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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28721

At a glance

Schools

904

Students

5-star schools

Top rankedHaywood Early College8^th of 662 North Carolina high schools

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Biggest riser

Clyde Elementary up 222 spots statewide this year

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Summary:

Zip code 28721 in Clyde, NC, is served by three public schools in Haywood County Schools — two elementary schools and one early college high school — together offering PK-12 options but no standalone middle school. Riverbend Elementary (K-5, 204 students) is the standout elementary school, ranking 62nd out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools (96th percentile, 5 stars), while Haywood Early College (9-12, 177 students) ranks 8th out of 662 high schools (99th percentile, 5 stars). By contrast, Clyde Elementary (PK-5, 523 students) ranks 681st statewide (54th percentile, 3 stars) and is the largest but lowest-performing school in the area.

Riverbend and Clyde serve nearly identical, very high-poverty student bodies — about 99% free/reduced-price lunch eligibility — yet their academic results diverge sharply. Riverbend posts proficiency rates of 77-93% across 3rd-5th grade math and reading, far exceeding Clyde and state averages. For example, only 50.8% of Clyde’s 5th graders are proficient in math versus 90.3% at Riverbend. Chronic absenteeism also tells the story: Riverbend is at 12.7%, well below Clyde’s 23.4%. Haywood Early College achieves a remarkable 100% proficiency on every End-of-Course exam (Biology, English II, Math I, Math III), with chronic absenteeism at 14.0% and a graduation rate near 95%.

Notably, all three schools have high poverty rates, yet two achieve elite results, suggesting school-specific practices matter more than demographics. Spending does not explain performance: Clyde spends the most per student ($11,365) while the top performers spend less. Haywood Early College’s high student-teacher ratio (39.4:1) likely reflects its college-course model, not overcrowding. Clyde did improve in 2025-2026 after a prior dip, especially in 4th grade, but still trails Riverbend significantly. For families in 28721, Riverbend and Haywood Early College are exceptional choices within Haywood County Schools, while Clyde remains a reasonable but more average option that is showing recent progress.

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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 (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOC Biology (2026)	EOC English II (2026)	EOC Math I (2026)	EOC Math III (2026)	EOG Mathematics (2026)			EOG Reading (2026)			EOG Science (2026)	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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Clyde Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4182 Old Clyde Road	Clyde	28721	Haywood County	Haywood County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 627-2206	523	36	14.7	99.4%	436 (83.4%)	5 (1.0%)	54 (10.3%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.6%)	52.9	681^st of 1492 public elementary schools	54.4%		40.8	903^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	39.4%	222					68.6	66.7	50.8	58.6	64.3	49.2	60.0	$11,365	$1,942	$9,424
Riverbend Elementary	Public	K-5	71 Learning Lane	Clyde	28721	Haywood County	Haywood County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 627-6565	204	14	15.0	98.5%	193 (94.6%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	93.9	62^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	95.8%		94.5	57^th of 1490 public elementary schools	96.2%	5					86.5	92.9	90.3	89.2	78.6	77.4	87.1	$10,871	$924	$9,947
Haywood Early College	Public	9-12	185 Freedlander Drive	Clyde	28721	Haywood County	Haywood County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 565-4000	177	4	39.4	98.3%	151 (85.3%)	1 (0.6%)	16 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (5.1%)	94.7	8^th of 662 public high schools	98.8%		95.4	20^th of 641 public high schools	96.9%	12	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0								$7,730	$690	$7,040

Cities Near Zip Code 28721

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Clyde	1.1 mi	3	66^th
Waynesville	2.3 mi	8	182^nd
Canton	3.99 mi	5	125^th
Candler	10.62 mi	6	241^st
Leicester	14.36 mi	1	305^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.