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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28679

Coming soon: We're expecting this year's test scores from the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction any day now — new rankings will be posted the moment they're released!

Coming soon: This year's test scores are expected from the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction any day now — new rankings will follow the moment they're released!

At a glance

School

128

Students

Top rankedBethel Elementary550^th of 1,490 North Carolina elementary schools

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Biggest riser

Bethel Elementary up 194 spots statewide this year

See the top-ranked North Carolina schools →

Summary:

The 28679 zip code area in North Carolina is home to two strong-performing elementary schools - Valle Crucis Elementary and Bethel Elementary. Both schools serve students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade and are part of the highly-rated Watauga County Schools district.

Valle Crucis Elementary is the higher-ranked of the two, coming in at 462 out of 1,490 North Carolina elementary schools and earning a 3-out-of-5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school consistently outperforms the district and state averages in mathematics, reading, and science proficiency. Bethel Elementary is also a strong performer, ranking 550 out of 1,490 and earning a 3-star rating, with particularly high marks in mathematics and science.

Both schools serve a significant population of economically disadvantaged students, with free/reduced lunch rates above 45%. However, they continue to demonstrate impressive academic achievements, likely due to effective strategies and resource allocation. Bethel Elementary spends more per student and has a lower student-teacher ratio than Valle Crucis Elementary, which may contribute to its ability to support its student population. Overall, the schools in the 28679 zip code area are standout institutions within the highly-rated Watauga County Schools district.

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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 (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
Bethel Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	138 Bethel School Rd	Sugar Grove	28679	Watauga County	Watauga County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 297-2240	128	17	7.7	55.5%	115 (89.8%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (7.0%)	60.8	550^th of 1490 public elementary schools	63.1%		50.1	744^th of 1505 public elementary schools	50.6%	194	46.2	45.5	64.3	76.9	72.7	37.5	53.8	72.7	57.1	53.8	72.7	62.5	71.4	68.8	$14,795	$1,301	$13,494

Cities Near Zip Code 28679

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Sugar Grove	2.12 mi	1	91^st
Boone	7 mi	8	100^th
Vilas	7.19 mi	1	90^th
Zionville	8 mi	1	215^th
Banner Elk	8.68 mi	1	7^th

See the top NC North Carolina cities

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.