Independent reviewer Niche says Polk is one of top school systems

COLUMBUS—Polk County was recently ranked as the second best school district in the state of North Carolina by Niche, an independent reviewer. 

Polk County Schools ranked just behind Chapel Hill, which Niche ranked number one in the state. 

Polk was ranked along with over 100 other school systems in the state, both public and private. 

Asheville City Schools was ranked number five and Henderson County Schools was ranked number 14. Other nearby school systems included Buncombe County, ranked as the 20th best school system, Translyvania County, ranked as 31st and Rutherford County, ranked as 33rd, according to Niche. 

“We are always pleased to receive notification that Polk County Schools has earned high ratings from an independent reviewer like Niche,” said Polk County Schools Superintendent Aaron Greene. “The success we achieve results from the tremendous effort of our staff, hard work by our students and support and involvement from our families and community. Polk County is a special place.” 

Polk was ranked last year as the number one school district in the state and has had high placement for years. 

“We have a community that values education and provides both fiscal and material resources to us so we can do our best for our students,” Greene said. “I believe programs like preschool and after school, the hiring of extra teachers to reduce class size at all grade levels, and dedicated effort on the part of all our educators to develop and maintain strong relationships with our students and families set us apart.” 

Niche based its ranking on several factors, including Academics, teachers, clubs and activities, diversity, college prep and health and science. Polk received an A in academics; an A+ in teachers; an A- in clubs and activities; a B+ in diversity; an A- in college prep and an A+ in health and science. 

Polk County School has 2,254 students in grades preschool through 12 with a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1, according to Niche. Niche also found that according to state test scores, 63 percent of Polk students are at least proficient in math and 60 percent of students are at least proficient in reading. 

Niche has also ranked Polk County Schools as the number one safest school district in North Carolina out of 116 schools; the best place to teach in the state and the best teachers in the state. 

“It takes a significant amount of additional funding to do these things for students and we are fortunate Polk County sees the importance of providing these extra resources,” Greene said. “These rankings and related recognition are about Polk County as a collective, not just our school district and should be shared by our entire community.”