	52.2	61.9	55.0	47.6	45.5	45.5	47.8	81.0	75.0	61.9	56.5	66.7
Swain County East Elementary	Public	K-5	4747 Ela Rd	Bryson City	28713	Swain County	Swain County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 488-0939	338	20	16.4	99.1%	160 (47.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (8.6%)	3 (0.9%)	88 (26.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (17.2%)	22.7	1226^th of 1490 public elementary schools	17.7%		25.2	1190^th of 1505 public elementary schools	20.9%	36	56.6	29.8	38.5				45.3	21.3	26.9				53.8		$12,145	$1,906	$10,238
Smokey Mountain Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	884 US Hwy 441N	Whittier	28789	Jackson County	Jackson County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 497-5535	340	22	15.7	96.2%	125 (36.8%)	3 (0.9%)	53 (15.6%)	5 (1.5%)	111 (32.6%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (12.6%)	9.1	1434^th of 1490 public elementary schools	3.8%		8.1	1444^th of 1505 public elementary schools	4.1%	10	41.9	16.3	31.0	25.6	22.6	32.4	22.6	27.9	31.0	27.9	38.7	48.6	51.7	54.3	$11,755	$1,735	$10,021
Iotla Valley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	1166 Iotla Church Road	Franklin	28734	Macon County	Macon County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 524-2938	408	32	12.9	99.3%	328 (80.4%)	2 (0.5%)	64 (15.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.9%)	41	900^th of 1490 public elementary schools	39.6%		51.1	729^th of 1505 public elementary schools	51.6%	171	53.0	55.6					34.8	59.7							$10,664	$1,364	$9,300
Cherokee Central Elementary School	Public	K-5	130 Ravensford Drive	Cherokee	28719	Swain County	Cherokee Central Elementary School	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(828) 554-5020	607	94	6.4	99.5%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	607 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
East Franklin Elementary	Public	K-4	100 Watauga St	Franklin	28734	Macon County	Macon County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 524-3216	315	25	12.5	99.0%	200 (63.5%)	0 (0.0%)	109 (34.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	31.1	1072^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	28.1%		42	890^th of 1505 public elementary schools	40.9%	182	45.7	44.7					41.4	52.6							$10,178	$875	$9,304
Cartoogechaye Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	3295 Old Murphy Road	Franklin	28734	Macon County	Macon County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 524-2845	354	25	14.3	99.2%	256 (72.3%)	5 (1.4%)	76 (21.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.5%)	61.1	545^th of 1490 public elementary schools	63.4%		51.5	721^st of 1505 public elementary schools	52.1%	176	70.0	56.9					54.3	58.5							$10,078	$941	$9,137
Fairview School	Public	PK, KG-8	251 Big Orange Way	Sylva	28779	Jackson County	Jackson County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 586-2819	797	48	16.5	98.0%	550 (69.0%)	11 (1.4%)	144 (18.1%)	10 (1.3%)	32 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (6.3%)	49.6	749^th of 1490 public elementary schools	49.7%		61.1	563^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	62.6%	186	54.8	58.2	59.2	63.2	62.2	65.3	40.9	64.8	39.8	60.5	46.3	52.6	57.1	67.4	$8,533	$860	$7,673
Scotts Creek School	Public	PK, KG-8	516 Parris Branch	Sylva	28779	Jackson County	Jackson County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 631-2740	422	29	14.6	98.6%	290 (68.7%)	9 (2.1%)	75 (17.8%)	6 (1.4%)	12 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.1%)	32.3	1051^st of 1490 public elementary schools	29.5%		31.5	1072^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	28.8%	21	24.1	40.4	40.8	38.0	44.2	22.4	27.8	42.6	63.3	50.0	48.8	51.0	75.5	73.5	$9,973	$1,203	$8,770

Frequently Asked Questions about Swain County West Elementary

Is Swain County West Elementary a good school?

Swain County West Elementary ranks 902^nd of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Swain County West Elementary?

Students at Swain County West Elementary are 73% White, 12% Two or more races, 8% American Indian, 6% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Swain County West Elementary attend?

Students who attend Swain County West Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Swain County Middle School
High : Swain County High School

What district is Swain County West Elementary in?

Swain County Schools

How many students attend Swain County West Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 403 students attended Swain County West Elementary.

Rate Swain County West Elementary!

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Schools in Bryson City, 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.