Pioneer Springs Community School

Summary:

Pioneer Springs Community School is a public charter school located in Charlotte, North Carolina, serving 527 students in grades K-12 with a diverse student population.

The school generally performs better than the state average in reading and science, but lags behind in mathematics, particularly in the upper grades. For example, the school's 8th-grade mathematics proficiency rate is 23.4% compared to the state average of 46.9%, but its 8th-grade science proficiency rate is 76.6%, higher than the state average of 70.1%. Pioneer Springs Community School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 12 to 13.4 over the past three school years, which is lower than many nearby schools. However, the school does not provide specific data on the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

When compared to nearby schools, Pioneer Springs Community School generally performs better than Charlotte-Mecklenburg Academy, which serves a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students. However, the school lags behind high-performing charter schools like Lake Norman Charter and Mountain Island Charter in both test scores and student demographics. The school's racial composition has shifted over the past three years, with a decrease in the percentage of White students and an increase in the percentage of African American and Hispanic students. The school's test scores have also fluctuated significantly from year to year, suggesting a need for more consistent and targeted academic interventions.


Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-12

 9232 Bob Beatty Rd.
       Charlotte, NC  28269


(704) 494-0777

District: Pioneer Springs Community School

SchoolDigger Rank:
654th of 1,505 North Carolina Alternative Schools


Student/teacher ratio:  13.4 Help
Number of students:  527

Racial breakdown:

White:
65.1%
Hispanic:
12.7%
African American:
12.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  4.3% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Pioneer Springs Community School ranks better than 56.5% of elementary schools in North Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55.56. (See more...)
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Compare Details Pioneer Springs Community School ranks worse than 50.6% of middle schools in North Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.17. (See more...)
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Compare Details Pioneer Springs Community School ranks better than 62% of high schools in North Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.44. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Pioneer Springs Community School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (65.1%), Hispanic (12.7%), African American (12.5%). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pioneer Springs Community School is 13.4. (See more...)
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Compare Pioneer Springs Community School employs 39.1 full-time teachers.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pioneer Springs Community School:

SchoolDigger ranks Pioneer Springs Community School 654th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Pioneer Springs Community School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Pioneer Springs Community School 401st of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Pioneer Springs Community School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Pioneer Springs Community School 243rd of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Pioneer Springs Community School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:




What do you think?

Your rating for Pioneer Springs Community School?

Rank History for Pioneer Springs Community School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2016 41.68 900th 1425 36.8%
2017 60.52 566th 1429 60.4%
2018 50.68 734th 1434 48.8%
2019 51.90 732nd 1473 50.3%
2021 63.44 510th 1489 65.7%
2022 56.52 636th 1514 58.0%
2023 45.48 837th 1502 44.3%
2024 55.56 654th 1505 56.5%
See the entire list of North Carolina Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 59.29 223rd 801 72.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 31.99 990th 1366 27.5%
2023 32.76 1022nd 1437 28.9%
2024 50.65 682nd 1450 53.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.25 735th 1405 47.7%
2019 49.28 750th 1424 47.3%
2021 66.33 409th 1440 71.6%
2022 62.44 510th 1458 65.0%
2023 39.57 888th 1459 39.1%
2024 55.03 629th 1455 56.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Disabled students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.52 199th 897 77.8%
2019 54.24 311th 878 64.6%
2022 56.54 191st 634 69.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.60 798th 1413 43.5%
2019 51.84 707th 1430 50.6%
2021 57.10 590th 1444 59.1%
2022 49.72 726th 1464 50.4%
2023 51.84 715th 1461 51.1%
2024 53.82 676th 1464 53.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.50 820th 1178 30.4%
2019 35.45 840th 1183 29.0%
2021 51.82 546th 1172 53.4%
2022 51.40 599th 1194 49.8%
2023 39.00 778th 1183 34.2%
2024 39.21 763rd 1166 34.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Pioneer Springs Community School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 60.15 285th 737 61.3%
2021 76.31 160th 741 78.4%
2022 52.52 362nd 786 53.9%
2023 50.23 379th 784 51.7%
2024 49.17 401st 793 49.4%
See the entire list of North Carolina Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 63.30 91st 473 80.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 33.54 512th 735 30.3%
2024 43.89 402nd 743 45.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 55.43 300th 733 59.1%
2023 46.55 385th 731 47.3%
2024 36.90 473rd 738 35.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 58.25 281st 697 59.7%
2021 78.81 130th 711 81.7%
2022 48.35 379th 748 49.3%
2023 52.27 329th 747 56.0%
2024 57.87 290th 751 61.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 52.66 288th 624 53.8%
2021 58.56 236th 632 62.7%
2022 32.15 469th 658 28.7%
2023 35.68 445th 656 32.2%
2024 32.44 475th 652 27.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Pioneer Springs Community School

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Rank History for all high school students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 58.44 243rd 640 62.0%
See the entire list of North Carolina Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Female students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 68.28 183rd 602 69.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 40.44 354th 607 41.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Pioneer Springs Community School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 46.17 299th 553 45.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Pioneer Springs Community School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1.8)
20%

0%

0%

0%

80%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Open Quote Really great school! The staff are friendly, helpful, and highly dedicated. With a culture that is increasing prioritizing test results over emotional and psychological development Pioneer Springs is a welcome alternative to the traditional school system. I have great faith in the teachers there to teach through experiences rather than just a book. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Open Quote RUN!!!! PSCS is no more than a daycare. They thrive on the cute events like the Fairy Tale Ball, ArtSpring, etc. Unfortunately, they do not educate children. They play outside in nature, but they do not teach nature. The founders/administrators have no professional educational background. If you are looking to unschool, PSCS may work for you. It's so sad how they promote the school with fake promises and outright lies. Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Open Quote The school does NOT function how they present themselves to perspective parents or the public. There are A LOT of issues at the school that made it impossible for our child to get the education that she deserves. The classes are heavy with special needs students and students with behavioral issues that do not get the services they need and the majority of the teachers attention is geared towards that student population. The students that are well behaved and don't have learning disabilities are the LAST ones to get attention. There are major behavioral issues in all grades that are never properly dealt with which results in most classes being in state of madness and chaos. The two founding families really run the school - two of them are on the board and two are administrators (none of which have any schooling or training that qualify them to run a school) - the principal is ok but often her attempts at making positive change are shut down but the founding families. I could really go on and on about the issues that are at this school- if you are thinking of sending your kids there don't waste your time. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, October 2, 2017

Open Quote Terrible for grades beyond 3rd grade. No academics. The scores are manipulated to make it look like improvement. It is a Play School, appropriate for K - 3rd. There is a reason the school has a very large amount of student and staff turnover. I've experiences this community and I do not want it raising my child. Close Quote


by a parent
Sunday, September 24, 2017

Open Quote My child's experience the past 3 years at PSCS has been good and very bad. It was good in 3rd for socialization. In 4th and 5th grade, both lead teachers left part way through the year. My child is very far behind academically. Academics are NOT a priority at this school. Not even in the Middle School. Student retention is very low too, especially in grades above 3rd grade. The nature aspect is really just walks in the woods and writing in a journal outside. This school has great potential as a K - 3rd school, in my opinion. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Pioneer Springs Community School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2015 143 6 9 10 0 0 10 0 178
2016 178 8 12 13 0 0 11 0 222
2017 208 9 6 17 0 0 19 0 259
2018 224 10 3 25 0 0 19 0 281
2019 232 20 3 39 3 0 25 0 322
2020 273 16 2 37 3 1 35 0 367
2021 326 34 1 41 3 0 33 0 438
2022 298 43 2 58 1 0 44 0 446
2023 343 66 5 67 2 2 42 0 527

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Pioneer Springs Community School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2015 178 16.0 11.1 3.4
2016 222 22.0 10.0 0
2017 259 16.9 15.2 13.5
2018 281 19.5 14.3 6.8
2019 322 24.8 12.9 4.3
2020 367 28.9 12.6 n/a
2021 438 33.9 12.8 n/a
2022 446 37.0 12.0 n/a
2023 527 39.1 13.4 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Pioneer Springs Community School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2015 178 16.0 11.1 3.4
2016 222 22.0 10.0 0
2017 259 16.9 15.2 13.5
2018 281 19.5 14.3 6.8
2019 322 24.8 12.9 4.3
2020 367 28.9 12.6 n/a
2021 438 33.9 12.8 n/a
2022 446 37.0 12.0 n/a
2023 527 39.1 13.4 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pioneer Springs Community School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 732nd of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 837th of 1502 Elementary schools
 6%
Ranks 285th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 379th of 784 Middle schools
 9.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Pioneer Springs Community School)54.523.4
 31.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Pioneer Springs Community School)72.766
 6.7%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Pioneer Springs Community School)63.644.7
 18.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Pioneer Springs Community School)72.763.8
 8.9%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Pioneer Springs Community School)4127.3
 13.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Pioneer Springs Community School)53.861.4
 7.6%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Pioneer Springs Community School)5954.5
 4.5%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Pioneer Springs Community School)48.540.5
 8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Pioneer Springs Community School)69.754.1
 15.6%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Pioneer Springs Community School)6031.6
 28.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (Pioneer Springs Community School)7547.4
 27.6%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students322527
 63.7%
African American2066
 230%
American Indian32
 33.3%
Asian35
 66.7%
Hispanic3967
 71.8%
Pacific Islander02
White232343
 47.8%
Two or More Races2542
 68%


Schools Near Pioneer Springs Community School









Frequently Asked Questions about Pioneer Springs Community School

Pioneer Springs Community School ranks 654th of 1505 North Carolina alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 527 students attended Pioneer Springs Community School.

Students at Pioneer Springs Community School are 65% White, 13% Hispanic, 13% African American, 8% Two or more races.


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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.





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