Education and Learning
Public School System: The public education school system in western North Carolina has a solid reputation. Its mission is to elevate young minds. The region's school systems are student focused and provide comprehensive educational experiences in safe environments that equip and empower students to be responsible and well-educated citizens. In fact, Buncombe County Public School scores consistently rank among the top five in North Carolina. In 2009, Buncombe County ranked third in the state among school systems with more than two high schools. Four of six Buncombe County high schools posted total mean scores exceeding the national average.
Private Education and Charter Schools: Private school and Pre-K options also abound. There are two private boarding high schools located in the Asheville area: the all-male Christ School and the coeducational Asheville School. Each offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum and enrolls boarding students from around the world, plus local day students.
Asheville is also home to several other private schools, including Rainbow Mountain Children's School, Asheville Christian Academy, Hanger Hall School for Girls and Carolina Day School. And, finally, several charter schools are also located in the area. Francine Delany New School for Children was actually one of the first charter schools in North Carolina.
Adult Learning Opportunities: Adult learners will equally be amazed by the number of learning opportunities available. Asheville is an excellent place for continuing education on a wide variety of subjects. The University of North Carolina Asheville is nationally acclaimed for its liberal arts focus and has programs for adult learners. Warren Wilson College is widely-renowned for its Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Western Carolina University offers an accredited continuing nursing education program and Asheville-Buncombe Community College has several health care programs that range from specialized EMS programs to healthcare management and nursing. Below are links to several of the area's educational resources:
K-12 Public School Systems
K-12 Private Schools
Charter Schools
Pre-K Programs
Higher Education and Adult Learning
