Burke County Schools on the map

Click a type to show or hide its schools.

District boundary from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Each marker is a graded school; click it for its grade and scores.

Heritage MiddleTable Rock MiddleEast Burke HighForest Hill ElementaryFreedom HighGeorge Hildebrand ElementaryGlen Alpine ElementaryHildebran ElementaryHillcrest ElementaryIcard ElementaryMull ElementaryOak Hill ElementarySalem ElementaryValdese ElementaryHallyburton AcademyEast Burke MiddleLiberty MiddleRay Childers ElementaryW A Young ElementaryWalter R Johnson MiddleDrexel ElementaryRobert L Patton High SchoolJimmy C Draughn High SchoolBurke Middle CollegeMountain View ElementaryNorth Liberty
District boundary from the NCES EDGE composite school district file; each dot is a graded school, tap or hover for its name.

SchoolGrade summary for Burke County Schools

Average SchoolGrade
B
Meeting or exceeding expectations
92%
Exceeding
65%
Avg actual scores
48%
Avg projected
44.7%

26 of 26 schools in Burke County Schools carry a SchoolGrade. Grade distribution:

A: 7B: 13C: 3D: 3

Best schools in Burke County Schools

Statewide rankings: all 584 high schools in North Carolina · all 450 middle schools in North Carolina · all 1396 elementary schools in North Carolina

The ten highest SchoolGrades in the district. Grades reward actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact.

  1. A+ Burke Middle College (High school, greatly exceeds expectations)
  2. A Heritage Middle (Middle school, greatly exceeds expectations)
  3. A East Burke Middle (Middle school, exceeds expectations)
  4. A- Robert L Patton High School (High school, greatly exceeds expectations)
  5. A- Icard Elementary (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
  6. A- Salem Elementary (Elementary school, exceeds expectations)
  7. A- Liberty Middle (Middle school, exceeds expectations)
  8. B+ Jimmy C Draughn High School (High school, exceeds expectations)
  9. B+ Drexel Elementary (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
  10. B+ East Burke High (High school, exceeds expectations)

Every school in Burke County Schools

High schools (4)

Middle and junior high schools (6)

Elementary and primary schools (14)

Other schools and academies (2)

Where Burke County Schools schools are

Cities and towns served (6)

About this district

  • State: Best schools in North Carolina
  • County: Burke County
  • Type: regular local school district
  • Setting: midsize suburb (NCES locale of the district office)
  • Enrollment: 11,690 students with 745 full-time-equivalent teachers and 1,470 total staff FTE (NCES CCD, 2023-24)
  • NCES district ID: 3700480
  • Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model: each school's actual proficiency against the level projected for its student context. How SchoolGrade works

Nearby school districts

Questions about Burke County Schools

How many schools are in Burke County Schools?

SchoolGrade grades 26 public schools in Burke County Schools, across 6 cities and towns. Every one of them is listed on this page with a link to its own report.

Which cities does Burke County Schools serve?

The largest by graded schools: Morganton, Connelly Springs, Valdese, Drexel, Hickory and 1 more.

How good are the schools in Burke County Schools?

Across the 26 graded schools, the average SchoolGrade is B, with 48% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 44.7%. 92% of schools meet or exceed the expectation for their student context.

How many students attend Burke County Schools?

11,690 students were enrolled in Burke County Schools in the 2023-24 school year, about 15.7 students per full-time teacher (NCES Common Core of Data).

Where is Burke County Schools?

Burke County Schools is in North Carolina, based in Burke County, with its district office in Morganton. Its boundary covers about 506 sq mi.