District overview
At a glance
Source years shown below
Reported students
5,792
NCES CCD 2024–25, where reported
Open schools
15
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Student–teacher ratio
15.2:1
Calculated from NCES 2024–25 enrollment and teacher FTE
Spending per pupil
$13,112
Current expenditure · FY 2023 F-33
Instruction per pupil
$8,407
Calculated from FY 2023 F-33
Grades served
PK–13
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
District interpretation
What the numbers say about McDowell County Schools
McDowell County Schools operates 15 current public-school records serving grades PK–13 in Marion, North Carolina. NCES reports 5,792 students and 380.19 classroom teacher FTE for 2024–25.
By reported enrollment, the district ranks 56 of 331 North Carolina districts with data. That position describes scale only—it does not say whether individual schools are a good fit for a particular student.
FY 2023 finance records show $13,112 in current expenditure per pupil and $8,407 per pupil assigned to instruction. This places reported current spending 95 of 318 districts in North Carolina. Local wages, transportation, special education, facilities, and district responsibilities all affect this comparison.
Student context
Needs schools plan for
- English learners
- 6.8%
- Students with disabilities (IDEA)
- 15.7%
- Classroom teachers (FTE)
- 380.19
- Current expenditure (FY 2023)
- $75,737,000
Context measures describe who a district serves and its resources. They are not negative rating inputs.
McDowell County Schools location
Marion, North Carolina · 35.6796, -82.0069. This is the NCES EDGE district-office point, not an attendance boundary.
Open exact point in OpenStreetMap →Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White74%
- Hispanic16.3%
- Black2.7%
- Asian0.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial6%
Race/ethnicity: NCES CCD 2024–25 where reported, otherwise CRDC 2021–22. English learner and disability context: CRDC 2021–22. Totals can differ due to rounding or source privacy rules.
Interactive campus directory
Explore schools in McDowell County Schools
15 current directory entries
Filter by school level or name, then sort by enrollment or reported student–teacher ratio.
Showing 15 of 15 schools
| School | Level | Grades | Students | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East McDowell Middle School | Middle | 06–08 | 392 | 11.3:1 |
| Eastfield Global Magnet School | Elementary | PK–05 | 279 | 13.3:1 |
| Foothills Community School | Middle | 06–08 | 200 | 18:1 |
| Glenwood Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 435 | 16:1 |
| Marion Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 333 | 14.6:1 |
| McDowell Academy for Innovation | High | 09–13 | 158 | 22.6:1 |
| McDowell Early College | High | 09–13 | 241 | 19.8:1 |
| McDowell High School | High | 09–12 | 1,379 | 15.7:1 |
| Nebo Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 354 | 15.8:1 |
| North Cove Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 230 | 14.5:1 |
| Old Fort Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 360 | 15.3:1 |
| Pleasant Gardens Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 289 | 13.5:1 |
| The Summit Academy | High | 06–12 | 23 | 5.8:1 |
| West Marion Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 390 | 14.2:1 |
| West McDowell Middle School | Middle | 06–08 | 550 | 15.5:1 |