Mythbusting Monday

District ranks 57th in North Carolina for student dropouts, highlighting historical data

Rutherford County Schools’ recent “MythBuster Monday” post claiming consistently low dropout rates is contradicted by state data, a WCAB News analysis shows. In a statement posted on February 23, 2026, the district said:

“Mythbusting Monday | RCS Education Matters

There’s a perception that Rutherford County Schools has a high dropout rate — but the data tells a very different story. Over the past three reporting cycles, our dropout rate has averaged under 1%, consistently below both the regional median and the state average. Even more powerful is the long-term progress: in 2007–2008, our dropout rate was 6.27%. Today, it’s just a fraction of that. This improvement didn’t happen by accident. It reflects intentional work — early identification of struggling students, strong counseling and support services, alternative pathways and credit recovery options, and dedicated educators who build relationships and refuse to give up. Every percentage point represents real students staying on track toward graduation. Healthy public dialogue matters. So do accurate numbers. And the numbers show steady, meaningful progress in keeping our students in school and moving forward.”

While the statement paints a picture of progress, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction data tells a more nuanced story. 

For the 2024–2025 school year:

• Rutherford County Schools reported 27 student dropouts, translating to a 1.18% rate.

• By absolute numbers, this ranks RCS 57th highest out of 222 school districts statewide.

• Asheville City Schools is ranked 58th; they recorded 26 dropouts, one fewer than Rutherford.

• The NCDPI data of other public schools in Rutherford County show a much different picture for charter schools: Lake Lure Classical Academy reported no dropouts, and Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy reported one.

• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools ranked highest, with 1,461 dropouts, followed by Wake County Schools with 662. 

  
  

Looking at the historical data available, there were 69 dropouts in RCS in 2021-22, 18 in 2022-23, and 21 in 2023-24, before increasing to 27 last year. Percentages alone can be misleading. The discrepancy underscores the importance of examining both percentage rates and absolute figures when evaluating school performance. While Rutherford County has made long-term improvements, the claim that its dropout rates are consistently below the regional median is not accurate when compared with the state’s publicly available data. Read the data ranking analysis here.