Public schools in Newton, NC
9 open public schools with an address in Newton, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
9
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
4,708
9 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
16.5:1
North Carolina median 15.4:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Newton public schools
The federal directory lists 9 public schools in Newton, NC: 5 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high. The 9 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 4,708 students, an average of 523 per school. The largest campus is Fred T Foard High (930 students), and the largest elementary school is Balls Creek Elementary (686).
Catawba County Schools operates the most schools here (5), and 2 regular districts have at least one Newton campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 16.5:1, higher than the statewide school median of 15.4:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 76% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Newton
Elementary schools in Newton
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balls Creek Elementary Catawba County Schools | PK–06 | 686 | 16.5:1 | |
| Blackburn Elementary Catawba County Schools | KG–06 | 484 | 17.3:1 | |
| North Newton Elementary Newton Conover City Schools | PK–05 | 388 | 14.1:1 | |
| South Newton Elementary Newton Conover City Schools | PK–05 | 328 | 14.7:1 | |
| Startown Elementary Catawba County Schools | PK–06 | 540 | 15.8:1 |
Middle schools in Newton
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacobs Fork Middle Catawba County Schools | 07–08 | 482 | 16.3:1 |
High schools in Newton
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery High School Newton Conover City Schools | 09–12 | 146 | 22.2:1 | |
| Fred T Foard High Catawba County Schools | 09–12 | 930 | 21.8:1 | |
| Newton-Conover High Newton Conover City Schools | 09–12 | 724 | 16.5:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White57.9%
- Hispanic19.4%
- Black6.7%
- Asian7.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial8.4%
Enrollment-weighted across 9 Newton schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (4,708 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Newton
How many public schools are in Newton, NC?
The current NCES directory lists 9 open public schools with a location address in Newton: 5 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high. Together they reported 4,708 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Newton?
Schools with an address in Newton belong to 2 education agencies, led by Catawba County Schools (5 schools), Newton Conover City Schools (4 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Newton?
Fred T Foard High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Newton, with 930 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Newton?
No school with an address in Newton is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in North Carolina.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Newton schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Newton public schools is 16.5:1, higher than the North Carolina school median of 15.4:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Newton guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby North Carolina cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All North Carolina cities