Buncombe County Schools (BCS) is the public school system overseeing education in Buncombe County, North Carolina, including parts of Asheville, North Carolina.^[1] The Buncombe County Schools system is the largest in Western North Carolina with almost 25,000 students enrolled in 47 schools and programs. It is also one of only 8 school districts in North Carolina to be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2017, BCS ranked 16th in the United States and first in the state of North Carolina for the number of National Board Certified Teachers.

Structure

There are seven members of the board of education who are elected to serve four-year terms and new members are elected every two years. One candidate is elected from each of the six districts and one at-large. Candidates are elected on a nonpartisan basis. Voters in each district vote for candidates from all districts and for the at-large candidate. The superintendent is appointed by the board and serves as secretary to the board.

For 2017–18, Ms. Ann B. Franklin of the North Buncombe District serves as madam chair of the board of education. Dr. Tony Baldwin has served the board of education as the school superintendent since 2009.

A separate entity from the board of education is the Buncombe County Schools Foundation. The foundation, which was founded in 1984, supports the schools and employees with volunteers and financial contributions.

This school system is divided into six districts: Enka, Erwin, North Buncombe, Owen, Reynolds, and Roberson. Within each school district, there is one high school, one or two middle schools, and three to five elementary schools. Some districts also host an intermediate school, serving grades 5–6; in these districts, the middle school serves grades 7 and 8.

The system offers several alternative education settings. At the high school level, an Early College and a Middle College are housed on the campus of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (A-B Tech). Early College allows students to earn a high school diploma and associate degree simultaneously, while Middle College confers a high school diploma. Meanwhile, Community High School in Swannanoa, NC provides an alternative education setting for at-risk students. Finally, the Progressive Education Program serves students with intellectual disabilities in age-appropriate settings at three sites: Estes Elementary, Valley Springs Middle School, and T.C. Roberson High School. Buncombe County Schools is also home to the Martin L. Nesbitt Jr. Discovery Academy, a science, technology, engineering, and math focused magnet high school that pulls students from all six Buncombe County Schools Districts. Martin L. Nesbitt Jr. Discovery Academy was the first high school of its kind in the region and is located at the Buncombe County Schools Central Office Building.

References

External links

• Official Site