Enrollment
52
High
DISTRICT 324 · STATE 761
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·POLK COUNTY SCHOOLS·NCES 370372003006
Polk County Early College
1545 East NC 108 Hwy, Columbus, NC 28722 · (828) 894-2698 · Polk County
GRADES 09–12HIGH42-RURALTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL52 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
19.0:1
3 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 18.8:1 · STATE 19.6:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
94%
49 students
DISTRICT 98% · 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 | 13 | 25% |
| Grade 10 | 14 | 27% |
| Grade 11 | 14 | 27% |
| Grade 12 | 11 | 21% |
Student demographics
21%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
Schools most like Polk County Early College
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County Early College this school | 52 | 94.2% | N/A |
| Mayland Early College Spruce Pine | 113 | 97.3% | 75.4% |
| Hiwassee Dam High Murphy | 137 | 97.8% | 48.6% |
| Haywood Early College Clyde | 177 | 98.3% | N/A |
| Jackson Co Early College Sylva | 113 | 97.3% | 60.4% |
| Tri-County Early College High Murphy | 153 | 96.1% | 74.0% |
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 Polk County Early College ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 52 | #570 of 598 |
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
52
-2 (-4%) vs 2020
+4% since 2010-11, when it was 50
Student : Teacher
19.0:1
was 13.5:1
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 | 52 | 2.7 | 19.0:1 | 94% (49) |
| 2023-24 | 55 | 4.2 | 13.0:1 | 95% (52) |
| 2022-23 | 84 | 3.9 | 21.8:1 | 46% (39) |
| 2020-21 | 54 | 4 | 13.5:1 | 26% (14) |
| 2017-18 | 62 | 2.6 | 24.1:1 | 42% (26) |
| 2015-16 | 69 | 3 | 23.0:1 | 38% (26) |
| 2010-11 | 50 | 2 | 25.0:1 | 50% (25) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Polk County Early College.
Since 2017-18: students down 16% (62 to 52); teachers up 7% (2.6 to 2.7).
About Polk County Early College
Located in Columbus, North Carolina, Polk County Early College is a very small high school. In all, 52 students attend the school in grades 9 through 12. It has 93% fewer students than the average for high schools in North Carolina (about 761).
Polk County Schools has 7 schools and 2,110 students, and Polk County Early College is one of those schools.
Of every 100 students at Polk County Early College, about 88 are White. Smaller groups are 10% Hispanic. Census estimates put Polk County at about 87% White, close to the school's figure. On a 0 to 100 scale, the school's diversity index is 21, compared with 70 nationally.
There are 2.7 full-time-equivalent teachers at the school, a ratio of 19.0:1. The average for high schools in North Carolina is about 19.6:1. Of all students at Polk County Early College, 94% are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
In the wider Polk County area, the median household earns about $67,758 a year, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 36% of adults, and the poverty rate is about 11%. Across Polk County, 7 public schools serve about 2,110 students.
Among nearby public schools, Polk County High School is closest at about 0.2 miles. There are 4 more public schools inside five miles.
Its NCES locale code is Rural: Distant: the school is in rural territory some distance from an urban area.
The school's student count fell 4% between the 2020-21 and 2024-25 school years. Students per teacher increased from 13.5 in 2020-21 to 19.0 in 2024-25.
Use the discussion section to ask about homework, tutoring, and testing dates at Polk County Early College. Current and former families are welcome to add their experience.
Polk County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
19,891
Census ACS
Median income
$67,758
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
36%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
11%
Below federal line
Schools in county
7
2,110 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Polk County Schools
- Polk County High SchoolHigh · 596 students
- Polk County Middle SchoolMiddle · 454 students
- Polk Central Elementary SchoolElementary · 379 students
- Tryon Elementary SchoolElementary · 367 students
- Saluda Elementary SchoolElementary · 142 students
- Sunny View Elementary SchoolElementary · 120 students
Nearby schools
- Polk County High School0.2 mi · 596
- Polk County Middle School2.4 mi · 454
- Polk Central Elementary School3.6 mi · 379
- Tryon Elementary School4.8 mi · 367
- O. P. Earle Elementary6.0 mi · 424
- Landrum Middle6.1 mi · 218
Frequently asked questions
About Polk County Early CollegeHow large is Polk County Early College?
Polk County Early College enrolls approximately 52 students in grades 09-12.
What age range does Polk County Early College serve?
Polk County Early College serves students from grade 09 through grade 12.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Polk County Early College?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Polk County Early College is approximately 19.0:1 (3 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at Polk County Early College?
At Polk County Early College, the student body is approximately 88% White, 10% Hispanic, 2% Two or more.
What district is Polk County Early College in?
Polk County Early College is part of Polk County Schools.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.