At a glance
Source years shown below
Reported students
5,792
NCES CCD 2024–25
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
Historical enrollment and staffing · CRDC 2021–22
These older figures are kept separate from 2024–25 statistics and benchmarks. Agency figures aggregate matched current school records; they may not cover the complete historical district.
- Students
- 5,483
- Teachers (FTE)
- 431
- Student–teacher ratio
- 12.7:1
What current records 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.
Within North Carolina agencies of the same NCES type, it ranks 56 of 121 with reported enrollment. 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. Within the same NCES agency type, this places reported current spending 62 of 119 in North Carolina. Local wages, transportation, special education, facilities, and agency responsibilities all affect this comparison.
Reported needs and resources
- 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
Marion, North Carolina
NCES EDGE 2024–25 · 35.6796, -82.0069
View office location on a map →An office location does not show attendance boundaries. Ask the district to confirm the school assignment for a specific home address.
Enrollment questions to ask →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. English learner and disability context: CRDC 2021–22 matched schools. Totals can differ due to rounding or source privacy rules.
Explore schools in McDowell County Schools
15 current directory entries
Search the full district by school name or level, or browse the alphabetical directory. Add schools to your comparison as you go.
Showing 1–15 of 15 schools · enrollment and ratios: NCES 2024–25. Scroll the table to see all columns.
| School | Level / grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East McDowell Middle School | Middle06–08 | 392 | 11.3:1 | |
| Eastfield Global Magnet School | ElementaryPK–05 | 279 | 13.3:1 | |
| Foothills Community School | Middle06–08 | 200 | 18:1 | |
| Glenwood Elementary School | ElementaryPK–05 | 435 | 16:1 | |
| Marion Elementary School | ElementaryPK–05 | 333 | 14.6:1 | |
| McDowell Academy for Innovation | High09–13 | 158 | 22.6:1 | |
| McDowell Early College | High09–13 | 241 | 19.8:1 | |
| McDowell High School | High09–12 | 1,379 | 15.7:1 | |
| Nebo Elementary School | ElementaryPK–05 | 354 | 15.8:1 | |
| North Cove Elementary School | ElementaryPK–05 | 230 | 14.5:1 | |
| Old Fort Elementary School | ElementaryPK–05 | 360 | 15.3:1 | |
| Pleasant Gardens Elementary School | ElementaryPK–05 | 289 | 13.5:1 | |
| The Summit Academy | High06–12 | 23 | 5.8:1 | |
| West Marion Elementary School | ElementaryPK–05 | 390 | 14.2:1 | |
| West McDowell Middle School | Middle06–08 | 550 | 15.5:1 |