Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls

Q: Is Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls a good school?

Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls ranks 1064 th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades K-8

1064^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,490 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 29% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls is a public charter school serving 627 students in grades K-8 in Wendell, North Carolina. The school is part of the Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls district, which is ranked 161 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls has struggled compared to the state average. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's proficiency rates in math and reading were significantly lower than the state averages across all grade levels. For example, in 3rd grade math, the school's proficiency rate was 46.3% compared to the state's 64.1%. Similarly, in 8th grade reading, the school's proficiency rate was 55.9% compared to the state's 54.2%. When compared to nearby public schools in the Wake County School District, such as Riverwood Elementary, Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls generally performs worse academically.

The school has also seen a decline in its statewide ranking over the past few years, dropping from 496 out of 1,489 North Carolina elementary schools in 2020-2021 to 1,064 out of 1,490 in 2024-2025. Additionally, the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls has increased significantly, from 28.71% in 2021-2022 to 54.86% in 2023-2024. The school's student-teacher ratio has also increased, from 22.3 in 2021-2022 to 33 in 2023-2024, which may be contributing to the academic challenges.

567

Students ?

54.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

57.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

6041 Taylor Rd.
Wendell, NC 27591

(919) 752-8870

District: Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls

Racial breakdown:

African American:

32.6%

Hispanic:

30.2%

White:

25.7%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 67th percentile in 2021 → 29th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (48% vs 56% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 38 percentile points since 2021

!Mathematics scores 13 pts below the North Carolina average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school48%

North Carolina avg56%

Elementary school

1,064^th of 1,490

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 29%▼ down 38 pts since 2021

From top 33% (2021) to bottom 29% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

377^th of 773

North Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 49%▼ down 2 pts since 2022

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

161^st of 242Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls among North Carolina districts

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
2025	31.7	1064 of 1490	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	34.0	1026 of 1505	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	23.9	1194 of 1502	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	38.6	943 of 1514	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	64.2	496 of 1489	66.7%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	41.7	530 of 918	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	32.7	677 of 924	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.7	648 of 933	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.2	668 of 927	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	71.9	138 of 896	84.6%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	38.9	912 of 1451	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.1	962 of 1455	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	25.2	1160 of 1459	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	37.1	947 of 1458	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	55.3	601 of 1440	58.3%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	37.4	634 of 961	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.1	568 of 951	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	23.4	776 of 915	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.1	701 of 893	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	73.5	140 of 843	83.4%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	41.9	871 of 1437	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.0	821 of 1450	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	27.8	1131 of 1437	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	29.3	1048 of 1366	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	53.7	520 of 1329	60.9%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	27.0	1122 of 1450	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.2	1072 of 1464	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.8	1100 of 1461	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	40.1	899 of 1464	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	70.1	385 of 1444	73.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	24.9	967 of 1172	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	39.6	759 of 1166	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.4	968 of 1183	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	47.9	637 of 1194	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	60.8	428 of 1172	63.5%	★★★☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	51.3	377 of 773	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.9	281 of 793	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	29.3	565 of 784	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	51.3	371 of 786	52.8%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	73.8	95 of 546	82.6%	★★★★☆
2024	57.5	175 of 560	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	33.2	394 of 559	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	46.8	248 of 550	54.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	48.0	380 of 733	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.5	313 of 738	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	36.3	464 of 731	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	47.0	375 of 733	48.8%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	59.1	193 of 562	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.5	188 of 564	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	20.4	480 of 553	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	70.3	147 of 729	79.8%	★★★★☆
2024	66.4	192 of 743	74.2%	★★★★☆
2023	28.0	570 of 735	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.5	542 of 689	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	54.3	314 of 733	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.0	240 of 751	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	23.5	597 of 747	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	53.3	334 of 748	55.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	40.9	394 of 649	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	66.5	194 of 652	70.2%	★★★★☆
2023	32.4	468 of 656	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	57.1	262 of 658	60.2%	★★★☆☆

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

African American (2025)42nd percentile+14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)39th percentile+11 vs school

Female (2025)37th percentile+9 vs school

Hispanic (2025)34th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2025)23rd percentile-6 vs school

White (2025)17th percentile-11 vs school

Middle school

African American (2025)83rd percentile+31 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)80th percentile+29 vs school

Hispanic (2025)66th percentile+14 vs school

Male (2025)57th percentile+6 vs school

Female (2025)48th percentile-3 vs school

White (2025)39th percentile-12 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Science53%-9 vs state

Reading51%~ state avg

Mathematics44%-13 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Saturday, June 25, 2022

My daughter started this school with very low scores from her previous school. She has increased her scores by 20. The school and teachers really care about student growth and academic excellence. I really love this school and plan to continue through to 8th Grade! Close Quote

Schools Near Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls

Load more schools when map is moved

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 (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)						EOG Reading (2025)						EOG Science (2025)		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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	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
Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls	Public, Charter	K-8	6041 Taylor Rd.	Wendell	27591	Wake County	Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls	Yes	No	No	Yes	(919) 752-8870	567	10	54.5	57.3%	146 (25.7%)	185 (32.6%)	171 (30.2%)	13 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (9.2%)	31.7	1064^th of 1490 public elementary schools	28.6%		34	1026^th of 1505 public elementary schools	31.8%	38	46.3	47.0	38.6	46.8	45.1	35.3	27.8	51.5	47.7	61.7	62.7	55.9	47.7	58.8
Lake Myra Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1300 Elk Falls Rd	Wendell	27591	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 365-8990	722	54	13.3	55.4%	242 (33.5%)	216 (29.9%)	207 (28.7%)	12 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (6.1%)	42.3	875^th of 1490 public elementary schools	41.3%		35.3	1010^th of 1505 public elementary schools	32.9%	135	60.0	40.0	53.8				44.0	51.0	50.0				63.2		$10,121	$996	$9,125
Carver Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	291 Liles-Dean Rd	Wendell	27591	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 365-2680	495	37	13.2	99.4%	110 (22.2%)	121 (24.4%)	223 (45.1%)	12 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.9%)	46.6	809^th of 1490 public elementary schools	45.7%		50.9	732^nd of 1505 public elementary schools	51.4%	77	57.8	60.5	64.9				45.8	52.6	36.5				60.8		$11,967	$1,538	$10,428
Knightdale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	109 Ridge St	Knightdale	27545	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 266-8540	549	39	13.9	99.5%	81 (14.8%)	228 (41.5%)	180 (32.8%)	23 (4.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.6%)	25.2	1178^th of 1490 public elementary schools	20.9%		16.3	1340^th of 1505 public elementary schools	11.0%	162	60.7	30.8	34.4				46.3	41.8	40.0				33.3		$10,196	$1,272	$8,925
Wendell Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	3355 Wendell Blvd	Wendell	27591	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 365-2660	458	36	12.6	99.3%	155 (33.8%)	151 (33.0%)	109 (23.8%)	20 (4.4%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.1%)	28.1	1116^th of 1490 public elementary schools	25.1%		27.3	1155^th of 1505 public elementary schools	23.3%	39	63.8	46.3	32.5				44.9	42.5	33.8				50.0		$10,627	$638	$9,989
Lockhart Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1320 N Smithfield Rd	Knightdale	27545	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 266-8525	463	39	11.8	99.4%	85 (18.4%)	174 (37.6%)	176 (38.0%)	5 (1.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.5%)	32.5	1048^th of 1490 public elementary schools	29.7%		38.7	959^th of 1505 public elementary schools	36.3%	89	47.9	45.8	55.8				38.3	54.8	38.5				52.1		$10,297	$790	$9,507
Forestville Road Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Lawson Ridge Road	Knightdale	27545	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 266-8487	570	47	12.2	99.5%	76 (13.3%)	212 (37.2%)	229 (40.2%)	21 (3.7%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.9%)	34.3	1013^th of 1490 public elementary schools	32.0%		39.9	935^th of 1505 public elementary schools	37.9%	78	58.1	35.2	51.8				47.7	29.7	43.4				65.1		$11,324	$1,232	$10,091
Hodge Road Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	2128 Mingo Bluff Boulevard	Knightdale	27545	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 266-8599	522	39	13.4	99.4%	84 (16.1%)	123 (23.6%)	283 (54.2%)	10 (1.9%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (3.6%)	31.3	1067^th of 1490 public elementary schools	28.4%		35.2	1011^th of 1505 public elementary schools	32.8%	56	59.3	44.7	55.0				37.0	44.7	43.8				43.8		$10,873	$1,488	$9,385
Riverwood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	108 Athletic Club Blvd	Clayton	27527	Johnston County	Johnston County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 359-6300	728	45	16.2	99.6%	365 (50.1%)	122 (16.8%)	170 (23.4%)	5 (0.7%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (8.5%)	88	139^th of 1490 public elementary schools	90.7%		87	150^th of 1505 public elementary schools	90.0%	11	82.5	87.4	75.2				61.7	76.4	69.9				82.7		$8,213	$432	$7,780
Beaverdam Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3591 Tarheel Club Rd	Raleigh	27604	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 694-0222	678	51	13.4	99.6%	42 (6.2%)	263 (38.8%)	312 (46.0%)	26 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	33 (4.9%)	32.9	1036^th of 1490 public elementary schools	30.5%		32.3	1061^st of 1505 public elementary schools	29.5%	25	53.1	56.5	53.6				34.5	44.4	43.6				50.0		$9,703	$1,189	$8,514

Frequently Asked Questions about Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls

Is Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls a good school?

Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls ranks 1064^th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What district is Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls in?

Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls

What is the racial makeup of Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls?

Students at Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls are 33% African American, 30% Hispanic, 26% White, 9% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

How many students attend Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls?

In the 2024-25 school year, 567 students attended Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls.

Rate Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina Elementary School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Wendell, NC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls!

Latest North Carolina data All new data »

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

2024–25 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 3, 2025

2023–24 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 4, 2024

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.