American Leadership Academy - Johnston

American Leadership Academy - Johnston is a large K-12 charter school in Clayton, North Carolina, serving roughly 2,080 students and operating as its own standalone district in the Johnston County area, just outside Raleigh. It is much larger than nearby public charter options, with a student-teacher ratio near 23-to-1, compared with about 14-to-1 at East Wake Academy and 17-to-1 at Neuse Charter School. That means bigger class sections and fewer adults per student, though the school still posts above-average results in most subjects.

Academically, students score above the North Carolina state average in 15 of 18 tested grade and subject categories, and elementary math is a standout: 80% of third graders are proficient in math, versus 66% statewide. The bigger concerns show up in the upper grades. Eighth-grade reading and science trail the state average, and the Algebra I end-of-course exam is the school's biggest red flag, with proficiency hovering around 38% versus a 42% state average. That gap looks especially stark next to Neuse Charter School, where 73% of students pass Algebra I — although American Leadership Academy - Johnston is much stronger than Neuse in early-elementary math. The two schools simply excel at different ends of the K-12 pipeline.

The school's graduation rate is a solid 91.1%, above the state average of 88.8%, and recent gains in Biology, English II, and Math III suggest positive momentum in high school. However, chronic absenteeism stands at 27%, well above the state rate and more than double the rates at East Wake Academy and Neuse Charter School. Overall, this is an academically solid school with strong early grades and a good graduation rate, but families should watch whether upper-grade math, attendance, and middle-school reading and science continue to hold it back.