Hickory Sun

There were 15,598 students enrolled in Catawba County Schools in the 2023-24 school year, 1.5% more than the previous year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Catawba County Schools roughly covers 27 schools within Catawba County and has a main office in Newton.

Among the 27 schools in Catawba County Schools, Saint Stephens High School recorded the highest enrollment of 1,229 students in the 2023-24 school year.

North Carolina’s student-teacher ratio is roughly 15.4 students per teacher, aligning with the national average. However, rising teacher turnover threatens to push class sizes higher, making it harder for students to get individualized attention.

If vacancies continue to grow, schools may struggle to maintain this ratio, impacting the quality of instruction. Districts in lower-funded areas face the biggest challenges, as limited budgets make it harder to attract and retain teachers.

School	Total Enrollment
Saint Stephens High School	1,229
Fred T. Foard High School	919
Bandys High School	900
Maiden High School	867
Bunker Hill High School	866
Saint Stephens Elementary School	718
Mountain View Elementary School	714
Balls Creek Elementary School	687
Harry M. Arndt Middle School	626
Sherrills Ford Elementary School	593
Snow Creek Elementary School	574
Oxford Elementary School	554
Maiden Elementary School	524
Startown Elementary School	514
Blackburn Elementary School	495
Clyde Campbell Elementary School	481
River Bend Middle School	447
Jacobs Fork Middle School	443
Claremont Elementary School	429
Mill Creek Middle School	427
Catawba Elementary School	410
Maiden Middle School	401
Lyle Creek Elementary School	392
Charles H. Tuttle Elementary School	380
Webb A. Murray Elementary School	367
Challenger Early College High	359
Banoak Elementary School	282