Southcliff is located within the Buncombe County school district. AC Reynolds High School, which is one of the largest high schools in Asheville, is located in this district. It is a North Carolina School of Distinction and was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. The following are among the distinctions they have received:

• AC Reynolds was ranked among the top 10 high schools in North Carolina in 2013 by the U.S. News & World Report .
• Their Symphonic Winds Ensemble and Chorale were extended an invitation in 2008 to be good-will ambassadors and cultural representatives to the People's Republic of China by the US-China Cultural and Educational Foundation.
• Their football team was 4-A NC State Champions in 1999, 2002 & 2009.