Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28713

Schools in zip code 28713 serve the Bryson City, North Carolina area and include 7 public schools spanning elementary through high school, plus an alternative school, within the Swain County Schools district and the Mountain Discovery Charter School district. These schools face significant challenges, with nearly all students in the traditional district qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and chronic absenteeism running well above the state average.

The clearest bright spot is Mountain Discovery, a charter K-8 school whose district ranks in the 63rd percentile. It posted exceptional upper-grade results, including 86.7% proficiency in 8th grade reading and 100% in 8th grade science, far exceeding state averages. Among traditional schools, Swain County High School stands out with an 89.2% graduation rate and 70.5% Math III proficiency, though its Math I proficiency is only 20.5% and chronic absenteeism is 46.8%. In contrast, Swain Academy is the most concerning school, ranking in the 2nd percentile with a 60% graduation rate and 66.2% chronic absenteeism.

At the elementary level, Swain County West Elementary and Swain County East Elementary both rank in the bottom quarter of North Carolina schools, with East having more persistent struggles. Swain County Middle School has shown recent improvement in reading and science but remains below state averages in most subjects. Cherokee Extension School, an alternative K-12 school, reports no test scores but has the area's lowest chronic absenteeism at 15.1%. Parents should note that small enrollments at several schools make year-to-year percentages volatile, and the most urgent needs are addressing attendance and foundational math and reading skills.