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

Independence High School

Q: Is Independence High School a good school?

Independence High School ranks 430 th of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

430^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 662 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 35% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Independence High School is a large, traditional public high school in east Charlotte, NC, serving roughly 2,024 students in grades 9–12 as part of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Once a 4-star school in the 72nd percentile a decade ago, Independence now holds a 2-star rating and sits in the 35th percentile (430th out of 662) of North Carolina high schools for 2025–26. It serves an almost universally low-income student body — 99.85% of students are eligible for free/reduced lunch — a poverty level that closely matches Garinger High School, East Mecklenburg High School, and Rocky River High School.

Attendance is the school's most pressing challenge: 36.4% of students were chronically absent in 2024–25, well above the district rate of 26.8% and the state rate of 24.2%. Proficiency on state End-of-Course exams generally trails state averages, with Biology (45.8%) and Math III (58.0%) showing the largest gaps. English II is the strongest subject, at 62.3% proficiency, nearly matching the state. The clearest bright spot is Math I, where proficiency reached 43.2% — above both the district and state and a dramatic rise from the low 20s just two years earlier. However, those gains have not yet carried into Math III, suggesting momentum is lost as students move on to advanced math.

Independence also posts a graduation rate of 86.7%, essentially matching the district (87.9%) and within two points of the state — a notably better result than Garinger at 73.0% or Rocky River at 82.0%, even with similar poverty levels. English Language Learner outcomes have improved considerably, rising from the 30th to the 55th percentile over three years. Nearby comparisons show room for growth: East Mecklenburg, with a nearly identical poverty rate, sits in the 48th percentile, while Butler High School (60th) and Providence High School (88th) rank higher. The path forward is clear: the school has already proven it can graduate students and lift math achievement, and it now must apply those successes to attendance, advanced coursework, and the subjects where proficiency still lags.

2,024

Students ?

17.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,395

Per pupil spending ?

Community Eligibility

All students receive free meals (2024-25) ?

1967 Patriot Dr
Charlotte, NC 28227-4123

(980) 343-6900

District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Feeder schools for Independence High School:

Elementary:	Albemarle Road Elementary
	Bain Elementary
	Charlotte East Language Academy
	Clear Creek Elementary
	More...
	Lebanon Road Elementary
Middle:	Mint Hill Middle
	Northeast Middle

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

45.1%

African American:

29.2%

White:

16.8%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Independence High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 72nd percentile in 2016 → 35th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (53% vs 60% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (36% vs 24% North Carolina)

!Ranking has slipped — down 37 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school53%

District avg61%

North Carolina avg60%

430^th of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Bottom 35%▼ down 37 pts since 2016

From top 28% (2016) to bottom 35% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

8^th of 16High Schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

105^th of 246Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	36.5	430 of 662	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.7	393 of 641	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.4	409 of 640	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.7	430 of 626	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.4	402 of 621	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	37.6	349 of 594	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	43.7	258 of 514	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	53.1	193 of 469	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	50.7	183 of 476	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	54.2	140 of 507	72.4%	★★★★☆
2015	62.1	111 of 531	79.1%	★★★★☆
2014	65.1	92 of 451	79.6%	★★★★☆
2013	49.0	151 of 505	70.1%	★★★★☆
2012	59.2	154 of 502	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2011	72.3	69 of 506	86.4%	★★★★☆
2010	63.6	150 of 499	69.9%	★★★★☆
2009	63.8	126 of 490	74.3%	★★★★☆
2008	58.7	165 of 477	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2007	68.8	82 of 453	81.9%	★★★★☆
2006	44.1	281 of 431	34.8%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	53.9	171 of 450	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	55.1	143 of 440	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.7	150 of 437	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.3	186 of 434	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	41.2	217 of 430	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	48.4	120 of 364	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	54.0	101 of 369	72.6%	★★★★☆
2018	53.3	116 of 359	67.7%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	23.7	82 of 103	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	29.6	79 of 106	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	10.7	92 of 101	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.1	90 of 98	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	15.2	82 of 91	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	15.6	71 of 83	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	12.0	82 of 89	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	11.5	73 of 77	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	48.1	123 of 330	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	73.5	43 of 334	87.1%	★★★★☆
2019	53.2	121 of 364	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	64.2	71 of 349	79.7%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	47.1	130 of 289	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	45.6	122 of 273	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	31.9	183 of 262	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.8	144 of 226	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.7	97 of 156	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	42.6	58 of 124	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.1	39 of 173	77.5%	★★★★☆
2018	84.1	10 of 147	93.2%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	38.2	407 of 629	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	36.3	394 of 610	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.2	402 of 602	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.5	418 of 588	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.7	408 of 594	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	35.2	271 of 475	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	39.9	268 of 475	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.0	217 of 449	51.7%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	57.0	233 of 407	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	57.3	222 of 412	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	51.6	258 of 403	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	77.4	72 of 403	82.1%	★★★★☆
2022	50.7	249 of 398	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	63.2	131 of 337	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	80.8	18 of 325	94.5%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	28.6	352 of 474	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	29.7	340 of 462	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.0	342 of 454	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.0	360 of 449	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	36.3	263 of 436	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	37.1	202 of 370	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	40.3	173 of 354	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.0	77 of 340	77.4%	★★★★☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	74.5	6 of 47	87.2%	★★★★☆
2023	71.7	8 of 45	82.2%	★★★★☆
2022	54.2	10 of 34	70.6%	★★★★☆
2019	59.1	11 of 44	75.0%	★★★★☆
2018	46.8	11 of 17	35.3%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	40.8	349 of 620	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	40.7	320 of 606	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.2	354 of 613	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	28.2	433 of 597	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	37.4	318 of 544	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.5	179 of 432	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	36.4	242 of 446	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	54.9	130 of 424	69.3%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	32.5	429 of 624	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.0	375 of 601	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.0	406 of 607	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.0	422 of 602	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.2	370 of 585	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.0	250 of 481	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	43.5	239 of 488	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	51.7	194 of 463	58.1%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	77.0	44 of 265	83.4%	★★★★☆
2025	69.7	60 of 253	76.3%	★★★★☆
2024	74.2	51 of 261	80.5%	★★★★☆
2023	52.0	110 of 249	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.3	102 of 226	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	44.9	112 of 199	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	62.5	62 of 195	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.0	59 of 185	68.1%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	44.4	185 of 372	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	54.5	102 of 352	71.0%	★★★★☆
2024	33.9	225 of 349	35.5%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	57.7	246 of 551	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	66.5	193 of 542	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	66.7	192 of 553	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.6	230 of 537	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.2	209 of 534	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	63.1	120 of 439	72.7%	★★★★☆
2019	73.3	73 of 444	83.6%	★★★★☆
2018	80.3	58 of 427	86.4%	★★★★☆

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)

Homeless (2024)87th percentile+51 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)83rd percentile+48 vs school

Disabled (2022)63rd percentile+27 vs school

African American (2026)62nd percentile+27 vs school

White (2026)55th percentile+20 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)55th percentile+20 vs school

Special Education (2026)50th percentile+15 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)44th percentile+9 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)43rd percentile+8 vs school

Female (2026)35th percentile~ school

Male (2026)31st percentile-4 vs school

Hispanic (2026)26th percentile-9 vs school

Asian (2026)20th percentile-15 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English II62%~ state avg

Math III58%-11 vs state

Biology46%-13 vs state

Math I43%~ state avg

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Independence High School and help other families decide.

Rate Independence High School

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

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Independence High School

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 (2026)				Ranking (2025)				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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Independence High School	Public	9-12	1967 Patriot Dr	Charlotte	28227	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-6900	2,024	116	17.5	—	341 (16.8%)	591 (29.2%)	913 (45.1%)	114 (5.6%)	2 (0.1%)	4 (0.2%)	59 (2.9%)	36.5	430^th of 662 public high schools	35.0%		37.7	393^rd of 641 public high schools	38.7%	37	45.8	62.3	43.2	58.0								$9,395	$592	$8,803
Rocky River High School	Public	9-12	10505 Clear Creek Commerce Dr	Mint Hill	28227	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 344-0409	1,562	90	17.4	—	65 (4.2%)	802 (51.3%)	584 (37.4%)	44 (2.8%)	2 (0.1%)	4 (0.3%)	61 (3.9%)	19.2	558^th of 662 public high schools	15.7%		14.7	564^th of 641 public high schools	12.0%	6	38.9	47.0	27.7	46.4								$9,681	$668	$9,013
Commonwealth High	Public, Charter	9-12	5112 Central Ave	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Commonwealth High School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(704) 899-4998	377	12	32.2	—	22 (5.8%)	166 (44.0%)	158 (41.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (8.0%)	5.2	627^th of 662 public high schools	5.3%		3.8	627^th of 641 public high schools	2.2%		8.5	29.6	21.1	35.7
East Mecklenburg High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	6800 Monroe Rd	Charlotte	28212	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(980) 343-6430	2,422	131	18.5	—	491 (20.3%)	743 (30.7%)	981 (40.5%)	141 (5.8%)	4 (0.2%)	8 (0.3%)	54 (2.2%)	47.2	347^th of 662 public high schools	47.6%		50.2	294^th of 641 public high schools	54.1%	53	55.5	73.5	34.1	68.1								$9,101	$501	$8,599
Charlotte Secondary	Public, Charter	6-12	8601 McAlpine Park Dr	Charlotte	28211	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte Secondary School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(704) 295-0137	157	7	22.2	—	22 (14.0%)	61 (38.9%)	53 (33.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (13.4%)	24.7	521^st of 662 public high schools	21.3%		14.3	569^th of 641 public high schools	11.2%	48	52.0	54.5	6.7	38.5	11.8	35.0	19.0	23.5	35.0	14.3	19.0
Cochrane Collegiate Academy	Public	6-12	6200 Starhaven Dr	Charlotte	28215	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(980) 343-6460	854	44	19.3	—	20 (2.3%)	203 (23.8%)	593 (69.4%)	24 (2.8%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	11 (1.3%)	36.5	428^th of 662 public high schools	35.3%		26.2	485^th of 641 public high schools	24.3%	57	45.2	50.0	34.8	78.3	44.8	35.7	16.9	38.8	33.3	26.4	50.3	$10,602	$1,223	$9,379
Cato Middle College High School	Public	11-12	8120 Grier Rd	Charlotte	28235	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-1452	173	5	34.6	46.8%	23 (13.3%)	79 (45.7%)	43 (24.9%)	15 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (7.5%)								(n/a)				68.4								$6,516	$289	$6,226
Butler High School	Public	9-12	1810 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd	Matthews	28105	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-6300	1,791	98	18.1	50.1%	494 (27.6%)	544 (30.4%)	558 (31.2%)	135 (7.5%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.3%)	53 (3.0%)	58.5	267^th of 662 public high schools	59.7%		55.7	257^th of 641 public high schools	59.9%	10	67.8	65.3	58.6	71.7								$8,714	$431	$8,282
Garinger High School	Public	9-12	1100 Eastway Dr	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(980) 343-6450	1,877	106	17.7	—	68 (3.6%)	578 (30.8%)	1,146 (61.1%)	52 (2.8%)	4 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	28 (1.5%)	16	578^th of 662 public high schools	12.7%		10.9	595^th of 641 public high schools	7.2%	17	31.1	35.0	30.5	51.1								$10,714	$1,102	$9,612
Levine Middle College High School	Public	11-12	2800 Campus Ridge Rd	Matthews	28235	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-9437	216	5	43.2	19.4%	118 (54.6%)	23 (10.6%)	31 (14.4%)	36 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.7%)								(n/a)				94.7								$7,540	$287	$7,253

Frequently Asked Questions about Independence High School

What district is Independence High School in?

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

What schools feed into Independence High School?

Independence High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Albemarle Road Elementary
Elementary : Bain Elementary
Elementary : Charlotte East Language Academy
Elementary : Clear Creek Elementary
Elementary : Lebanon Road Elementary
Middle : Mint Hill Middle
Middle : Northeast Middle

How many students attend Independence High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 2,024 students attended Independence High School.

Is Independence High School a good school?

Independence High School ranks 430^th of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Independence High School?

Students at Independence High School are 45% Hispanic, 29% African American, 17% White, 6% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

Rate Independence High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina High School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Charlotte, NC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Independence High School!

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.