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FernLeaf

Q: Is FernLeaf a good school?

FernLeaf ranks 1068 th of 1492 North Carolina alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public, Charter, Alternative Grades K-12

1068^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Alternative Schools

Better than 28% of North Carolina alternative schools

Summary

FernLeaf is a K-12 public charter school in Fletcher, NC, serving 763 students. It is part of the single-school FernLeaf Community Charter School district. FernLeaf is larger than Lake Lure Classical Academy (481) and Buncombe County Schools Virtual Academy (296), but smaller than IC Imagine (1,239). The student-teacher ratio at FernLeaf is 14.3:1, more favorable than the 17.6 at Lake Lure Classical Academy and 21.4 at Buncombe County Schools Virtual Academy; IC Imagine posts an even lower 13.3. Chronic absenteeism has improved from 27.3% in 2022–23 to 21.3% in 2024–25, putting FernLeaf below the state average of 24.2%.

Academically, FernLeaf is inconsistent. Math is the weakest subject: on the latest EOG tests, proficiency at each grade ranged from 34% to 46%, leaving an overall math average near 39.8% at FernLeaf, compared with 59.9% statewide. That puts FernLeaf close to Buncombe County Schools Virtual Academy, while Lake Lure Classical Academy (~59.4%) and IC Imagine (~58.3%) sit near the state norm. Reading is much stronger. The average across grades 3–8 at FernLeaf is about 56.8%, essentially matching the state’s 56.0%, and 8th-grade reading reaches 68.8% against 56.1% statewide. Science is a highlight: 85.4% of 8th graders at FernLeaf are proficient, above Lake Lure Classical Academy (81.0%), IC Imagine (67.6%), and the state (68.6%).

The biggest red flag is in high school. FernLeaf has only one reported graduation rate, 63.3%, far below the state’s 88.8%. Neighboring comparisons include Lake Lure Classical Academy (94.4%), Buncombe County Schools Virtual Academy (92.6%), and IC Imagine (83.8%). This is a single year of data, and grade cohorts at FernLeaf are small, so the rate could be volatile; even so, a 25-point gap demands attention. Math I proficiency is just 32.5%, while Math III reaches 80.0%, suggesting that students who continue to advanced math form a smaller, more selective group. Biology and English II also beat state averages. In short, FernLeaf is an uneven school with genuine strengths in reading, science, and several end-of-course exams, but persistent math weakness and a low graduation rate are important factors for parents.

763

Students ?

14.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

58 Howard Gap Rd
Fletcher, NC 28732

(828) 684-3645

District: FernLeaf Community Charter School

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.9%

Hispanic:

6.8%

Two or more races:

6.4%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare FernLeaf to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 71st percentile in 2022 → 59th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (52% vs 59% meeting standards)

!Graduation rate below the North Carolina average (63% vs 89%)

!Ranking has slipped — down 12 percentile points since 2022

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school52%

North Carolina avg59%

Elementary school

1,068^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 28%▼ down 17 pts since 2019

From bottom 45% (2019) to bottom 28% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

390^th of 778

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 50%▼ down 40 pts since 2021

From top 10% (2021) to top 50% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

269^th of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Top 41%

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	31.3	1068 of 1492	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	36.9	964 of 1490	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.2	868 of 1505	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	54.7	680 of 1502	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.2	702 of 1514	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	66.6	448 of 1489	69.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	47.7	805 of 1473	45.3%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	58.4	178 of 634	71.9%	★★★★☆
2021	58.7	180 of 646	72.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	27.0	1136 of 1447	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	34.9	990 of 1451	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.3	981 of 1455	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.5	781 of 1459	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	46.7	765 of 1458	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	61.8	493 of 1440	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.5	717 of 1424	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.4	953 of 1405	32.2%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	28.1	1159 of 1434	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	40.4	909 of 1437	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	52.6	645 of 1450	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.2	351 of 1437	75.6%	★★★★☆
2022	72.4	246 of 1366	82.0%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	36.4	951 of 1451	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	40.2	894 of 1450	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.5	754 of 1464	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	60.7	548 of 1461	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.3	623 of 1464	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	68.4	409 of 1444	71.7%	★★★★☆
2019	50.3	735 of 1430	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	53.8	670 of 1413	52.6%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	38.6	486 of 815	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.1	590 of 821	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.2	667 of 801	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	17.2	1037 of 1146	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	21.1	1018 of 1172	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.4	948 of 1166	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	37.0	815 of 1183	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	33.9	854 of 1194	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	44.0	664 of 1172	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	31.6	909 of 1183	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.0	912 of 1178	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	50.8	390 of 778	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	68.9	214 of 773	72.3%	★★★★☆
2024	73.1	187 of 793	76.4%	★★★★☆
2023	77.3	159 of 784	79.7%	★★★★☆
2022	66.9	227 of 786	71.1%	★★★★☆
2021	86.1	75 of 741	89.9%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	48.7	384 of 731	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	48.5	372 of 733	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	64.9	236 of 738	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	72.4	168 of 731	77.0%	★★★★☆
2022	68.7	208 of 733	71.6%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	53.7	308 of 725	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	67.8	154 of 729	78.9%	★★★★☆
2024	73.6	120 of 743	83.8%	★★★★☆
2023	82.6	71 of 735	90.3%	★★★★★
2022	74.5	104 of 689	84.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	52.7	350 of 736	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	82.0	111 of 733	84.9%	★★★★☆
2024	76.6	150 of 751	80.0%	★★★★☆
2023	82.2	118 of 747	84.2%	★★★★☆
2022	63.2	247 of 748	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	85.4	78 of 711	89.0%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	32.4	462 of 644	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	51.6	305 of 649	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.4	269 of 652	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.1	219 of 656	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	51.9	301 of 658	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	73.9	138 of 632	78.2%	★★★★☆

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)72nd percentile+18 vs school

Special Education (2026)40th percentile+12 vs school

Male (2026)34th percentile+6 vs school

Female (2026)21st percentile-7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)19th percentile-9 vs school

White (2026)10th percentile-19 vs school

Middle school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)58th percentile+8 vs school

Male (2026)52nd percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)47th percentile~ school

White (2026)28th percentile-22 vs school

High school

Female (2026)62nd percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)59th percentile~ school

Male (2026)56th percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)43rd percentile-16 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Math III80%+11 vs state

Science77%+9 vs state

English II74%+10 vs state

Biology72%+13 vs state

Reading55%~ state avg

Mathematics39%-21 vs state

Math I32%-10 vs state

4.0

4 ratings · 4 written reviews

5★3

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, January 5, 2021

This isn't exactly accurate because the charter school doesn't even serve lunch I don't know how kids can be free or reduced on it when its not even offered. Parents pack lunches and snacks. My daughter has been going here for three years and we love it Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, January 29, 2020

We had to withdraw our child from the school because of the lack of learning that was happening and the cult-like culture of this school. My child is an exceptional reader and somehow managed to fail the reading part of his final. My child was doing math at a second grade level. We moved to a different school and my child is doing so much better. I do not recommend this school to anyone who wants their kid to actually learn anything. It seems like all they care about is being "woke" and running around in the mud on cold, rainy days. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, December 13, 2019

We love this school! Don't be fooled by the numbers--FernLeaf operates according to global best practices in education, which prioritize building the foundations for learning how to learn in early childhood. Thus, school performance outcomes are expected to be lower at the elementary level (kids are not taught to pass state tests. They are taught how to learn). Higher educational results are to be expected by the time students reach the upper secondary school levels, and parents need to be aware of these goals and adjust expectations accordingly. In the interim, our children are thriving in an environment where they feel safe, respected, encouraged, loved, deeply cared for, and free to take partnership in their educational experience together with their teachers. They love going to school, they love learning in groups, and they love being a part of a community that feels so much like family. FernLeaf has been a godsend, and I would highly recommend it to anyone! Close Quote

by a principal
Wednesday, October 9, 2019

FernLeaf takes great pride in meeting students where they are at academically while also placing great emphasis on social and emotional development, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. FernLeaf students demonstrate their growth and accomplishments in these areas in numerous ways through project work, meaningful academic assessments, and their ability to be strong contributors to their communities. Close Quote

Schools Near FernLeaf

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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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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	Total
FernLeaf	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	58 Howard Gap Rd	Fletcher	28732	Henderson County	FernLeaf Community Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(828) 684-3645	763	53	14.3	—	648 (84.9%)	6 (0.8%)	52 (6.8%)	4 (0.5%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (6.4%)								(n/a)	71.7	74.4	32.5	80.0	37.8	34.4	34.7	46.0	40.0	45.8	44.4	54.3	63.3	58.0	52.0	68.8	68.8	85.4
IC Imagine	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	110 Champion Way	Asheville	28806	Buncombe County	Invest Collegiate - Imagine	Yes	No	No	Yes	(828) 633-6491	1,239	93	13.3	—	928 (74.9%)	35 (2.8%)	163 (13.2%)	19 (1.5%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (7.4%)								(n/a)	80.0	86.5	54.7	78.9	71.6	53.5	59.6	58.2	64.4	42.2	58.8	65.3	55.6	74.5	72.4	62.7	63.6	67.6
Buncombe County Schools Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	21 Trinity Chapel Rd	Asheville	28805	Buncombe County	Buncombe County Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(828) 255-5102	296	14	21.4	54.4%	233 (78.7%)	18 (6.1%)	30 (10.1%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.1%)								(n/a)	44.2	66.7	28.0	55.1		42.1	30.8	25.0	41.7	35.0		52.6	46.2	40.0	50.0	55.0	46.2	65.0
Lake Lure Classical Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	1058 Island Creek Rd.	Lake Lure	28746	Rutherford County	Lake Lure Classical Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(828) 625-9292	481	27	17.6	—	394 (81.9%)	17 (3.5%)	27 (5.6%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	37 (7.7%)								(n/a)	66.7	80.0	57.6	85.7	74.2	45.0	77.8	35.3	57.1	66.7	51.6	55.0	63.9	50.0	62.9	68.2	63.9	81.0

Frequently Asked Questions about FernLeaf

What is the racial makeup of FernLeaf?

Students at FernLeaf are 85% White, 7% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

Is FernLeaf a good school?

FernLeaf ranks 1068^th of 1492 North Carolina alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend FernLeaf?

In the 2024-25 school year, 763 students attended FernLeaf.

What district is FernLeaf in?

FernLeaf Community Charter School

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Schools in Fletcher, NC

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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.