Caldwell County Schools

1914 Hickory Boulevard Sw
Lenoir, NC 28645
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Caldwell County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 20 public elementary schools serving 7,338 students in Caldwell County Schools. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in North Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Caldwell County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 46% (versus the North Carolina public elementary school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 47% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 28% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public elementary school average of 58% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
25 Schools
2,151 Schools
# Students
10,597 Students
1,095,784 Students
# Teachers
610 Teachers
71,767 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
17:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Caldwell County Schools, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 314 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 81% has decreased from 89% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#175 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(21-22)
47%
51%
48%
50%
61%
63%
(21-22)
86%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.46
0.72
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
5%
% Hispanic
15%
22%
% Black
5%
24%
% White
72%
42%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,164 is higher than the state median of $11,168. The school district revenue/student has grown by 13% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,022 is higher than the state median of $11,592. The school district spending/student has grown by 8% over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$129 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$127 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,164
$11,168
Spending / Student
$12,022
$11,592

Best Caldwell County Schools Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Granite Falls Elementary School
(Math: 70% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
60 N Highland Avenue
Granite Falls, NC 28630
(828) 396-2222
Gr: PK-5 | 647 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 22%
Rank: #22.
Lower Creek Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
630 Lower Creek Drive Ne
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 754-4022
Gr: PK-5 | 396 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 29%
Rank: #33.
Collettsville School
(Math: 58% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
4690 Collettsville School Rd
Collettsville, NC 28611
(828) 754-6913
Gr: PK-8 | 321 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 7%
Rank: #44.
Granite Falls Middle School
(Math: 54% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
4 West Highland Ave
Granite Falls, NC 28630
(828) 396-2341
Gr: 6-8 | 518 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 22%
Rank: #55.
Hudson Middle School
(Math: 49% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
291 Pine Mountain Road
Hudson, NC 28638
(828) 728-4281
Gr: 6-8 | 551 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 17%
Rank: #66.
Baton Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1400 Baton School Road
Granite Falls, NC 28630
(828) 728-9531
Gr: PK-5 | 357 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 15%
Rank: #77.
Valmead Elementary School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
111 Elizabeth Drive Nw
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 754-9612
Gr: PK-5 | 305 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 56%
Rank: #88.
Hudson Elementary School
(Math: 52% | Reading: 44%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
200 Roy Coffey Drive
Hudson, NC 28638
(828) 728-3712
Gr: PK-5 | 665 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1 Minority enrollment: 24%
Rank: #9 - 109. - 10.
Happy Valley Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1350 Yadkin River Road
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 754-3496
Gr: PK-8 | 234 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 9%
Rank: #9 - 109. - 10.
Kings Creek Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
3680 Wilkesboro Boulevard
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 754-6039
Gr: PK-8 | 153 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
Rank: #1111.
William Lenoir Middle School
(Math: 38% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1366 Wildcat Trail
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 726-3910
Gr: 6-8 | 512 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 41%
Rank: #1212.
Gamewell Middle School
(Math: 40% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
3210 Gamewell School Road
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 754-6204
Gr: 6-8 | 457 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #1313.
Sawmills Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
4436 Sawmills School Road
Granite Falls, NC 28630
(828) 396-2610
Gr: PK-5 | 351 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 22%
Rank: #1414.
Dudley Shoals Elementary School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1500 Dudley Shoals Road
Granite Falls, NC 28630
(828) 396-3457
Gr: PK-5 | 433 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 15%
Rank: #1515.
Davenport A+ School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
901 College Avenue Sw
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 754-6941
Gr: PK-5 | 429 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 62%
Rank: #1616.
Gamewell Elementary School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
2904 Morganton Boulevard
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 758-1193
Gr: PK-5 | 459 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 30%
Rank: #1717.
Whitnel Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
1425 Berkley Street Sw
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 728-6423
Gr: PK-5 | 330 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 41%
Rank: #1818.
Horizons Elementary School
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20% )
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
332 Greenhaven Dr. Nw
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 726-3855
Gr: K-5 | 29 students Student-teacher ratio: 2:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
Rank: #1919.
Gateway School
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1889 Dudley Shoals Road
Granite Falls, NC 28630
(828) 396-8373
Gr: 6-12 | 53 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: n/an/a
332 Greenhaven Dr Nw
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 726-3855
Gr: 4-12 | 138 students Student-teacher ratio: 69:1 Minority enrollment: 21%

Recent Articles

AI Report Cards: Should Schools Evaluate AI Use?
AI Report Cards: Should Schools Evaluate AI Use?
Explore whether schools should assess student AI use, the benefits, risks, and what responsible AI report cards could look like in 2026.
The Parent’s Guide to School Cell Phone Bans in 2026
The Parent’s Guide to School Cell Phone Bans in 2026
Learn how school cell phone bans work in 2026, why districts are adopting them, and what parents should expect.
Parental Involvement in Public Schools: 2026 Update
Parental Involvement in Public Schools: 2026 Update
Explore the latest 2026 trends, research, and strategies shaping parental involvement in public schools and student success.

Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 25 schools
  • Grades: PK-13
  • Enrollment: 10,597 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 17:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 28%
  • : 86% (Btm 50% in NC)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 47% (Btm 50%)
  • : 48% (Btm 50%)
  • : 61% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

Quick Links