Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 45 schools in district

Nesbitt Discovery Academy

175 Bingham Rd Ste 10, Asheville, NC 28806Buncombe County Schools
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0912Non-Charter
374
Students
Total enrolled
98%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
13% vs nat'l
$14,785
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
19.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
29% vs nat'l
Mid-sized public school
Serves 374 students in grades 09–12 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,785 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
19.9 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

Nesbitt Discovery Academy is a mid-sized high in Asheville, North Carolina, serving grades 09–12 with 374 students. The district invests $14,785 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 19.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 20% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. The school's 98% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at Nesbitt Discovery Academy

374
Total Students
19.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
20%
Free Lunch
19
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0912) are served by this school
Gender Distribution183 male · 191 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility20%
National avg 52% · 76 students
Student Composition
82%
9%
Asian5%
White82%
Hispanic / Latino9%
Black2%
Multiracial2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370045003320

Academic Outcomes at Nesbitt Discovery Academy

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
GE95
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
98%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,785Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,785
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,505
Student Support$2,809
Administration$1,774
Operations$2,218
Other$1,479
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,785 spent per student, an estimated $6,550 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
49%
29%
State government
49.5%
Local (property tax)
29.3%
Federal programs
21.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 98% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 20% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location
CountyBuncombe County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (828)271-4521
NCES ID: 370045003320
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Asheville seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
175 Bingham Rd Ste 10, Asheville, NC 28806
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.