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Polk County Schools Schools
Polk County Schools is a public school district in North Carolina, based in Polk County (Columbus). SchoolGrade grades 7 of its schools on actual versus projected test scores; every school below has its own page.
Polk County Schools on the map
District boundary from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Each marker is a graded school; click it for its grade and scores.
SchoolGrade summary for Polk County Schools
7 of 7 schools in Polk County Schools carry a SchoolGrade. Grade distribution:
A: 6C: 1
Best schools in Polk 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.
- A+ Saluda Elementary School (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
- A Polk County Early College (High school, greatly exceeds expectations)
- A Polk County High School (High school, greatly exceeds expectations)
- A Polk Central Elementary School (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
- A Tryon Elementary School (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
- A Polk County Middle School (Middle school, exceeds expectations)
- C+ Sunny View Elementary School (Elementary school, doesn't meet expectations)
Every school in Polk County Schools
High schools (1)
- A Polk County High School, Columbus
Middle and junior high schools (1)
- A Polk County Middle School, Mill Spring
Elementary and primary schools (5)
- A Polk Central Elementary School, Mill Spring
- A Polk County Early College, Columbus
- A+ Saluda Elementary School, Saluda
- C+ Sunny View Elementary School, Mill Spring
- A Tryon Elementary School, Tryon
Where Polk County Schools schools are
Cities and towns served (4)
- Mill Spring (3)
- Columbus (2)
- Saluda (1)
- Tryon (1)
About this district
- State: Best schools in North Carolina
- County: Polk County
- Type: regular local school district
- Setting: distant rural (NCES locale of the district office)
- Enrollment: 2,156 students with 171 full-time-equivalent teachers and 359 total staff FTE (NCES CCD, 2023-24)
- NCES district ID: 3703720
- 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
- Rutherford County Schools (18 schools, 16 mi)
- Henderson County Schools (23 schools, 18 mi)
- McDowell County Schools (15 schools, 29 mi)
- Buncombe County Schools (45 schools, 31 mi)
- Asheville City Schools (9 schools, 31 mi)
- Cleveland County Schools (28 schools, 35 mi)
- Transylvania County Schools (9 schools, 37 mi)
- Burke County Schools (26 schools, 41 mi)
Questions about Polk County Schools
How many schools are in Polk County Schools?
SchoolGrade grades 7 public schools in Polk County Schools, across 4 cities and towns. Every one of them is listed on this page with a link to its own report.
Which cities does Polk County Schools serve?
The largest by graded schools: Mill Spring, Columbus, Saluda, Tryon.
How good are the schools in Polk County Schools?
Across the 7 graded schools, the average SchoolGrade is A-, with 65.3% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 55.9%. 86% of schools meet or exceed the expectation for their student context.
How many students attend Polk County Schools?
2,156 students were enrolled in Polk County Schools in the 2023-24 school year, about 12.6 students per full-time teacher (NCES Common Core of Data).
Where is Polk County Schools?
Polk County Schools is in North Carolina, based in Polk County, with its district office in Columbus. Its boundary covers about 238 sq mi.