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First Ward Creative Arts Academy

Q: Is First Ward Creative Arts Academy a good school?

First Ward Creative Arts Academy ranks 916 th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades K-5

916^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,490 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 39% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

First Ward Creative Arts Academy is a public magnet elementary school serving 447 students in grades K-5 in Charlotte, North Carolina, which is part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district.

While the school has a consistent focus on creative arts, its academic performance has generally been below the district and state averages, particularly in reading. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 38.8% of 3rd graders were proficient in reading, compared to 46.5% for the district and 46.7% for the state. However, the school stands out in its support for certain student subgroups, such as Hispanic students and English Language Learners, where it ranks among the top schools in North Carolina.

The school's low academic performance is likely influenced by its extremely high percentage of students (around 99%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a very low-income student population. This is significantly higher than the district and state averages, and it is a key factor that contributes to the school's challenges. Nearby schools, such as Dilworth Elementary School Latta Campus, Oaklawn Language Academy, and Highland Mill Montessori, generally outperform First Ward Creative Arts Academy on state assessments and have higher overall rankings, likely due to serving more affluent student populations.

421

Students ?

14.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,544

Per pupil spending ?

99.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

715 N. Caldwell St
Charlotte, NC 28202-2547

(980) 343-5485

District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Students who attend First Ward Creative Arts Academy usually attend:

Middle:	Sedgefield Middle
High:	Myers Park High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

76.2%

Hispanic:

12.8%

Two or more races:

6.7%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare First Ward Creative Arts Academy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 40th percentile in 2015 → 39th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (51% vs 57% meeting standards)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school51%

District avg59%

North Carolina avg57%

916^th of 1,490

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 39%▼ down 2 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

68^th of 109Elementary Schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

119^th of 242Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools among North Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	40.1	916 of 1490	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.7	751 of 1505	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.3	781 of 1502	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	47.3	789 of 1514	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	33.0	976 of 1489	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	54.4	687 of 1473	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.0	750 of 1434	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	49.9	748 of 1429	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2016	51.2	706 of 1425	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2015	42.7	861 of 1440	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2014	26.2	1066 of 1390	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	30.8	1023 of 1403	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	39.4	952 of 1388	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2011	29.8	1074 of 1381	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	41.6	907 of 1363	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	38.8	932 of 1354	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	29.7	1011 of 1324	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	23.9	1102 of 1293	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	32.8	968 of 1276	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	59.5	291 of 918	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.8	182 of 924	80.3%	★★★★☆
2023	70.1	205 of 933	78.0%	★★★★☆
2022	66.6	223 of 927	75.9%	★★★★☆
2021	56.0	284 of 896	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	79.6	103 of 949	89.1%	★★★★☆
2018	74.8	141 of 927	84.8%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	31.4	439 of 634	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	19.8	809 of 878	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	28.0	720 of 897	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	68.9	87 of 497	82.5%	★★★★☆
2018	46.8	191 of 421	54.6%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	56.5	610 of 1451	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	44.8	806 of 1455	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.1	802 of 1459	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.7	805 of 1458	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	33.8	930 of 1440	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	55.5	648 of 1424	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.6	671 of 1405	52.2%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	70.6	111 of 710	84.4%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	96.4	16 of 961	98.3%	★★★★★
2024	67.5	233 of 951	75.5%	★★★★☆
2023	84.2	80 of 915	91.3%	★★★★★
2022	85.0	72 of 893	91.9%	★★★★★
2021	79.9	100 of 843	88.1%	★★★★☆
2019	76.0	132 of 865	84.7%	★★★★☆
2018	80.6	100 of 851	88.2%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	47.8	743 of 1437	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	63.8	423 of 1450	70.8%	★★★★☆
2023	64.9	415 of 1437	71.1%	★★★★☆
2022	55.9	548 of 1366	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	37.7	822 of 1329	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	53.9	602 of 1361	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.3	630 of 1332	52.7%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	25.8	1147 of 1450	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	55.2	646 of 1464	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.1	692 of 1461	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.5	730 of 1464	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	32.2	952 of 1444	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	49.4	752 of 1430	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.5	908 of 1413	35.7%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	31.1	605 of 821	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Hispanic (2025)98th percentile+60 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)84th percentile+46 vs school

English Language Learner (2019)82nd percentile+29 vs school

African American (2025)68th percentile+30 vs school

Female (2025)58th percentile+19 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)48th percentile+10 vs school

Disabled (2022)31st percentile-17 vs school

Special Education (2025)26th percentile-12 vs school

Male (2025)21st percentile-18 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Science56%-6 vs state

Mathematics55%-6 vs state

Reading45%-7 vs state

3.7

3 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a student
Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Amazing school💖💖💖 Close Quote

by a citizen
Sunday, September 25, 2011

in 1954 i was in the 1st grade at dilworth elementry... i remember a great first year in school... we had a class pet.... a rabbit Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, September 11, 2011

We recently moved from small town mount pleasant nc. my child now goes to the new dilworth elementary. the reason i rate this school so poor is because i feel diconnected from the teacher of my child and my childs learning. i have not seen any of the school supplies that i have bought. i dont have a clue what my child is learning. i cant even get a morning and afternoon bus for my child because they do not have a bus stop at my home. so i just take him and get him everyday. i also believe that my child is learning the same thing this year in second as he learned last year in first grade at MPES. I have serious thoughts of taking him back. i have never had the problems at MPES as i do here at dilworth. i am very unhappy about the entire situation. Close Quote

Schools Near First Ward Creative Arts Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)						EOG Reading (2025)						EOG Science (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
First Ward Creative Arts Academy	Public, Magnet	K-5	715 N. Caldwell St	Charlotte	28202	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(980) 343-5485	421	29	14.6	99.3%	12 (2.9%)	321 (76.2%)	54 (12.8%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (6.7%)	40.1	916^th of 1490 public elementary schools	38.5%		49.7	751^st of 1505 public elementary schools	50.1%	165	65.7	57.5	45.9				38.8	54.4	42.9				55.7		$10,544	$1,199	$9,345
Elizabeth Traditional Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	1601 Park Dr	Charlotte	28204	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(980) 343-5475	409	29	14.2	99.3%	46 (11.2%)	262 (64.1%)	67 (16.4%)	16 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	16 (3.9%)	68.9	409^th of 1490 public elementary schools	72.6%		54.1	683^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	54.6%	274	62.3	66.7	60.8				53.6	71.0	62.2				74.3		$9,777	$639	$9,138
Walter G. Byers School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	1415 Hamilton St	Charlotte	28206	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(980) 343-6940	303	25	12.3	99.0%	8 (2.6%)	230 (75.9%)	57 (18.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.6%)	14.2	1361^st of 1490 public elementary schools	8.7%		9.6	1429^th of 1505 public elementary schools	5.0%	68	42.3	27.0	27.6	40.0	11.4	25.0	22.2	32.4	37.9	28.6	36.4	59.4	57.1	62.5	$16,972	$2,176	$14,796
Irwin Academic Center	Public, Magnet	K-5	329 N. Irwin Ave	Charlotte	28202	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(980) 343-5480	371	27	13.9	33.4%	80 (21.6%)	196 (52.8%)	36 (9.7%)	30 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.8%)	88.9	122^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	91.8%		76.3	306^th of 1505 public elementary schools	79.7%	184	92.1	77.4	70.3				69.8	85.5	73.4				77.8		$11,169	$603	$10,566
Villa Heights Elementary	Public	K-5	800 Everett Place	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(980) 343-3666	153	15	10.3	98.0%	32 (20.9%)	81 (52.9%)	29 (19.0%)	3 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.2%)	43.8	855^th of 1490 public elementary schools	42.6%		39.1	949^th of 1505 public elementary schools	36.9%	94	60.0	54.2	57.1				48.0	54.2	42.9				52.4		$14,935	$566	$14,370
Dilworth Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	405 E. Park Avenue	Charlotte	28203	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-5826	411	22	18.9	14.8%	282 (68.6%)	39 (9.5%)	41 (10.0%)	12 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (9.0%)								(n/a)															$14,132	$922	$13,209
Dilworth Elementary School Latta Campus	Public	3-5	405 E. Park Ave	Charlotte	28203	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-2240	330	24	13.8	18.8%	235 (71.2%)	36 (10.9%)	32 (9.7%)	13 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.2%)	96.5	29^th of 1490 public elementary schools	98.1%		96	34^th of 1505 public elementary schools	97.7%	5	90.6	86.5	91.4				81.2	85.6	85.7				92.4		$11,343	$736	$10,607
Oaklawn Language Academy	Public, Magnet	K-8	1810 Oaklawn Ave	Charlotte	28216	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(980) 343-0400	531	42	12.5	97.4%	49 (9.2%)	110 (20.7%)	360 (67.8%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	8 (1.5%)	71.4	368^th of 1490 public elementary schools	75.3%		60.8	570^th of 1505 public elementary schools	62.1%	202	78.7	67.4	55.6	80.7	72.3	91.1	60.7	68.1	63.0	70.2	59.6	73.3	48.1	59.1	$10,283	$656	$9,627
Highland Mill Montessori	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	3201 Clemson Ave	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(980) 343-5525	341	23	14.8	22.0%	155 (45.5%)	113 (33.1%)	32 (9.4%)	13 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.2%)	89.3	118^th of 1490 public elementary schools	92.1%		86.6	158^th of 1505 public elementary schools	89.5%	40	88.6	80.5	68.6	81.8			75.0	87.8	77.1	90.9			68.6		$13,792	$1,243	$12,549
Bruns Avenue Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	501 S. Bruns Ave	Charlotte	28208	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(980) 343-5495	415	23	18.2	99.3%	10 (2.4%)	304 (73.3%)	86 (20.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.9%)	6.1	1458^th of 1490 public elementary schools	2.1%		6	1472^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	2.2%	14	26.4	23.9	41.0				17.6	26.9	21.9				34.4		$14,397	$3,116	$11,281

Frequently Asked Questions about First Ward Creative Arts Academy

How many students attend First Ward Creative Arts Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 421 students attended First Ward Creative Arts Academy.

What schools do graduates of First Ward Creative Arts Academy attend?

Students who attend First Ward Creative Arts Academy usually go on to attend:

Middle : Sedgefield Middle
High : Myers Park High School

What district is First Ward Creative Arts Academy in?

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Is First Ward Creative Arts Academy a good school?

First Ward Creative Arts Academy ranks 916^th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of First Ward Creative Arts Academy?

Students at First Ward Creative Arts Academy are 76% African American, 13% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 3% White.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.