Hickory Sun

There were 10,303 students enrolled in Caldwell County Schools in the 2023-24 school year, 1.1% less than the previous year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Caldwell County Schools roughly covers 24 schools within Caldwell County and has a main office in Lenoir.

Among the 24 schools in Caldwell County Schools, South Caldwell High School recorded the highest enrollment of 1,251 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
South Caldwell High School	1,251
Hibriten High School	785
West Caldwell High School	659
Hudson Elementary School	615
Granite Falls Elementary School	570
Hudson Middle School	547
Granite Falls Middle School	522
William Lenoir Middle School	510
Gamewell Elementary School	485
Gamewell Middle School	484
Davenport A+ School	424
Dudley Shoals Elementary School	408
Lower Creek Elementary School	391
Caldwell Early College	387
Baton Elementary School	323
Collettsville School	323
Sawmills Elementary School	315
Valmead Elementary School	260
Whitnel Elementary School	242
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy	212
Happy Valley Elementary School	208
Kings Creek Elementary School	141
Gateway School	62
Horizons Elementary School	33