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Excellent

#399 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 15% in state

Early College

High School · Buncombe County Schools · Asheville, NC

A Buncombe County Schools high school where students score 49 points above what's typical for similar communities.

340 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC 28801

  • Math 96% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 94% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 90%+ 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress8.7Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-0.58 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics9.9Excellent25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency96.4% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency94.3% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+40.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+40.7 pts
Overall Proficiency95% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+48.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile99th
College Readiness9.5Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate90%+
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment2.7Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio25.1:1
District spending per student$13,585
Chronic Absenteeism8.3%

Students at Early College score 95% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency96%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency94%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 21 points since 2019, reaching 95% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
95%
ELA
75%
2010
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2011
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2012
Math
65%
ELA
95%
2013
Math
75%
ELA
95%
2014
Math
75%
ELA
95%
2015
Math
65%
ELA
85%
2016
Math
55%
ELA
85%
2017
Math
5%
ELA
85%
2018
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2019
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2020*
Math
75%
ELA
85%
2021*
Math
75%
ELA
85%
2025
Math
96%
ELA
94%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 73% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 87% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

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

Based on 28 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

98.9%

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 Early College 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 22Car-Dependent
  • Transit 34Some Transit
  • Bike 23Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,723/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Asheville), 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

$51,125

Median home value

$481,400

Median rent

$1,130/mo

College educated

53.2%

Homeownership

36.7%

Poverty rate

26.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28801; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

0 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

No verified same-level alternatives

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

Buncombe County Schools

Schools in district
45
Rank in district
#8 of 45
District spending per student
$13,585NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Early College is listed in Buncombe County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Early College

Early College is a public high school in Asheville, NC, part of Buncombe County Schools, serving approximately 276 students in grades 9th-UG with a 25.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10 and ranks #399 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 73% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 87% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Early College

What grades does Early College serve?

Early College serves students in grades 9th through UG.

How many students attend Early College?

Early College has an enrollment of approximately 276 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Early College?

The student-teacher ratio at Early College is 25.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Early College rank in NC?

Early College ranks #399 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Early College's MySchoolScout rating?

Early College has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 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 Early College?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Early College has 73% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 87% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Early College a charter school?

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

Is Early College a Title I school?

No, Early College is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Early College?

98.9% of students at Early College 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
9th – UG
Enrollment
276
Student-Teacher Ratio
25.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
11
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Buncombe County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
8.3%
4-Year Graduation
90%+
Area population (ZIP 28801)
13,580
Area average commute
15.1 min
Area median age
43.3
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 28801; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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