Jackson County Public Schools
Jackson County Public Schools is a public school district based in Sylva, North Carolina, serving 3,444 students in 9 schools. By enrollment it ranks #76 of the 112 North Carolina districts with 1,000 or more students, larger than about 32% of them. Its schools average 383 students each, fewer than the North Carolina median of 446. Its superintendent is Dr Dana Ayers. It spends about $11,711 per student on day-to-day operations, 5% more than the North Carolina median. It has roughly 17.2 students per teacher.
How Jackson County compares
Spending and staffing
| Measure | Jackson County | North Carolina median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $11,711 | $11,153 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $6,755 | $6,920 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $44.2 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $45.0 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 200 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 17.2 | 15.7 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 246 | 358 | 2024-25 |
Spending: NCES school district finance survey (F-33), FY2020-21. Staffing and enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25. Via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. The North Carolina median compares districts with 1,000 or more students.
Leadership
Moves tracker →Dr Dana Ayers
Source: NC Department of Public Instruction, EDDIE, checked 2026-10-19. Report a change
In the news
0 stories matchedWe haven't matched any stories to Jackson County Public Schools yet. Recent North Carolina coverage is on the North Carolina page.
Peer districts in North Carolina
Compare side by side →| District | Students | Schools | Spending per student | Students per teacher | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bladen County SchoolsElizabethtown | 3,928 | 12 | $12,664 | 17.1 | #73 |
| Hickory City SchoolsHickory | 3,735 | 9 | $10,171 | 17.5 | #74 |
| Montgomery County SchoolsTroy | 3,587 | 11 | $11,710 | 16.7 | #75 |
| Jackson County Public SchoolsSylva · this district | 3,444 | 9 | $11,711 | 17.2 | #76 |
| Transylvania County SchoolsBrevard | 3,205 | 9 | $12,470 | 12.2 | #77 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelham CityPelham, AL | 3,444 | $10,065 | 16.0 |
| Valley View ISDPharr, TX | 3,444 | $11,941 | 15.6 |
| Logan CountyRussellville, KY | 3,443 | $11,144 | 16.4 |
| River Falls School DistrictRiver Falls, WI | 3,442 | $11,261 | 15.4 |
Peers are the districts closest in enrollment, so they can still differ in many other ways. Enrollment, school counts and phone numbers are from the NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
Printed from Superintendent's Corner: https://superintendentscorner.com/district-nc-jackson-county-public-schools