Summary:
Mallard Creek STEM Academy is a single K–8 school in Charlotte, NC, serving 961 students and classified as an elementary school despite its middle-grade span. This high-poverty school has nearly all students eligible for free/reduced lunch, and its test results are mixed compared to North Carolina state averages.
In the most recent year, math proficiency averaged about 49.8% across grades 3–8, which is 10 points below the state average, though the school improved from the prior year. Reading results are more uneven: 8th grade reading is a standout at 62.9% proficient, nearly 7 points above the state, but all other grades trail the state, and 7th grade reading fell sharply from 66.0% to 49.5% in one year. Science is a concern for a STEM academy, especially in 5th grade, where only 43.8% of students are proficient compared to 67.7% statewide. The school's overall state ranking has declined from the 39th percentile (2 stars) in 2024–2025 to the 27th percentile (1 star) in 2025–2026, despite making small absolute gains in math, because the state improved faster overall.
There are encouraging signs in middle-grades math: the cohort moving from 5th to 6th grade improved in math proficiency from 40.0% to 56.0%, and the 6th-to-7th grade cohort rose from 46.1% to 55.2%. However, the 3rd-to-4th grade transition is a weak point, with the strong 3rd grade math cohort dropping from 65.1% to 50.9% as 4th graders. Chronic absenteeism is about 24.5%, close to the state average, while the student-teacher ratio of 13.4 is favorable. Families considering this school should recognize that it faces serious challenges tied to poverty but also offers genuine bright spots, especially in 8th grade reading and middle school math growth. The biggest opportunities are improving early-grade reading, 5th grade science, and sustaining the momentum seen in middle grades.
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