Total enrollment
2,110
-44 (-2%) vs SY 2020-21
7 schools in Polk County Schools
North Carolina · 2,110 students · 4 cities
In North Carolina's Polk County Schools, public K-12 schools total 7 and serve approximately 2,110 students (an average of 301 per school).
4-year change in Polk County Schools
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
7
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Polk County Schools ranks
Among districts| Measure | This district | In North Carolina | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 59.3% | #13 of 112 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 2,110 | #94 of 116 | #4,266 of 9,234 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 7 | #89 of 116 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.1:1 | #18 of 116 | #4,523 of 9,044 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 99.0% | #30 of 114 | #311 of 8,164 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 40.3% | #93 of 111 | #3,974 of 6,853 |
Districts need at least 2 schools and 500 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Inside Polk County Schools
State test results across the district's 6 scored schools run from Saluda Elementary School at 81.3% proficient to Polk County High School at 50.5%, a gap of 30.8 points. That is the 79th widest gap among 104 North Carolina districts with four or more scored schools.
Since 2017-18, the 7 district schools that reported both years went from 2,212 to 2,110 students (down 5%) and from 180 to 150 full-time teachers (down 17%), as of 2024-25.
Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across each school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25; schools with fewer than 100 students and schools serving specialized populations are left out. Staffing figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data and count only schools that reported students and teachers in both years.
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County High School | Columbus | High | 09-12 | 596 |
| Polk County Middle School | Mill Spring | Middle | 06-08 | 454 |
| Polk Central Elementary School | Mill Spring | Elementary | PK-05 | 379 |
| Tryon Elementary School | Tryon | Elementary | PK-05 | 367 |
| Saluda Elementary School | Saluda | Elementary | PK-05 | 142 |
| Sunny View Elementary School | Mill Spring | Elementary | PK-05 | 120 |
| Polk County Early College | Columbus | High | 09-12 | 52 |
About Polk County Schools
Polk County Schools operates 7 public schools across North Carolina, collectively educateing roughly 2,110 students.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Polk County Schools consists of 4 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools.
On a per-school basis, Polk County Schools runs about 301 students per school, 47% noticeably below the state mean of roughly 571.
Over the past 4-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Polk County Schools has held roughly steady since SY 2020-21, moving from about 2,154 students to 2,110.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Polk County Schools discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.