Excelsior Classical Academy

Excelsior Classical Academy is a K–12 charter school in north Durham, NC, that enrolls about 1,032 students and operates as its own school district. Its biggest strengths are in elementary and middle school: in 2025-2026, it exceeded the North Carolina state average in reading in every grade from 3rd through 8th by 11 to 24 points, and beat state averages in most math grades and in 5th- and 8th-grade science. Eighth-grade math stood out at 78.5% proficiency versus 53.0% statewide. Because these results reflect a sharp one-year jump, it's worth watching whether they hold. The graduation rate (92.5%) tops the state (88.8%), and chronic absenteeism (18.3%) is better than the state's 24.2%, though it lags most nearby charter schools.

The bigger concern is high school. English II proficiency was just 50.9% in 2025-2026 versus 64.6% statewide—a gap that has persisted four straight years despite strong middle-school reading scores. Math I results (39.1%) also trail the state (42.1%), though Math III is a bright spot at 78.8% versus 68.9%. Excelsior also has a strikingly high student-to-teacher ratio of 24.7, well above nearby charters like Eno River Academy (13.2), Voyager Academy (13.4), and Woods Charter (9.4), which likely means larger class sizes.

The comparison with Voyager Academy, located only 0.27 miles away, is instructive. Excelsior Classical Academy beats Voyager in 8th-grade reading (79.6% vs. 59.2%) and math (78.5% vs. 68.9%), but Voyager is much stronger in high school English II (70.4% vs. 50.9%) and Math I (65.1% vs. 39.1%). Woods Charter, Eno River Academy, and Falls Lake Academy also tend to outperform Excelsior on high school course exams and report much lower chronic absenteeism. Overall, this is a school with genuine K–8 strengths and a solid graduation rate, but parents should look closely at how the school supports students through the transition to high school, particularly in English II and Math I.