Home › North Carolina › Rutherford County
Rutherford County Schools Schools
Rutherford County Schools is a public school district in North Carolina, based in Rutherford County (Forest City). SchoolGrade grades 18 of its schools on actual versus projected test scores; every school below has its own page.
Rutherford 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 Rutherford County Schools
18 of 18 schools in Rutherford County Schools carry a SchoolGrade. Grade distribution:
A: 4B: 8C: 4D: 1F: 1
Best schools in Rutherford County Schools
Statewide rankings: all 608 high schools in North Carolina · all 453 middle schools in North Carolina · all 1409 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 Cliffside Elementary School (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
- A Ellenboro Elementary School (Elementary school, exceeds expectations)
- A- Harris Elementary School (Elementary school, meets expectations)
- A- Forest City Dunbar Elementary School (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
- B+ Rutherford Early College High School (High school, exceeds expectations)
- B+ Sunshine Elementary School (Elementary school, doesn't meet expectations)
- B+ Rutherfordton Elementary School (Elementary school, meets expectations)
- B Mt Vernon Ruth Elementary School (Elementary school, meets expectations)
- B Pinnacle Elementary School (Elementary school, doesn't meet expectations)
- B Forrest W Hunt Elementary School (Elementary school, exceeds expectations)
Every school in Rutherford County Schools
High schools (4)
- B- Chase High School, Forest City
- C+ East Rutherford High School, Bostic
- C R S Central High School, Rutherfordton
- B+ Rutherford Early College High School, Spindale
Middle and junior high schools (3)
- B Chase Middle School, Forest City
- C East Rutherford Middle School, Bostic
- C+ R S Middle School, Rutherfordton
Elementary and primary schools (10)
- A Cliffside Elementary School, Cliffside
- A Ellenboro Elementary School, Ellenboro
- A- Forest City Dunbar Elementary School, Forest City
- B Forrest W Hunt Elementary School, Forest City
- A- Harris Elementary School, Forest City
- B Mt Vernon Ruth Elementary School, Forest City
- B Pinnacle Elementary School, Rutherfordton
- B+ Rutherfordton Elementary School, Rutherfordton
- D+ Spindale Elementary School, Spindale
- B+ Sunshine Elementary School, Bostic
Other schools and academies (1)
- F Rutherford Opportunity Center, Forest City
Where Rutherford County Schools schools are
Cities and towns served (5)
- Forest City (7)
- Rutherfordton (4)
- Bostic (3)
- Spindale (2)
- Ellenboro (1)
About this district
- State: Best schools in North Carolina
- County: Rutherford County
- Type: regular local school district
- Setting: fringe rural (NCES locale of the district office)
- Enrollment: 7,409 students with 500 full-time-equivalent teachers and 1,108 total staff FTE (NCES CCD, 2023-24)
- NCES district ID: 3704080
- 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
- Polk County Schools (7 schools, 16 mi)
- McDowell County Schools (15 schools, 21 mi)
- Cleveland County Schools (28 schools, 21 mi)
- Burke County Schools (26 schools, 27 mi)
- Henderson County Schools (23 schools, 32 mi)
- Buncombe County Schools (45 schools, 37 mi)
- Asheville City Schools (9 schools, 38 mi)
- Lincoln County Schools (22 schools, 39 mi)
Questions about Rutherford County Schools
How many schools are in Rutherford County Schools?
SchoolGrade grades 18 public schools in Rutherford County Schools, across 5 cities and towns. Every one of them is listed on this page with a link to its own report.
Which cities does Rutherford County Schools serve?
The largest by graded schools: Forest City, Rutherfordton, Bostic, Spindale, Ellenboro.
How good are the schools in Rutherford County Schools?
Across the 18 graded schools, the average SchoolGrade is B-, with 58.6% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 53.9%. 44% of schools meet or exceed the expectation for their student context.
How many students attend Rutherford County Schools?
7,409 students were enrolled in Rutherford County Schools in the 2023-24 school year, about 14.8 students per full-time teacher (NCES Common Core of Data).
Where is Rutherford County Schools?
Rutherford County Schools is in North Carolina, based in Rutherford County, with its district office in Forest City. Its boundary covers about 565 sq mi.