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Pioneer Springs Community School

Q: Is Pioneer Springs Community School a good school?

Pioneer Springs Community School ranks 891 st of 1492 North Carolina alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend Pioneer Springs Community School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 558 students attended Pioneer Springs Community School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Pioneer Springs Community School?

Students at Pioneer Springs Community School are 60% White, 16% Hispanic, 13% African American, 7% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 1% American Indian.

Public, Charter, Alternative Grades K-12

891^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Alternative Schools

Better than 40% of North Carolina alternative schools

Summary

Pioneer Springs Community School, a K-12 public charter/alternative school in north Charlotte, NC, enrolls 558 students and operates as its own district. Its 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio is notably lower than nearby charters like Corvian Community School (18.8:1) and Lake Norman Charter (17.7:1), which gives the school a resource-rich instructional setting despite its small size.

Academically, Pioneer Springs presents a distinctive split between subjects. Reading proficiency across grades 3–8 averages roughly 56.8%, essentially matching the state's 56.0%, and the school outperformed North Carolina in four of six grade-level reading exams. Eighth-grade science is a bright spot, with 82.4% proficiency versus the state's 68.6% — close to Corvian Community School's 87.4% and just ahead of Jackson Day School's 81.6%. Chronic absenteeism has also improved dramatically, falling from 28.3% in 2022–2023 to just 15.2% — well below the state average of 24.2%. Only a few nearby schools, including Corvian (7.2%), Bradford Preparatory School (9.7%), and Lake Norman Charter (10.8%), post better attendance rates.

The central weakness is math. Average math proficiency is about 50.8%, roughly nine points below the state's 59.9%, and math lagged the state in all six grade-level exams. This is most severe at the high-school transition, where Math I EOC proficiency sits at just 5.4% versus the state's 42.1%. Because the high-school cohort is very small, results are volatile — Math I jumped from 50% to 20% to 5.4% in recent years — but the consistent pattern of below-average math performance points to a real area of need. Graduation rates are similarly unstable, swinging from 75% to 56.3% to the most recent 82.8%, still below the state's 88.8%. For parents considering the school, the picture is a small, well-staffed community with genuine reading and attendance strengths, challenged by inconsistent math achievement that deserves close attention.

558

Students ?

11.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

4.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

9232 Bob Beatty Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28269

(704) 494-0777

District: Pioneer Springs Community School

Racial breakdown:

White:

60.2%

Hispanic:

16.5%

African American:

12.5%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Pioneer Springs Community School to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 52nd percentile in 2023 → 25th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (53% vs 59% meeting standards)

!Graduation rate below the North Carolina average (83% vs 89%)

!Ranking has slipped — down 27 percentile points since 2023

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school53%

North Carolina avg59%

Elementary school

891^st of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 40%▲ up 3 pts since 2016

From bottom 37% (2016) to bottom 40% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

359^th of 778

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 46%▼ down 7 pts since 2019

From top 39% (2019) to top 46% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

494^th of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Bottom 25%▼ down 37 pts since 2024

From top 38% (2024) to bottom 25% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	41.2	891 of 1492	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	54.4	664 of 1490	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.6	654 of 1505	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	45.5	837 of 1502	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	56.5	636 of 1514	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	63.4	510 of 1489	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.9	732 of 1473	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.7	734 of 1434	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	60.5	566 of 1429	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2016	41.7	900 of 1425	36.8%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	56.5	191 of 634	69.9%	★★★★☆
2019	54.2	311 of 878	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	65.5	199 of 897	77.8%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	56.0	613 of 1447	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	58.5	578 of 1451	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.0	629 of 1455	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	39.6	888 of 1459	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	62.4	510 of 1458	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	66.3	409 of 1440	71.6%	★★★★☆
2019	49.3	750 of 1424	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	50.2	735 of 1405	47.7%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	32.4	1075 of 1434	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	53.4	622 of 1437	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.7	682 of 1450	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	32.8	1022 of 1437	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	32.0	990 of 1366	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	27.7	1107 of 1451	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	48.8	748 of 1450	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	53.8	676 of 1464	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.8	715 of 1461	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.7	726 of 1464	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	57.1	590 of 1444	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.8	707 of 1430	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	47.6	798 of 1413	43.5%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	53.9	299 of 815	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.6	287 of 821	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.3	223 of 801	72.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	29.8	901 of 1146	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	35.6	820 of 1172	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.2	763 of 1166	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.0	778 of 1183	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	51.4	599 of 1194	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	51.8	546 of 1172	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	35.5	840 of 1183	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	37.5	820 of 1178	30.4%	★★☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	54.0	359 of 778	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	54.2	339 of 773	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	49.2	401 of 793	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.2	379 of 784	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.5	362 of 786	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	76.3	160 of 741	78.4%	★★★★☆
2019	60.1	285 of 737	61.3%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	60.0	275 of 731	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	47.7	381 of 733	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.9	473 of 738	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.6	385 of 731	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	55.4	300 of 733	59.1%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	39.5	441 of 725	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	48.5	358 of 729	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	43.9	402 of 743	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.5	512 of 735	30.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	47.3	398 of 736	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	58.8	272 of 733	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.9	290 of 751	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	52.3	329 of 747	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.3	379 of 748	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	78.8	130 of 711	81.7%	★★★★☆
2019	58.3	281 of 697	59.7%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	63.3	91 of 473	80.8%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	47.1	346 of 644	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	49.3	323 of 649	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	32.4	475 of 652	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	35.7	445 of 656	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.2	469 of 658	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	58.6	236 of 632	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.7	288 of 624	53.8%	★★★☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	28.0	494 of 662	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	48.8	311 of 641	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.4	243 of 640	62.0%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	16.2	554 of 629	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	49.0	310 of 610	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	68.3	183 of 602	69.6%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	31.4	441 of 620	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	45.3	340 of 624	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	39.2	357 of 601	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.4	354 of 607	41.7%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	18.7	472 of 551	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	41.1	327 of 542	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.2	299 of 553	45.9%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Disabled (2022)70th percentile+12 vs school

Special Education (2026)63rd percentile+23 vs school

Female (2026)58th percentile+17 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)25th percentile-15 vs school

Male (2026)24th percentile-17 vs school

White (2026)21st percentile-19 vs school

Middle school

Special Education (2024)81st percentile+31 vs school

Female (2026)62nd percentile+9 vs school

White (2026)46th percentile-8 vs school

Male (2026)46th percentile-8 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)39th percentile-15 vs school

High school

Male (2026)46th percentile+20 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)29th percentile+3 vs school

White (2026)14th percentile-11 vs school

Female (2026)12th percentile-13 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science65%-3 vs state

English II57%-7 vs state

Math III57%-11 vs state

Reading57%~ state avg

Mathematics51%-9 vs state

Biology51%-7 vs state

Math I5%-37 vs state

1.8

5 ratings · 5 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★4

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, May 2, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

Schools Near Pioneer Springs Community School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				EOC Biology (2026)	EOC English II (2026)	EOC Math I (2026)	EOC Math III (2026)	EOG Mathematics (2026)						EOG Reading (2026)						EOG Science (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Pioneer Springs Community School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	9232 Bob Beatty Rd.	Charlotte	28269	Mecklenburg County	Pioneer Springs Community School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(704) 494-0777	558	47	11.8		336 (60.2%)	70 (12.5%)	92 (16.5%)	16 (2.9%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	37 (6.6%)								(n/a)	51.1	57.5	5.4	57.5	55.8	43.5	56.8	58.7	48.7	41.2	58.1	60.9	47.7	52.2	63.2	58.8	52.3	82.4
Corvian Community School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	4041 Johnston Oehler Road	Charlotte	28269	Mecklenburg County	Corvian Community School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(704) 717-7550	1,376	73	18.8		549 (39.9%)	456 (33.1%)	176 (12.8%)	101 (7.3%)	4 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	88 (6.4%)								(n/a)	80.4	94.5	83.0	80.5	69.5	65.7	58.7	75.2	79.8	76.7	69.5	68.6	61.5	70.6	74.0	78.6	63.3	87.4
Lake Norman Charter	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	12435 Old Statesville Road	Huntersville	28078	Mecklenburg County	Lake Norman Charter	Yes	No	No	No	(704) 948-8600	2,222	125	17.7		1,218 (54.8%)	244 (11.0%)	144 (6.5%)	449 (20.2%)	5 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	162 (7.3%)								(n/a)	88.4	92.4	76.8	84.4	83.9	87.2	90.8	93.2	90.0	91.5	77.4	85.6	82.1	76.3	83.6	85.4	90.3	92.4
TMSA Charlotte	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	7550 Ruben Linker Rd	Concord	28027	Cabarrus County	The Math and Science Academy of Charlott	Yes	No	No	Yes	(980) 321-7744	760	51	14.8	94.1%	30 (3.9%)	471 (62.0%)	83 (10.9%)	118 (15.5%)	6 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	51 (6.7%)								(n/a)	49.3	65.9	34.9	54.5	70.6	54.7	51.7	76.9	50.5	34.6	68.3	66.2	56.7	70.0	61.3	64.2	59.2	74.1
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Academy	Public, Alternative	K-12	5833 Millhaven Lane	Charlotte	28269	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(980) 343-0680	91	21	4.3	96.7%	14 (15.4%)	57 (62.6%)	14 (15.4%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.5%)								(n/a)			537.2						7.7	< 5%					23.1	9.1		18.2	$60,725	$16,356	$44,369
Bradford Preparatory School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	2502 Salome Church Rd	Charlotte	28262	Mecklenburg County	Bradford Preparatory School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(704) 549-0080	1,566	107	14.6		666 (42.5%)	542 (34.6%)	163 (10.4%)	74 (4.7%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	118 (7.5%)								(n/a)	75.0	86.2	74.7	79.5	65.5	68.9	71.7	78.9	76.8	57.4	53.4	66.0	63.8	73.4	75.2	82.8	70.9	72.1
Sugar Creek Charter	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	4101 N Tryon Street	Charlotte	28206	Mecklenburg County	Sugar Creek Charter	Yes	No	No	Yes	(704) 509-5470	1,591	68	23.3	96.6%	3 (0.2%)	1,110 (69.8%)	425 (26.7%)	13 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (2.5%)								(n/a)	65.2	71.2	25.7	75.9	55.9	39.7	60.5	41.4	39.2	41.4	31.4	48.8	45.6	43.1	44.4	48.0	54.4	67.8
Carolina International School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	9545 Poplar Tent Road	Concord	28027	Cabarrus County	Carolina International School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(704) 455-3847	744	47	15.6		166 (22.3%)	323 (43.4%)	170 (22.8%)	28 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (7.7%)								(n/a)	47.4	66.7	20.0	57.7	43.9	34.5	27.5	53.8	52.9	43.4	43.9	43.6	42.5	64.6	62.9	47.6	45.0	69.0
Bonnie Cone Leadership Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	16115 Poplar Tent Road	Huntersville	28078	Mecklenburg County	Bonnie Cone Leadership Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(704) 755-6800	1,269	77	16.4	41.6%	306 (24.1%)	481 (37.9%)	200 (15.8%)	158 (12.5%)	18 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	105 (8.3%)								(n/a)	38.8	65.2	26.4	53.4	70.5	61.2	57.6	53.8	45.2	43.8	59.5	58.8	52.4	48.8	54.1	55.1	45.9	54.8
Charlotte Lab School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	2045 Suttle Avenue	Charlotte	28208	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte Lab School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(704) 464-3830	807	65	12.4	50.1%	137 (17.0%)	403 (49.9%)	144 (17.8%)	10 (1.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	112 (13.9%)								(n/a)	36.4	55.6	33.3	18.5	40.0	32.9	30.8	33.3	29.5	31.3	42.4	52.4	45.7	29.0	55.0	52.1	53.8	45.8

Frequently Asked Questions about Pioneer Springs Community School

How many students attend Pioneer Springs Community School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 558 students attended Pioneer Springs Community School.

Is Pioneer Springs Community School a good school?

Pioneer Springs Community School ranks 891^st of 1492 North Carolina alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Pioneer Springs Community School in?

Pioneer Springs Community School

What is the racial makeup of Pioneer Springs Community School?

Students at Pioneer Springs Community School are 60% White, 16% Hispanic, 13% African American, 7% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 1% American Indian.

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 2, 2026

2016–17 through 2024–25 graduation ratesSep 3, 2025

2024–25 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 3, 2025

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.