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Wilkes Central High School

Q: Is Wilkes Central High School a good school?

Wilkes Central High School ranks 341 st of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

341^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 662 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 48% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Wilkes Central High School is a public high school in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, serving 719 students in grades 9–12 within Wilkes County Schools. It is the largest traditional high school in the county, and the district overall ranks in the 64th percentile statewide. Wilkes Central currently holds a 2-star rating and ranks 341st among 662 North Carolina high schools (48th percentile) — an improvement from recent years, though it still trails every other traditional high school in the county: North Wilkes High School (70th percentile), East Wilkes High School (51st), and West Wilkes High School (50th). The selective Wilkes Early College High School sits far ahead at the 89th percentile, though early college schools draw a self-selected student body and are not a direct comparison.

Academically, Wilkes Central shows a striking split by subject. Math performance is a genuine bright spot: Math I proficiency was 56.7% in 2025–2026, well above the state average of 42.1% and close to the district's 58.1%, while Math III reached 71.8%. The story is very different in science and English. Biology proficiency was just 45.5% in 2025–2026 versus 58.5% statewide — and only 28.7% the year before, far below East Wilkes High School at 54.3% that same year. English II also lags the state. Subgroup results are a particular concern: English Learner students ranked at the 9th percentile and Special Education students at the 15th percentile in the latest state ratings, following steep drops from the prior year, though small group sizes can make these numbers swing considerably.

Attendance may be the single biggest barrier to progress. Chronic absenteeism at Wilkes Central was 27.7% in 2024–2025 — more than 10 points above the district average of 16.9% and nearly double East Wilkes' rate of 14.7%. Since 99.6% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, poverty itself does not set Wilkes Central apart from its neighbors, as surrounding high schools are similarly high-poverty. Graduation is solid at 89.2%, matching the state average but falling below the district's 93.3%. Encouragingly, Wilkes Central has climbed from the 31st percentile in 2023–2024 to the 48th percentile for two straight years, and it serves its low-income students at the 59th percentile statewide. Sustained attention to attendance and to science and literacy instruction could help the school close the remaining gap with its county peers.

719

Students ?

14.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,054

Per pupil spending ?

99.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1179 Moravian Falls Rd
Wilkesboro, NC 28697-9443

(336) 667-5277

District: Wilkes County Schools

Feeder schools for Wilkes Central High School:

Elementary:	Boomer-Ferguson Elementary School
	C C Wright Elementary School
	Moravian Falls Elementary School
	North Wilkesboro Elementary School
	More...
	Wilkesboro Elementary School
Middle:	Central Wilkes Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.8%

Hispanic:

26.6%

African American:

11.0%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Wilkes Central High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 34th percentile in 2016 → 48th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 14 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

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

!Biology scores 13 pts below the North Carolina average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school60%

District avg66%

North Carolina avg60%

341^st of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Bottom 48%▲ up 15 pts since 2016

From bottom 34% (2016) to bottom 48% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 2High Schools in the Wilkes County Schools

89^th of 246Wilkes 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	48.4	341 of 662	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	45.9	332 of 641	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	30.9	442 of 640	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.0	371 of 626	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	39.1	361 of 621	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.1	310 of 594	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	31.6	336 of 514	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.8	281 of 469	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2017	31.6	305 of 476	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	27.0	337 of 507	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2015	32.7	323 of 531	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2014	29.1	282 of 451	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	36.8	260 of 505	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2012	62.3	131 of 502	73.9%	★★★★☆
2011	62.1	154 of 506	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2010	63.8	147 of 499	70.5%	★★★★☆
2009	70.5	69 of 490	85.9%	★★★★☆
2008	71.6	59 of 477	87.6%	★★★★☆
2007	59.8	143 of 453	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2006	69.2	79 of 431	81.7%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	44.3	228 of 450	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	42.9	222 of 440	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	53.5	145 of 437	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	29.7	305 of 434	29.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.6	208 of 430	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	31.8	219 of 364	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.5	211 of 369	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	47.7	144 of 359	59.9%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	32.6	208 of 330	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	60.6	73 of 334	78.1%	★★★★☆
2019	47.8	147 of 364	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	23.2	294 of 349	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	17.7	264 of 289	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	42.1	144 of 273	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.9	170 of 262	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	21.5	207 of 226	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	54.1	50 of 156	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	96.8	5 of 124	96.0%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	51.1	309 of 629	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	43.6	341 of 610	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.8	420 of 602	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.0	342 of 588	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	39.4	352 of 594	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.6	217 of 475	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	28.8	342 of 475	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	33.4	305 of 449	32.1%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	50.3	265 of 412	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.9	302 of 403	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	81.1	47 of 403	88.3%	★★★★☆
2022	70.1	113 of 398	71.6%	★★★★☆
2021	63.8	127 of 337	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	30.3	271 of 325	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	41.8	259 of 474	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.2	274 of 462	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	19.3	398 of 454	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.4	340 of 449	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	29.5	322 of 436	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	39.3	183 of 370	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	13.3	337 of 354	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	19.9	290 of 340	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	51.2	252 of 620	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	51.5	234 of 606	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	38.4	348 of 613	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.2	383 of 597	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.0	333 of 544	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.1	184 of 432	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	25.2	329 of 446	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	45.9	183 of 424	56.8%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	43.7	355 of 624	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	46.2	304 of 601	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.4	435 of 607	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.2	396 of 602	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.6	351 of 585	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	43.6	213 of 481	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	31.3	317 of 488	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.2	283 of 463	38.9%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	45.4	150 of 265	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.0	156 of 253	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	22.9	224 of 261	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.2	196 of 249	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.6	189 of 226	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	49.6	96 of 199	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	25.3	159 of 195	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.0	149 of 185	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	23.2	315 of 372	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	58.1	86 of 352	75.6%	★★★★☆
2024	44.1	159 of 349	54.4%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	51.2	278 of 551	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	46.7	287 of 542	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.1	425 of 553	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	37.4	349 of 537	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.4	313 of 534	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.9	200 of 439	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	28.2	330 of 444	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.1	319 of 427	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)59th percentile+11 vs school

Female (2026)51st percentile~ school

White (2026)50th percentile~ school

African American (2026)49th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)45th percentile-3 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)43rd percentile-5 vs school

Male (2026)43rd percentile-5 vs school

Disabled (2022)37th percentile-5 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)36th percentile-13 vs school

Special Education (2026)15th percentile-33 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)9th percentile-40 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Math III72%+3 vs state

English II63%~ state avg

Math I57%+15 vs state

Biology45%-13 vs state

★

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Schools Near Wilkes Central 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
Wilkes Central High School	Public	9-12	1179 Moravian Falls Rd	Wilkesboro	28697	Wilkes County	Wilkes County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 667-5277	719	49	14.6	99.6%	365 (50.8%)	79 (11.0%)	191 (26.6%)	7 (1.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	74 (10.3%)	48.4	341^st of 662 public high schools	48.5%		45.9	332^nd of 641 public high schools	48.2%	9	45.5	63.2	56.7	71.8	$9,054	$938	$8,116
Wilkes Early College High School	Public	9-12	1328 S Collegiate Dr	Wilkesboro	28697	Wilkes County	Wilkes County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 838-6247	265	9	29.4	98.9%	205 (77.4%)	6 (2.3%)	36 (13.6%)	7 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.2%)	90.5	71^st of 662 public high schools	89.3%		89.7	79^th of 641 public high schools	87.7%	8	83.9	94.7	89.7	99.9	$6,729	$458	$6,271
West Wilkes High School	Public	9-12	6598 Boone Trail	Millers Creek	28651	Wilkes County	Wilkes County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 903-6710	582	41	14.3	99.3%	464 (79.7%)	4 (0.7%)	97 (16.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.4%)	49.7	331^st of 662 public high schools	50.0%		50.2	293^rd of 641 public high schools	54.3%	38	45.7	64.9	50.0	77.9	$9,570	$787	$8,783
North Wilkes High School	Public	9-12	2986 Traphill Rd	Hays	28635	Wilkes County	Wilkes County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 903-4040	578	40	14.4	97.9%	457 (79.1%)	6 (1.0%)	92 (15.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.8%)	68.7	196^th of 662 public high schools	70.4%		62.3	217^th of 641 public high schools	66.1%	21	55.9	71.3	73.0	83.0	$9,880	$1,015	$8,865
Alexander Central High	Public	9-12	223 School Drive	Taylorsville	28681	Alexander County	Alexander County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 632-7063	1,254	79	15.9	99.8%	992 (79.1%)	59 (4.7%)	129 (10.3%)	10 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (4.9%)	38.3	415^th of 662 public high schools	37.3%		48.8	310^th of 641 public high schools	51.6%	105	52.9	61.4	40.4	58.4	$10,255	$776	$9,479
Alexander Early College	Public	9-12	345 Industrial Blvd	Taylorsville	28681	Alexander County	Alexander County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 632-8221	172	6	28.6	98.3%	122 (70.9%)	3 (1.7%)	34 (19.8%)	9 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.3%)	91.9	58^th of 662 public high schools	91.2%		87.2	96^th of 641 public high schools	85.0%	38	95.3	95.4	88.0	95.6	$6,455	$116	$6,339
East Wilkes High School	Public	9-12	13315 Elkin Hwy 268	Ronda	28670	Wilkes County	Wilkes County Schools	No	No	No	No	(336) 651-7200	469	28	16.4	99.4%	407 (86.8%)	5 (1.1%)	30 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.3%)	50.5	325^th of 662 public high schools	50.9%		45.8	333^rd of 641 public high schools	48.0%	8	61.2	66.1	40.7	72.1	$10,562	$769	$9,794

Frequently Asked Questions about Wilkes Central High School

How many students attend Wilkes Central High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 719 students attended Wilkes Central High School.

What is the racial makeup of Wilkes Central High School?

Students at Wilkes Central High School are 51% White, 27% Hispanic, 11% African American, 10% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Wilkes Central High School?

Wilkes Central High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Boomer-Ferguson Elementary School
Elementary : C C Wright Elementary School
Elementary : Moravian Falls Elementary School
Elementary : North Wilkesboro Elementary School
Elementary : Wilkesboro Elementary School
Middle : Central Wilkes Middle School

Is Wilkes Central High School a good school?

Wilkes Central High School ranks 341^st of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Wilkes Central High School in?

Wilkes County Schools

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Schools in Wilkesboro, NC

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »

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

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresNewSep 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.