Best High Schools in Zip Code 28607

Zip code 28607 is home to two public high schools serving grades 9–12 — Watauga High and Watauga Innovation Academy — both part of Watauga County Schools and sharing the same Boone campus at 300 Go Pioneers Drive. Together they serve 1,581 students, with Watauga High enrolling roughly 81.5% of the area's high school population (1,289 students) compared with 292 at Watauga Innovation Academy.

Looking at academics, Watauga High stands out. It ranks 163rd among 662 North Carolina high schools, earning a 4-star rating and a 75th percentile placement, while Watauga Innovation Academy ranks 293rd with 3 stars and a 56th percentile. Watauga High posts higher End-of-Course proficiency in Biology, English II, and Math III, and exceeds district and state averages in those subjects. Watauga Innovation Academy, however, outperforms both Watauga High and the district in Math I with a 68.8% proficiency rate. In non-test areas, Watauga Innovation Academy leads with a 94.4% graduation rate — above Watauga High's 91.4%, the district's 91.9%, and the state's 88.8% — despite serving a student body with a higher free/reduced lunch rate (44.2% vs. 33.1%).

Attendance is a shared strength: both schools report chronic absenteeism around 12.4–12.5%, less than half the state's 24.2%. Perhaps the most striking difference is per-pupil spending, with Watauga High spending $11,160 compared with just $2,667 at Watauga Innovation Academy, although these figures date to 2018–2019. Both schools made strong year-over-year gains in Biology and Math I. In sum, Watauga High is the stronger test-score performer and higher-ranked school, while Watauga Innovation Academy offers a smaller, more cost-efficient model with a higher graduation rate — two distinct approaches that together serve the Boone community well.