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Excellent

#454 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 17% in state

Wilkes Early College High School

High School · Wilkes County Schools · Wilkesboro, NC

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

1328 S Collegiate Dr, Wilkesboro, NC 28697

  • Math 91% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 100% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 90%+ 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress9.6Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change+1.33 pts/yr
Data Period2010–2025
TrendImproving
Academics9.9Excellent25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency91% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency100% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+35 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+46.4 pts
Overall Proficiency96% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+48.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile99th
College Readiness9.5Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate90%+
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment1.3Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio28.2:1
District spending per student$12,150

Students at Wilkes Early College High School score 96% 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 Proficiency91%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency100%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2010–2025), then recovered 11 points since 2019, reaching 96% in 2025.

Show all 13 years
2010
Math
95%
ELA
85%
2011
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2012
Math
45%
ELA
75%
2013
Math
35%
ELA
85%
2014
Math
45%
ELA
65%
2015
Math
45%
ELA
75%
2016
Math
75%
ELA
85%
2017
Math
5%
ELA
95%
2018
Math
85%
ELA
85%
2019
Math
85%
ELA
85%
2020*
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2021*
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2025
Math
91%
ELA
100%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 68% (multi-year average, 2010-2025) · reading/ELA 86% (multi-year average, 2010-2025)

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

Based on 26 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

98.8%

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 Wilkes Early College High 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 10Car-Dependent
  • Bike 3Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High5,641/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$55,217

Median home value

$190,700

Median rent

$763/mo

College educated

23.5%

Homeownership

68.2%

Poverty rate

15.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28697; 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.

Wilkes County Schools

Schools in district
22
Rank in district
#5 of 22
District spending per student
$12,150NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
20.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Wilkes Early College High School

Wilkes Early College High School is a public high school in Wilkesboro, NC, part of Wilkes County Schools, serving approximately 254 students in grades 9th-UG with a 28.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10 and ranks #454 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2010-2025) and 86% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2010-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Wilkes Early College High School

What grades does Wilkes Early College High School serve?

Wilkes Early College High School serves students in grades 9th through UG.

How many students attend Wilkes Early College High School?

Wilkes Early College High School has an enrollment of approximately 254 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Wilkes Early College High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Wilkes Early College High School is 28.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Wilkes Early College High School rank in NC?

Wilkes Early College High School ranks #454 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Wilkes Early College High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Wilkes Early College High School 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 Wilkes Early College High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Wilkes Early College High School has 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2010-2025) and 86% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2010-2025).

Is Wilkes Early College High School a charter school?

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

Is Wilkes Early College High School a Title I school?

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

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

98.8% of students at Wilkes Early College High 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
9th – UG
Enrollment
254
Student-Teacher Ratio
28.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
9
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Wilkes County
4-Year Graduation
90%+
Area population (ZIP 28697)
13,412
Area average commute
22.7 min
Area median age
42.9
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 28697; 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, 2010-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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