KIPP: Charlotte

The KIPP: Charlotte district is home to a single school, KIPP Charlotte, a K–8 charter school serving 813 students in a high-poverty North Carolina community where 98.89% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch. Because it is the only school in the district, school-level and district-level results are identical: the school ranks 219 out of 246 in the state, placing it at the 11th percentile with a 1-star rating, and this ranking has remained stuck at roughly the 12th percentile for three consecutive years.

Despite the low overall rating, KIPP Charlotte has some standout bright spots. Eighth-grade science is a genuine strength: 73.3% of 8th graders scored proficient in 2025–2026, beating the state average of 68.6%, and 8th grade science also exceeded the state the prior year. Eighth-grade reading improved by 17 points to 51.7%, coming within about 4 points of the state average. Sixth-grade math made a striking jump from 25.6% to 52.4% proficiency in one year. However, middle school math remains a serious concern: only 26.0% of 7th graders and 26.7% of 8th graders are proficient, roughly 30 points below state averages. Chronic absenteeism is the biggest red flag, with 55.1% of students chronically absent — more than double the state average of 24.2%.

For parents, the picture is mixed and highly inconsistent across grade levels and subjects. Science is the school's most competitive subject overall, with combined 5th and 8th grade proficiency at 64.3% versus 68.2% statewide; notably, 5th grade science trails the state while 8th grade science leads it. Reading shows encouraging momentum in upper grades, while math proficiency declines as students get older, suggesting foundational gaps that compound over time. The stark contrast between 6th grade math at 52.4% and 7th grade math at 26.0% points to cohort differences or inconsistent curriculum alignment rather than schoolwide trends. With nearly all students living in poverty and more than half chronically absent, the school faces serious challenges, but the strong upper-grade science and reading results — plus rapid gains in 6th grade math — demonstrate that meaningful improvement is possible. Prioritizing middle school math intervention and investigating the causes of absenteeism would be the most impactful next steps.