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#1777 of 2,648 schools in NC

Swain County Middle School

Middle School · Swain County Schools · Bryson City, NC

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

135 Arlington Ave, Bryson City, NC 28713

  • Math 46% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 43% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.3Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.78 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.4Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency45.8% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency43.3% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-11.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-8.9 pts
Overall Proficiency45% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-1.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile36th
Resources & Environment5.9Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.7:1
District spending per student$14,518
Chronic Absenteeism32.1%

Students at Swain County Middle School score 45% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency46%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency43%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 33 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 45% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
84%
ELA
71%
2010
Math
83%
ELA
69%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
72%
2012
Math
36%
ELA
39%
2013
Math
34%
ELA
34%
2014
Math
38%
ELA
40%
2015
Math
41%
ELA
41%
2016
Math
41%
ELA
47%
2017
Math
44%
ELA
45%
2018
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2019
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2020*
Math
41%
ELA
43%
2021*
Math
41%
ELA
43%
2022
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2025
Math
46%
ELA
43%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 49% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 48% (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 36 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.4%

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 Swain County Middle 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 54Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 22Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,140/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Bryson City), 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

$56,368

Median home value

$231,300

Median rent

$707/mo

College educated

25.1%

Homeownership

74.2%

Poverty rate

16.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28713; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

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

1 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Cherokee Extension SchoolEnrollment path unverifiedNot ratedK–120.2 mi102Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Swain County Schools

Schools in district
5
Rank in district
#2 of 4
District spending per student
$14,518NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Swain County Middle School is listed in Swain County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Swain County Middle School

Swain County Middle School is a public middle school in Bryson City, NC, part of Swain County Schools, serving approximately 467 students in grades 6th-8th with a 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10 and ranks #1,777 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Swain County Middle School

What grades does Swain County Middle School serve?

Swain County Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Swain County Middle School?

Swain County Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 467 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Swain County Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Swain County Middle School is 16.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Swain County Middle School rank in NC?

Swain County Middle School ranks #1,777 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Swain County Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Swain County Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 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 Swain County Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Swain County Middle School has 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Swain County Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Swain County Middle School a Title I school?

No, Swain County Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Swain County Middle School?

99.4% of students at Swain County Middle 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
467
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
28
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Rural
County
Swain County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.1%
Area population (ZIP 28713)
8,441
Area average commute
23.6 min
Area median age
46.9
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 28713; 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

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