Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28714

Zip code 28714 in Burnsville, NC, is served by six public schools in Yancey County Schools, including three elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school, all located in a rural mountain area where more than 97 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Despite uniformly high poverty rates, performance varies widely across the area. South Toe Elementary is the clear standout, ranking in the 83rd percentile statewide with 4 stars and exceeding both district and state proficiency averages in nearly every subject and grade tested. It also has the area's lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 8.7 percent. Cane River Middle ranks in the 61st percentile, outpacing East Yancey Middle, with 74.2 percent of 8th graders proficient in math versus 53.0 percent statewide. Mountain Heritage High graduates 94.4 percent of students, far above the state average, and posts strong Biology and English II scores. By contrast, Burnsville Elementary is a red flag, having fallen from the 42nd to the 21st percentile over three years while testing below state averages in every subject. Blue Ridge Elementary sits in the middle, ranking near the 50th percentile.

Chronic absenteeism tracks closely with performance across these schools. South Toe's rate is just 8.7 percent, while Burnsville and East Yancey are near 20 percent. Science is a clear regional strength at every level, and middle school 8th-grade math is also excellent, although high school Math I and early-grade reading remain challenges. Overall, this is an area where small, high-poverty schools like South Toe, Cane River, and Mountain Heritage prove that strong outcomes are achievable.