Can I use Cleveland County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Cleveland County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Cleveland County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Cleveland County?

Start with the 29 listed public schools and 2 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Cleveland County Schools & Education

Name: Cleveland County, North Carolina Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Cleveland County, North Carolina

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

88.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

88.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,603

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,969

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 40/100

State Score Position

#60

of 100 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Cleveland County

Measured School Summary

Cleveland County faces educational challenges with a school score of 34/100 and a graduation rate of 88.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,603 per pupil, Cleveland County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 16% below the North Carolina average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Cleveland County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

29 public schools and 2 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

34/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #60 of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data.

Completion

88.0%

matches the state average

Funding context

$6,603

$366 below the state average

School coverage

2 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Cleveland County has 29 public schools across 2 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Cleveland County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Dominant-district county

Cleveland County Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 28 of 29 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#60

of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 6 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Cleveland County Schools

Elementary to high school visible

14,406 students

Elementary 15Middle 5High 6Other 2

28 listed schools in this county slice.

Pinnacle Classical Academy

Other grade structure

1,132 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Cleveland County Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 28 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Cleveland County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Cleveland County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Cleveland County, North Carolina

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Diverse Educational Facilities and Large Enrollment

Cleveland County supports a large network of 29 public schools serving over 15,500 students. This infrastructure includes 15 elementary, 5 middle, and 6 high schools, along with specialized and alternative education centers.

Major District and Charter Options

Cleveland County Schools is the primary district with 14,406 students across 28 schools. Additionally, Pinnacle Classical Academy operates as a large charter school, serving 1,132 students and providing a distinct alternative for families.

A Varied Locale Mix

Cleveland's schools are spread across town, rural, and suburban settings, reflecting the county's diverse geography. Kings Mountain High is the largest campus with 1,236 students, contributing to an average school size of 536.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Cleveland County

Reported Enrollment

15,538

29 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

3% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary15

Middle5

High6

Other3

2 School Districts in Cleveland County

Cleveland County Schools

Pinnacle Classical Academy

1 school

1,132 students

29 Public Schools in Cleveland County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 29 matching schools

Public schools in Cleveland County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Kings Mountain High	Profile	Cleveland County Schools	Kings Mountain, 28086Suburb: Midsize	9–12	High	1,236
Pinnacle Classical Academy	Profile	Pinnacle Classical Academy	Shelby, 28152Town: Fringe	KG–12	Charter	1,132
Crest High	Profile	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28152Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,114
Burns High	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Lawndale, 28090Rural: Distant	9–12	High	934
Crest Middle	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28150Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	849
Shelby High	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28152Town: Fringe	9–12	High	825
Burns Middle	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Lawndale, 28090Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	734
Kings Mountain Middle	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Kings Mountain, 28086Suburb: Midsize	7–8	Middle	712
Shelby Middle	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28152Town: Fringe	6–8	Middle	630
Kings Mountain Intermediate	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Kings Mountain, 28086Suburb: Midsize	5–6	Middle	627
Elizabeth Elementary	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28152Town: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	569
Springmore Elementary	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28152Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	553
Boiling Springs Elementary	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28152Town: Distant	PK–5	Primary	549
Township Three Elementary	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28152Town: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	529
Bethware Elementary	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Kings Mountain, 28086Rural: Fringe	PK–4	Primary	515
Fallston Elementary	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Fallston, 28042Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	456
Jefferson Elementary	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28150Town: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	429
Union Elementary	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28150Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	423
Washington Elementary	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28150Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	415
James Love Elementary	Record	Cleveland County Schools	Shelby, 28152Town: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	350

Kings Mountain High

Cleveland County Schools

Kings Mountain, 28086 / Suburb: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,236 students

Pinnacle Classical Academy

Shelby, 28152 / Town: Fringe

ProfileKG–12Charter1,132 students

Crest High

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28152 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,114 students

Burns High

Cleveland County Schools

Lawndale, 28090 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High934 students

Crest Middle

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28150 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle849 students

Shelby High

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28152 / Town: Fringe

Record9–12High825 students

Burns Middle

Cleveland County Schools

Lawndale, 28090 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle734 students

Kings Mountain Middle

Cleveland County Schools

Kings Mountain, 28086 / Suburb: Midsize

Record7–8Middle712 students

Shelby Middle

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28152 / Town: Fringe

Record6–8Middle630 students

Kings Mountain Intermediate

Cleveland County Schools

Kings Mountain, 28086 / Suburb: Midsize

Record5–6Middle627 students

Elizabeth Elementary

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28152 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary569 students

Springmore Elementary

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28152 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary553 students

Boiling Springs Elementary

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28152 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary549 students

Township Three Elementary

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28152 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary529 students

Bethware Elementary

Cleveland County Schools

Kings Mountain, 28086 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–4Primary515 students

Fallston Elementary

Cleveland County Schools

Fallston, 28042 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary456 students

Jefferson Elementary

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28150 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary429 students

Union Elementary

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28150 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary423 students

Washington Elementary

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28150 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary415 students

James Love Elementary

Cleveland County Schools

Shelby, 28152 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary350 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,603

State avg $6,969

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Cleveland County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which North Carolina counties have the highest graduation rates?

Jones County (97.0%), Pamlico County (95.7%), and Currituck County (95.0%) currently lead North Carolina among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in North Carolina?

Across North Carolina counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $6,969. The highest current county values are Hyde County ($10,356), Tyrrell County ($9,655), and Orange County ($8,629). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Cleveland County?

Cleveland County has a school score of 34/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Cleveland County?

The high school graduation rate in Cleveland County is 88.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Cleveland County spend per student?

Cleveland County spends $6,603 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Cleveland County, North Carolina — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Cleveland County, North Carolina?

What are the major school districts in Cleveland County, North Carolina?

What is the school experience like in Cleveland County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Avery County

North Carolina

+0 pts

34/100

School score

Halifax County

North Carolina

-0 pts

33/100

School score

Columbus County

North Carolina

+0 pts

34/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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