Hickory Sun

There were 10,157 students enrolled in Caldwell County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 3.9% more than the previous year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

South Caldwell High School registered the highest enrollment among Caldwell County's 24 schools in the 2023-24 school year, welcoming 1,251 students.

Despite steady enrollment, North Carolina schools continue to face significant funding challenges. The state's per-student spending remains nearly $5,000 below the national average, limiting resources for teachers, classrooms, and student support programs. In fact, North Carolina ranks 48th out of 50 states in per-student funding (after adjusting for regional costs).

Staffing shortages have also become a growing concern, with teacher turnover rising to 11.5% in the most recent school year. Low salaries and high workloads make it difficult to retain experienced educators, potentially increasing class sizes and affecting learning quality.

School name	Total Enrollment in 2022-23	Total Enrollment in 2023-24	% Change
South Caldwell High School	1,279	1,251	-2.2%
Hibriten High School	803	785	-2.2%
West Caldwell High School	714	659	-7.7%
Hudson Elementary School	632	615	-2.7%
Granite Falls Elementary School	558	570	2.2%
Hudson Middle School	579	547	-5.5%
Granite Falls Middle School	527	522	-0.9%
William Lenoir Middle School	503	510	1.4%
Gamewell Elementary School	481	485	0.8%
Gamewell Middle School	504	484	-4%
Davenport A+ School	448	424	-5.4%
Dudley Shoals Elementary School	-	408	-
Lower Creek Elementary School	389	391	0.5%
Caldwell Early College	391	387	-1%
Baton Elementary School	340	323	-5%
Collettsville School	315	323	2.5%
Sawmills Elementary School	315	315	0%
Valmead Elementary School	276	260	-5.8%
Whitnel Elementary School	269	242	-10%
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy	-	212	-
Happy Valley Elementary School	213	208	-2.3%
Kings Creek Elementary School	149	141	-5.4%
Gateway School	68	62	-8.8%
Horizons Elementary School	27	33	22.2%