Summary:
Maureen Joy Charter School is the only school in the Maureen Joy Charter district, a K–8 charter school in Durham, NC, serving 631 students, with 99.21% eligible for free/reduced lunch and chronic absenteeism at 30.3% (above the state’s 24.2%). Because there is just one school, these insights focus on how it compares to North Carolina averages and its own progress over two years.
Maureen Joy’s strongest results are in math, especially in the upper grades. In 2025–26, 7th grade math proficiency was 81.9% versus 56.2% statewide—a remarkable +25.7-point advantage. 8th grade was strong across the board: math (+15.1), reading (+14.9), and science (+11.1) all topped state averages. The school also improved sharply from the prior year, with 8th grade reading jumping 30.1 points, 8th grade science rising 23.6 points, and 7th grade math climbing 16.7 points. These are meaningful gains, though single-year changes can reflect different cohorts.
Reading is the main concern. In 2025–26, most grade-level reading scores fell below state averages, with the largest gaps in 5th grade (-13.9), 6th grade (-12.2), and 3rd grade (-10.3). 5th grade appears to be a persistent weak spot, underperforming the state in math, reading, and science in both reported years. Overall, the school earned a 2-star rating and ranked #931 out of 1,492 North Carolina schools. Still, given that nearly all students face economic disadvantage and absenteeism is above average, the strong math results and double-digit gains in several grades are especially noteworthy signs of progress.
Thank you for your feedback!