Summary
Briarwood Academy serves 649 students in grades PK through 5 in Charlotte, NC, as part of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The school currently ranks in the 29th percentile of North Carolina elementary schools with a 1-star rating, a position that has hovered in the bottom third of the state for much of the past decade. Nearly all students — 99.5% — qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and 30.6% are chronically absent, well above the district's 26.8% rate.
Within its neighborhood, however, Briarwood is a relative bright spot. On 2025-2026 state tests, Briarwood posted roughly 59% proficiency in math and 43% in reading across grades 3-5 — well below state averages but significantly ahead of nearby high-poverty schools like Hidden Valley Elementary, Devonshire Elementary, and Newell Elementary, each of which scored no higher than 43% in math and 34% in reading. Briarwood also outperforms KIPP Charlotte, a charter school directly across the street, in nearly every subject despite a similar student population. The area's true standouts — Shamrock Gardens Elementary and Highland Mill Montessori — serve much different student bodies, with only 22-32% of students eligible for free lunch versus nearly 100% at Briarwood.
Math is Briarwood's strongest subject, with 3rd-grade proficiency reaching 62.6% and 4th grade essentially matching the state average. Reading is more challenging, with proficiency stuck between 41% and 47% at every grade level, and 5th-grade science trails the state by roughly 17 points. The school serves several groups well relative to statewide peers: African American students rank in the 69th percentile, low-income students in the 63rd, and gifted students in the 96th. Special education students, however, rank in only the 5th percentile, signaling a significant need. Recent 3rd-grade scores jumped sharply year over year, suggesting early-grade improvements may be underway, though it's too soon to know if the gains will stick.
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