schoolsbycounty

Rutherford County Public Schools

Rutherford County, North Carolina

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

Total Schools

20

public schools

Total Enrollment

9,329

students

School Districts

3

districts

Directory guide

How to use the Rutherford County public school directory

Start with the county-level shape, then use the school table for exact records. This directory is built from NCES public school data for North Carolina; it is best for narrowing research, checking district context, and finding school records to verify with local sources.

District shape

Rutherford County has 3 district entries. Rutherford County Schools is the largest listed district in this county slice, with 18 schools.

Community spread

School records are spread across 8 listed communities. Forest City has the most listed schools, with 8 records.

Grade-level mix

Primary schools are the largest listed grade-level group, with 10 schools. Filter the table by level before comparing enrollment or district context.

Choice-program flags

NCES flags 2 schools as charter, magnet, or virtual in this county file: 2 charter. Confirm eligibility and enrollment rules with the relevant district.

Filter before comparing

Search by school or district name, then narrow by grade level or program flag so the table matches the student stage you are researching.

Open profiles where available

1 school in this county currently have generated profile pages. Listed-only schools still remain in the NCES directory table.

Verify assignment locally

County directories do not determine attendance zones, transfer eligibility, magnet admission, charter lotteries, or program placement.

School Overview

Total Schools

20

in Rutherford County

Reported Enrollment

9,329

20 schools reporting

School Districts

3

districts

Charter Schools

2

10% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary10
Middle3
High5
Other2

3 School Districts in Rutherford County

Rutherford County Schools

18 schools
7,527 students

Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy

1 school
1,360 students

Lake Lure Classical Academy

1 school
442 students

20 Public Schools in Rutherford County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Level

Showing 20 of 20 matching schools

Thomas Jefferson Class Academy

Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy

Mooresboro, 28114 / Town: Distant

ProfileKG–12Charter1,360 students

R-S Central High School

Rutherford County Schools

Rutherfordton, 28139 / Rural: Fringe

Listed only9–12High758 students

Chase High School

Rutherford County Schools

Forest City, 28043 / Rural: Fringe

Listed only9–12High660 students

East Rutherford High School

Rutherford County Schools

Forest City, 28043 / Town: Distant

Listed only9–12High659 students

Ellenboro Elementary School

Rutherford County Schools

Ellenboro, 28040 / Rural: Fringe

Listed onlyPK–5Primary595 students

R-S Middle School

Rutherford County Schools

Rutherfordton, 28139 / Rural: Fringe

Listed only6–8Middle574 students

East Rutherford Middle School

Rutherford County Schools

Bostic, 28018 / Rural: Fringe

Listed only6–8Middle552 students

Chase Middle School

Rutherford County Schools

Forest City, 28043 / Rural: Fringe

Listed only6–8Middle501 students

Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School

Rutherford County Schools

Forest City, 28043 / Town: Distant

Listed onlyPK–5Primary479 students

Harris Elementary School

Rutherford County Schools

Forest City, 28043 / Rural: Fringe

Listed onlyPK–5Primary445 students

Lake Lure Classical Academy

Lake Lure Classical Academy

Lake Lure, 28746 / Rural: Distant

Listed onlyKG–12Charter442 students

Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School

Rutherford County Schools

Forest City, 28043 / Rural: Fringe

Listed onlyPK–5Primary391 students

Rutherfordton Elementary School

Rutherford County Schools

Rutherfordton, 28139 / Rural: Fringe

Listed onlyPK–5Primary390 students

Spindale Elementary School

Rutherford County Schools

Spindale, 28160 / Town: Distant

Listed onlyPK–5Primary341 students

Mt. Vernon-Ruth Elementary School

Rutherford County Schools

Forest City, 28043 / Rural: Fringe

Listed onlyPK–5Primary235 students

Pinnacle Elementary School

Rutherford County Schools

Rutherfordton, 28139 / Rural: Distant

Listed onlyPK–5Primary234 students

Cliffside Elementary School

Rutherford County Schools

Cliffside, 28024 / Rural: Fringe

Listed onlyKG–5Primary213 students

Rutherford Early College High School

Rutherford County Schools

Spindale, 28160 / Town: Distant

Listed only9–UGHigh191 students

Sunshine Elementary School

Rutherford County Schools

Bostic, 28018 / Rural: Distant

Listed onlyPK–5Primary190 students

Rutherford Opportunity Center

Rutherford County Schools

Forest City, 28043 / Town: Distant

Listed only6–12Alternative119 students

Rutherford County school directory FAQ

Does this list show which Rutherford County school serves my address?

No. This is a county-level NCES directory for public school records in North Carolina. Attendance zones, transfer policies, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, and program placement must be verified with the local district or school.

What is included in the Rutherford County public school directory?

The directory lists 20 public schools from NCES records, including school name, district, grade range, type flags, and enrollment where reported.

Does this page rank the best schools in Rutherford County?

No. This page is a public school directory, not a ranking or recommendation. Use it to find records, compare similar school types, and identify district sources to verify locally.

Are private schools included in this Rutherford County list?

No. SchoolsByCounty uses NCES public school records for this directory. Private schools, homeschool programs, and some local program options are outside this public-school listing.

Why do some Rutherford County schools have profiles while others are listed only?

SchoolsByCounty generates profile pages for a high-enrollment subset of school records. 1 school in this county currently have profile links, while every listed school remains available in the directory table.

How should I compare school districts in Rutherford County?

Start with the 3 district entries, then compare schools with similar grade ranges. County-level lists can include district slices, so use district websites to confirm boundaries and program rules.

What do charter or virtual flags mean in this Rutherford County directory?

Charter and virtual flags come from NCES school records. They identify school record types, not admission eligibility, transfer availability, or program quality. Confirm application rules and current program status with the district or school.

← Back to Rutherford County Education OverviewCounty school score: 36/100

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.