Summary
The Hawbridge School in Saxapahaw, NC is a small K–12 alternative public school serving 597 students and operating as its own district, The Hawbridge School, within a region of high-performing nearby charter schools. Most striking: Hawbridge’s graduation rate is 94.3%, well above the state’s 88.8% and higher than most nearby reporting schools, including Woods Charter (88.6%), Clover Garden (83.0%), and Ignite Online Academy (71.9%). Its chronic absenteeism rate improved sharply to 20.6% — below the state 24.2% — but that still trails the 12–14% range posted by River Mill Academy, Woods Charter, Eno River Academy, and Chatham Charter, suggesting attendance is an area of focus rather than a current strength.
Academically, Hawbridge shows an uncommon pattern. Reading and English are clear strengths at nearly every grade: 3rd through 8th grade reading all top state averages, with 7th and 8th grades ahead by roughly 15–17 points. High school English II proficiency is 88.0% versus 64.6% statewide, better than Eno River Academy and Clover Garden. Science at the secondary level is also reliably strong, with 8th-grade science near 85% and Biology EOC proficiency around 78%, both well above state averages. Math is more mixed: 3rd, 5th, and 6th grade math fall below state proficiency, yet 4th, 7th, and 8th grade math exceed it, and by high school the school really stands out — Math I (57.8% vs. 42.1% statewide) and Math III (75.8% vs. 68.9%) are above the state and competitive with neighboring charters. So while elementary math foundations are the school’s biggest opportunity, results grow stronger as students move through the building.
Because Hawbridge is small, test scores can swing noticeably from year to year as cohorts change, so single-year results should be read carefully. Still, the overall picture is a solid, improving school with a distinctly strong secondary profile. It may not match the top neighboring charters in every early-grade subject, but by the time students finish high school, Hawbridge posts an excellent graduation rate, strong reading and English outcomes, and high-school math and science scores that rival — and sometimes beat — its more prominent peers in the area.
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