Enrollment
158
High
DISTRICT 380 · STATE 761
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·MCDOWELL COUNTY SCHOOLS·NCES 370294003487
McDowell Academy for Innovation
54 College Drive, Marion, NC 28752 · (828) 659-0411 · McDowell County
GRADES 09–13HIGH41-RURALTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL158 STUDENTS
A
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 92% of North Carolina public high schools
- ATest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- ABeats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- ·Three-year trend Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded North Carolina public high schools
Student : Teacher
22.6:1
7 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 16.8:1 · STATE 19.6:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
98%
155 students
DISTRICT 96% · STATE 82%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 47 | 30% |
| Grade 10 | 41 | 26% |
| Grade 11 | 36 | 23% |
| Grade 12 | 14 | 9% |
Student demographics
47%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 41% · STATE 71% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
QUIET COMMUNITY
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START A DISCUSSIONTest scores
NC EOG / EOC 2024-25 . % Grade Level Proficient (Level 3+)Math
86.8%
NC avg 52.2%
What this means: On the NC EOG / EOC, North Carolina's statewide test, about 87 of every 100 students at this school do math at grade level. The North Carolina average is about 52 of 100.
Source: NC EOG / EOC. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
OUTPERFORMING
Top 10% of NC schools after controlling for student poverty
Actual proficiency
81.7%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
48.9%
based on NC schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+32.8pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 82% of students here test proficient in math and reading, well above the roughly 49% typical for North Carolina schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations ranks schools against others at the same poverty level, not by raw scores, so a school can post high scores and still fall short of its prediction, or post lower scores and still beat it. This school clears its prediction by about 33 points, placing it in North Carolina's top 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like McDowell Academy for Innovation
McDowell Academy for Innovation's state test result (81.7% proficient) is higher than 4 of the 4 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell Academy for Innovation this school | 158 | 98.1% | 81.7% |
| Tri-County Early College High Murphy | 153 | 96.1% | 74.0% |
| Chatham Early College Siler City | 113 | 97.3% | N/A |
| McDowell Early College Marion | 241 | 98.8% | 80.8% |
| Alexander Early College Taylorsville | 172 | 98.3% | 76.7% |
| Chatham Central High Bear Creek | 320 | 99.1% | 59.5% |
Matched among North Carolina high schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where McDowell Academy for Innovation ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 81.7% | #43 of 468 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 86.8% | #22 of 464 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 158 | #505 of 598 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 98.1% | #292 of 527 |
Ranked against other public high schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
158
+35 (+28%) vs 2020
Student : Teacher
22.6:1
was 10.3:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 158 | 7 | 22.6:1 | 98% (155) |
| 2023-24 | 126 | 8 | 15.8:1 | 98% (123) |
| 2022-23 | 113 | 8 | 14.1:1 | 51% (58) |
| 2020-21 | 123 | 12 | 10.3:1 | 46% (56) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for McDowell Academy for Innovation.
About McDowell Academy for Innovation
In Marion, North Carolina, part of McDowell County, McDowell Academy for Innovation is a high school. The school serves grades 9 through 13. Enrollment is 158 students. It has 79% fewer students than the average for high schools in North Carolina (about 761).
McDowell County Schools, which runs McDowell Academy for Innovation, has 16 schools and 5,712 students.
The share of White students at McDowell Academy for Innovation is 68%, a majority. Smaller groups are 24% Hispanic, 4% multiracial, and 3% Black. For comparison, the population of McDowell County is roughly 88% White. On a 0 to 100 scale, the school's diversity index is 47, compared with 70 nationally.
McDowell Academy for Innovation has 7 full-time-equivalent teachers on staff and a student-to-teacher ratio of 22.6:1. By comparison, the average for high schools in North Carolina is 19.6:1. At McDowell Academy for Innovation, 98% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in 2024-25. The figure for public schools in McDowell County is close, at 98%.
McDowell Academy for Innovation earns an A on the allk12 Grade, which blends test scores, results against poverty-based expectations, and the three-year trend. It scored higher than 92% of North Carolina public high schools.
The allk12 BeatsExpectations score for McDowell Academy for Innovation is +32.8 points, in the top 10% of North Carolina. Its average proficiency rate across its state test results is 81.7%, and the predicted rate is 48.9%.
In McDowell County, where the school is located, median household income comes to about $57,168, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 18%, and roughly 10% of residents are in poverty. The county has 16 public schools and about 5,712 students.
Among nearby public schools, McDowell Early College is closest at less than a tenth of a mile. McDowell Academy for Innovation is one of several public schools in the area, with at least 8 others within five miles. The school's 81.7% average proficiency ranks 1st among 8 nearby schools.
Its location is classified as Rural: Fringe by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Federal enrollment counts rose from 123 (2020-21) to 158 (2024-25). In 2020-21, the student-to-teacher ratio was 10.3:1; by 2024-25 it was 22.6:1.
Use the discussion section to ask about homework, tutoring, and testing dates at McDowell Academy for Innovation. Current and former families are welcome to add their experience.
McDowell County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
44,817
Census ACS
Median income
$57,168
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
18%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
10%
Below federal line
Schools in county
16
5,712 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in McDowell County Schools
- McDowell High SchoolHigh · 1,379 students
- West McDowell Middle SchoolMiddle · 550 students
- Glenwood Elementary SchoolElementary · 435 students
- East McDowell Middle SchoolMiddle · 392 students
- West Marion Elementary SchoolElementary · 390 students
- Old Fort Elementary SchoolElementary · 360 students
Other schools in Marion
- McDowell High SchoolHigh · 1,379 students
- West McDowell Middle SchoolMiddle · 550 students
- Glenwood Elementary SchoolElementary · 435 students
- East McDowell Middle SchoolMiddle · 392 students
- West Marion Elementary SchoolElementary · 390 students
- Marion Elementary SchoolElementary · 333 students
Nearby schools
- McDowell Early College0.0 mi · 241
- Eastfield Global Magnet School2.5 mi · 279
- East McDowell Middle School2.9 mi · 392
- The Summit Academy3.1 mi · 23
- Glenwood Elementary School3.1 mi · 435
- Marion Elementary School3.5 mi · 333
Frequently asked questions
About McDowell Academy for InnovationWhat is the total enrollment at McDowell Academy for Innovation?
McDowell Academy for Innovation enrolls approximately 158 students in grades 09-13.
What grades does McDowell Academy for Innovation serve?
McDowell Academy for Innovation serves grades 09-13.
What is the student-teacher ratio at McDowell Academy for Innovation?
The student-to-teacher ratio at McDowell Academy for Innovation is approximately 22.6:1 (7 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at McDowell Academy for Innovation?
At McDowell Academy for Innovation, the student body is approximately 68% White, 24% Hispanic, 3% Black, 1% Asian, 4% Two or more.
Is McDowell Academy for Innovation public or private?
McDowell Academy for Innovation is a public K-12 school, overseen by McDowell County Schools.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.