Career Academy and Technical School

Career Academy and Technical School is a small public school in Troutman, NC, serving just 103 students in grades 6–12 as part of Iredell-Statesville Schools in the Lake Norman/Mooresville area. Since it spans both middle and high school grades, its rating is based on a different mix of state tests than the traditional high schools nearby, so direct comparisons are imperfect. It also serves a relatively low-poverty population — about 18% of students qualified for free or reduced lunch, similar to Lake Norman High but far below Statesville High, where nearly all students qualify.

Academically, the picture is mixed and volatile. In the most recent state ranking (2025–2026), the school landed in the 12th percentile statewide — 585th out of 662 schools — a sharp drop from the year before, when it ranked in the 53rd percentile. Math is the clearest weakness: Math I proficiency was 13.6% versus roughly 42% statewide, and 8th grade math was 17.4% versus about 53% statewide — lower than West Iredell High and Statesville High, two of the district’s lower-performing high schools. Reading and science have been brighter spots, with 8th grade reading and science reaching roughly 86% proficiency in 2024–2025, though those numbers fell in the most recent year. With only 103 students across seven grade levels, a single year’s results can swing dramatically based on a handful of students.

The school’s most distinctive strengths are its resources and engagement. It has a strikingly low 6.1:1 student-teacher ratio — roughly one-third the ratio at nearby high schools — and it spent about $13,148 per student in 2018–2019, nearly double what Lake Norman High spent. Chronic absenteeism was just 5.7% in 2021–2022, versus more than 34% across the district, and the graduation rate reached 92.5% in the most recent reported year, above both district and state averages. Students attend and graduate, suggesting a supportive environment. For parents, the bottom line: this is a caring, well-resourced school with strong attendance and graduation, but academic proficiency — especially in math — is a significant concern.