Top Rankings
Burke County Schools School District 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 2025 school year, there are 15 public preschools serving 5,322 students in Burke County Schools School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public pre schools in North Carolina.
Public Preschools in Burke County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 53% (versus the North Carolina public pre school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 46% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 39% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public preschool average of 59% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
27 Schools
994 Schools
# Students
11,690 Students
464,055 Students
# Teachers
742 Teachers
33,275 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Burke County Schools School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 320 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 85% has decreased from 88% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#144 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)54%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
50%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
66%
63%
Graduation Rate
(21-22)88%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.57
0.72
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
6%
4%
% Hispanic
21%
23%
% Black
4%
25%
% White
62%
41%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,673 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,694 is less than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$125 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$125 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,673
$11,187
Spending / Student
$10,694
$11,612
Best Burke County Schools School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Icard Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
3087 Icard School Road
Connelly Springs, NC 28612
(828) 397-3491
Connelly Springs, NC 28612
(828) 397-3491
Gr: PK-5 | 252 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 29%
Rank: #22.
Salem Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1329 Salem Road
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-5901
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-5901
Gr: PK-5 | 436 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 24%
Rank: #33.
Drexel Elementary School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
100 Alta Vista Street
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-3160
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-3160
Gr: PK-5 | 478 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 31%
Rank: #44.
Mull Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
1140 Old Nc 18 South
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-5785
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-5785
Gr: PK-5 | 280 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 27%
Rank: #55.
Glen Alpine Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
302 London Street
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 584-0661
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 584-0661
Gr: PK-5 | 305 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 42%
Rank: #6 - 76. - 7.
George Hildebrand Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
8078 G Hildebrand Sch Road
Connelly Springs, NC 28612
(828) 879-9595
Connelly Springs, NC 28612
(828) 879-9595
Gr: PK-5 | 328 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 17%
Rank: #6 - 76. - 7.
W A Young Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
325 Conley Road
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 584-0632
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 584-0632
Gr: PK-5 | 293 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #88.
Valdese Elementary School
(Math: 53% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
298 Praley Street
Valdese, NC 28690
(828) 874-0704
Valdese, NC 28690
(828) 874-0704
Gr: PK-5 | 524 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #99.
Ray Childers Elementary School
(Math: 52% | Reading: 44%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
1183 Cape Hickory Road
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 324-1340
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 324-1340
Gr: PK-5 | 447 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 33%
Rank: #1010.
Hildebran Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
703 Us Hwy 70 West
Hildebran, NC 28637
(828) 397-3181
Hildebran, NC 28637
(828) 397-3181
Gr: PK-5 | 295 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 26%
Rank: #1111.
Oak Hill Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
2363 Nc 181
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 433-1533
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 433-1533
Gr: PK-5 | 334 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 40%
Rank: #1212.
Forest Hill Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
304 Ann Street
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-5906
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-5906
Gr: PK-5 | 291 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 76%
Rank: #1313.
Mountain View Elementary School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
805 Bouchelle St
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-1584
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-1584
Gr: PK-5 | 730 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 66%
Rank: #1414.
Hillcrest Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
201 Tennessee Street
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-4258
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-4258
Gr: PK-5 | 258 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 85%
Rank: #1515.
North Liberty
Special Education School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
523 Enola Road
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-9656
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-9656
Gr: PK-12 | 71 students Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 Minority enrollment: 31%
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