Enrollment
97
Combined
DISTRICT 162 · STATE 731
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·MACON COUNTY SCHOOLS·NCES 370276001142
Nantahala School
213 Windingstairs Rd, Topton, NC 28781 · (828) 321-4388 · Macon County
GRADES KG–12COMBINED43-RURALTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL97 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
This school has no state test results for 2023-24 or 2024-25 to grade, which is common for schools that end before third grade. How grades work
Student : Teacher
11.7:1
8 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 12.1:1 · STATE 16.1:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
97%
94 students
DISTRICT 84% · STATE 82%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other combined schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 8 | 8% |
| Grade 1 | 10 | 10% |
| Grade 2 | 9 | 9% |
| Grade 3 | 7 | 7% |
| Grade 4 | 6 | 6% |
| Grade 5 | 3 | 3% |
| Grade 6 | 8 | 8% |
| Grade 7 | 7 | 7% |
| Grade 8 | 7 | 7% |
| Grade 9 | 5 | 5% |
| Grade 10 | 8 | 8% |
| Grade 11 | 12 | 12% |
| Grade 12 | 7 | 7% |
Student demographics
29%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 43% · 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
Test scores
NC EOG / EOC 2024-25 . % Grade Level Proficient (Level 3+)English Language Arts
51.4%
NC avg 50.9%
Math
37.8%
NC avg 52.2%
What this means: On the NC EOG / EOC, North Carolina's statewide test, about 51 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 38 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all North Carolina schools, those numbers are about 51 and 52.
Source: NC EOG / EOC. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Schools most like Nantahala School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nantahala School this school | 97 | 96.9% | N/A |
| Boonville Elementary Boonville | 365 | 97.3% | 49.3% |
| Mattamuskeet School Swan Quarter | 299 | 99.0% | 30.3% |
| Highlands School Highlands | 344 | 33.4% | 55.0% |
| Ocracoke School Ocracoke | 139 | 42.4% | 72.3% |
| American Leadership Academy-Coastal Wilmington | 1,002 | 35.4% | N/A |
Matched among North Carolina K-12 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 Nantahala School ranks
Among K-12 schools| Measure | This school | In North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 97 | #25 of 46 |
Ranked against other public K-12 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
97
+23 (+31%) vs 2020
-10% since 1990-91, when it was 108
Student : Teacher
11.7:1
was 6.2:1
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 | 97 | 8.3 | 11.7:1 | 97% (94) |
| 2023-24 | 87 | 12.7 | 6.8:1 | 97% (84) |
| 2022-23 | 85 | 12.6 | 6.8:1 | 79% (67) |
| 2020-21 | 74 | 12 | 6.2:1 | 57% (42) |
| 2017-18 | 83 | 12.2 | 6.8:1 | 61% (51) |
| 2015-16 | 94 | 13 | 7.2:1 | 78% (73) |
| 2010-11 | 107 | 13 | 8.2:1 | 79% (85) |
| 2000-01 | 132 | 16 | 8.3:1 | 67% (88) |
| 1990-91 | 108 | 13 | 8.3:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Nantahala School.
Since 2017-18: students up 17% (83 to 97); teachers down 32% (12.2 to 8.3).
About Nantahala School
Nantahala School is a very small school serving multiple grade levels in Topton, North Carolina. The school has 97 students in 2024-25 across kindergarten through 12. Combined schools in North Carolina have about 731 students on average; enrollment here is 87% lower.
Macon County Schools serves 4,469 students across 12 schools.
Of every 100 students at Nantahala School, about 84 are White. After that, the student body is 8% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, and 3% Native American. Census estimates put Macon County at about 87% White, close to the school's figure. On a 0 to 100 scale, the school's diversity index is 29, compared with 70 nationally.
The school lists 8.3 full-time-equivalent teachers and a student-to-teacher ratio of 11.7:1. The average for combined schools in North Carolina, 16.1:1, is higher. A total of 94 students, or 97%, are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Among public schools in Macon County, the average eligibility rate is 82%.
Macon County is the school's county. There, the median household earns about $59,061 a year, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 28% of adults, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 6%. Public schools in Macon County number 12, with about 4,469 students.
A public school about 10.1 miles away, Andrews Middle, is the closest to Nantahala School.
Locale data from NCES put Nantahala School in rural territory far from an urban area (Rural: Remote).
The 2020-21-to-2024-25 change in enrollment was a 31% rise, from 74 to 97. The ratio was 6.2:1 in 2020-21 and 11.7:1 in 2024-25.
Anyone can start a thread about open houses, carpools, and field trips at Nantahala School. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to post.
Macon County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
37,941
Census ACS
Median income
$59,061
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
28%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
6%
Below federal line
Schools in county
12
4,469 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Macon County Schools
- Franklin HighHigh · 996 students
- Mountain View IntermediateMiddle · 614 students
- Macon Middle SchoolMiddle · 576 students
- South Macon ElementaryElementary · 465 students
- Iotla Valley ElementaryElementary · 408 students
- Cartoogechaye ElementaryElementary · 354 students
Nearby schools
- Andrews Middle10.1 mi · 167
- Robbinsville High10.5 mi · 332
- Robbinsville Middle10.6 mi · 243
- Robbinsville Elementary11.0 mi · 521
- Andrews Elementary11.4 mi · 330
- Andrews High11.5 mi · 229
Frequently asked questions
About Nantahala SchoolHow large is Nantahala School?
Nantahala School enrolls approximately 97 students in grades KG-12.
Is Nantahala School an elementary, middle, or high school?
Nantahala School is a combined-grade school covering grades KG-12.
How many students per teacher at Nantahala School?
Approximately 11.7:1 students per teacher at Nantahala School.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Nantahala School?
At Nantahala School, the student body is approximately 84% White, 8% Hispanic, 5% Two or more.
Is Nantahala School public or private?
Nantahala School is a public K-12 school, overseen by Macon County Schools.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.