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Excellent

#141 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 5% in state

Catamount School

Middle School · Catamount School · Sylva, NC

A middle school in Sylva, NC serving grades 6th – 8th.

100 Smoky Mountain Dr, Sylva, NC 28779

  • Math 58% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 63% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.9Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data7
Annual Change+3.72 pts/yr
Data Period2017–2025
TrendImproving
Academics7.2Very Good35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency57.1% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency63.5% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-0.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+11.3 pts
Overall Proficiency60% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)59% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+1.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile59th
Resources & Environment9.0Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.8:1
District spending per student$16,729
Chronic Absenteeism45.8%

Students at Catamount School score 60% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 59%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency58%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency63%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Improving

Proficiency has improved 11 points since 2020, reaching 61% in 2025, across a 9-year record (2017–2025).

Show all 7 years
2017
Math
35%
ELA
45%
2018
Math
15%
ELA
45%
2019
Math
15%
ELA
45%
2020*
Math
45%
ELA
55%
2021*
Math
45%
ELA
55%
2022
Math
44%
ELA
63%
2025
Math
58%
ELA
63%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 43% (multi-year average, 2017-2025) · reading/ELA 56% (multi-year average, 2017-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 20 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

57.6%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Catamount School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 26Car-Dependent
  • Bike 22Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,820/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Sylva), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$54,407

Median home value

$234,200

Median rent

$803/mo

College educated

28.2%

Homeownership

66.6%

Poverty rate

16.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28779; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

0 from verified nearby records

No verified same-level alternatives

The available nearby set has no same-level school with a verified grade span.

Catamount School

Schools in district
1
Rank in district
#1 of 1
District spending per student
$16,729NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
The source release did not match this district identifier.

Catamount School is listed in Catamount School; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Catamount School

Catamount School is a public middle school in Sylva, NC, part of Catamount School, serving approximately 59 students in grades 6th-8th with a 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.7 out of 10 and ranks #141 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2025) and 56% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Catamount School

What grades does Catamount School serve?

Catamount School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Catamount School?

Catamount School has an enrollment of approximately 59 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Catamount School?

The student-teacher ratio at Catamount School is 11.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Catamount School rank in NC?

Catamount School ranks #141 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Catamount School's MySchoolScout rating?

Catamount School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Catamount School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Catamount School has 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2025) and 56% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2025).

Is Catamount School a charter school?

No, Catamount School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Catamount School a Title I school?

No, Catamount School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Catamount School?

57.6% of students at Catamount School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
59
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
5
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Jackson County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
45.8%
Area population (ZIP 28779)
17,845
Area average commute
21.4 min
Area median age
42.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 28779; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2017-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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