District overview
At a glance
Source years shown below
Reported students
7,394
NCES CCD 2024–25, where reported
Open schools
16
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Student–teacher ratio
18.4:1
Calculated from NCES 2024–25 enrollment and teacher FTE
Spending per pupil
$14,515
Current expenditure · FY 2023 F-33
Instruction per pupil
$8,608
Calculated from FY 2023 F-33
Grades served
PK–13
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
District interpretation
What the numbers say about Rutherford County Schools
Rutherford County Schools operates 16 current public-school records serving grades PK–13 in Forest City, North Carolina. NCES reports 7,394 students and 401.29 classroom teacher FTE for 2024–25.
By reported enrollment, the district ranks 47 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 $14,515 in current expenditure per pupil and $8,608 per pupil assigned to instruction. This places reported current spending 51 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
- 3%
- Students with disabilities (IDEA)
- 15.9%
- Classroom teachers (FTE)
- 401.29
- Current expenditure (FY 2023)
- $109,257,000
Context measures describe who a district serves and its resources. They are not negative rating inputs.
Rutherford County Schools location
Forest City, North Carolina · 35.3386, -81.8724. 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
- White68%
- Hispanic11.9%
- Black11.1%
- Asian0.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial8.5%
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 Rutherford County Schools
16 current directory entries
Filter by school level or name, then sort by enrollment or reported student–teacher ratio.
Showing 16 of 16 schools
| School | Level | Grades | Students | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHASE High School | High | 09–12 | 596 | 20.8:1 |
| CHASE Middle School | Middle | 06–08 | 484 | 18.2:1 |
| Cliffside Elementary School | Elementary | KG–05 | 188 | 14.9:1 |
| East Rutherford High School | High | 09–12 | 623 | 19:1 |
| East Rutherford Middle School | Middle | 06–08 | 533 | 20:1 |
| Ellenboro Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 567 | 18.7:1 |
| Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 459 | 18.4:1 |
| Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 460 | 19.3:1 |
| Harris Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 434 | 16.1:1 |
| Pinnacle Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 254 | 16:1 |
| R-S Central High School | High | 09–12 | 763 | 21.3:1 |
| R-S Middle School | Middle | 06–08 | 561 | 18.7:1 |
| Rutherford Early College High School | High | 09–13 | 208 | 55:1 |
| Rutherfordton Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 397 | 16.4:1 |
| Spindale Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 337 | 16.5:1 |
| Sunshine Elementary School | Elementary | PK–05 | 217 | 16.4:1 |