Best Public Schools in Zip Code 28785

Summary:

The 28785 zip code in North Carolina is home to a single public elementary school, Jonathan Valley Elementary, which serves grades PK-5 and has a total enrollment of 345 students. The school is part of the Haywood County Schools district, which is ranked 54 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Jonathan Valley Elementary appears to be a relatively strong-performing school, with high proficiency rates in mathematics, science, and reading. The school's 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students consistently score above the district and state averages in these subjects. Additionally, the school has a low student-teacher ratio of 14.3, suggesting a more personalized learning environment. However, the school faces significant challenges, with 99.13% of its students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need among the student population.

Despite the high poverty levels, the school's per-student spending of $10,398 in 2018-2019 is higher than the national average, suggesting the school has access to adequate resources. However, the school's ranking on the SchoolDigger scale has fluctuated in recent years, from 361 out of 1,505 North Carolina elementary schools in 2023-2024 to 601 out of 1,490 in 2024-2025, indicating that its performance may not be entirely consistent. Overall, Jonathan Valley Elementary appears to be a strong-performing school that is working to support its high-poverty student population, but it may face ongoing challenges in maintaining its academic excellence.

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 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
Jonathan Valley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	410 Hall Drive	Waynesville	28785	Haywood County	Haywood County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 926-3207	336	24	13.8	98.5%	291 (86.6%)	2 (0.6%)	30 (8.9%)	2 (0.6%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.4%)	57.7	601^st of 1490 public elementary schools	59.7%		72.8	361^st of 1505 public elementary schools	76.0%	240	69.8	61.4	66.7	39.7	52.6	57.8	71.1	$10,398	$995	$9,403

Cities Near Zip Code 28785

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Waynesville	3.18 mi	8	182^nd
Clyde	3.7 mi	3	66^th
Canton	9.25 mi	5	125^th
Sylva	14.63 mi	5	256^th
Candler	16.44 mi	6	241^st

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.