Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28622

ZIP code 28622 contains two public schools in Avery County Schools, both serving exactly 202 students: Cranberry Middle for grades 6–8 and Freedom Trail Elementary for grades PK–5. Both schools serve very high-poverty communities, with more than 94% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and the district ranks 102 out of 246 statewide (59th percentile, 3 stars).

By most academic measures, Cranberry Middle is the stronger school. It ranks 163 out of 778 middle schools in the state (79th percentile, 4 stars), while Freedom Trail Elementary sits at 557 out of 1,492 elementary schools (63rd percentile, 3 stars) after sliding from a rank of 287 in 2023–2024. Cranberry Middle's math proficiency is exceptional: 91.3% of 6th graders, 83.6% of 7th graders, and 63.5% of 8th graders are proficient — an average of 79.5% compared to 56.1% statewide. Its reading and science scores also top state averages. Freedom Trail Elementary, by comparison, is strong in math (75.8% average proficiency, with 84.4% in 3rd grade), but reading scores are slightly below the state average and only 50% of 5th graders are proficient in science versus 67.7% statewide.

Both schools struggle with chronic absenteeism: 36.4% at Cranberry Middle and 26.4% at Freedom Trail Elementary, each well above district and state averages. Test scores also vary sharply from year to year, meaning a single grade cohort can heavily influence the school's current ranking. Freedom Trail Elementary's 3rd-grade math jumped from 40% to 84.4% proficiency in one year while its 5th-grade science fell from 71% to 50%; Cranberry Middle's math and science improved dramatically, but 6th-grade reading dropped from 74.6% to 56.5%. With no high school located in this ZIP code, students head to high schools elsewhere in Avery County Schools, making Cranberry Middle's results an important signal of readiness.