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

Merry Oaks International Academy

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1423^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 5% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Merry Oaks International Academy is an elementary school in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools serving 601 students in grades PK–5 on Draper Avenue in Charlotte, NC. The school serves an almost exclusively low-income population, with 99.5% of students qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch in 2024-25, and its student-teacher ratio is roughly 14.8. Merry Oaks currently ranks in the bottom 5th percentile of North Carolina elementary schools, a steep decline from its mid-to-late 2010s position around the 27th–36th percentile. This places it well below the district average and far behind several neighboring schools with similar poverty levels.

Reading is the school’s biggest academic challenge, with average 3rd–5th grade reading proficiency around 25% in 2025-26, compared to district and state averages above 56%. Math proficiency is stronger at 39.2%, with fifth-grade math a clear bright spot at 53.9% — close to the state average. Fifth-grade science is also relatively strong at 51.9%. By contrast, Oakhurst STEAM Academy, just 1.6 miles away and serving a nearly identical high-poverty population, ranks in the 56th percentile statewide with reading proficiency around 48.6% and math around 68.0%. Charlotte East Language Academy, also 99.5% free/reduced-price lunch, ranks in the 67th percentile with 57.9% reading proficiency.

Chronic absenteeism at Merry Oaks remains a serious barrier, though it has improved from 45.3% in 2021-22 to 33.9% in 2024-25. That rate is still far above the district rate of 26.8% and higher than most comparable high-poverty neighbors, including Windsor Park Elementary at 18.5% and Charlotte East Language Academy at 7.5%. The data show real strengths to build on, particularly in upper-grade math and science, and nearby schools with similar demographics have improved dramatically in recent years. With targeted attention to early literacy and attendance, Merry Oaks has a plausible path toward recovery.

601

Students ?

14.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

Community Eligibility

All students receive free meals (2024-25) ?

94.5%

Kindergartners up to date on all required vaccines (2025-26)

Exemptions: 1.4% (any vaccine)

3508 Draper Ave
Charlotte, NC 28205-3836

(980) 343-6422

District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Students who attend Merry Oaks International Academy usually attend:

Middle:	Eastway Middle
High:	Garinger High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

69.9%

African American:

22.3%

White:

3.8%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Merry Oaks International Academy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 32nd percentile in 2016 → 5th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (34% vs 61% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (5th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (34% vs 24% North Carolina)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school34%

District avg64%

North Carolina avg61%

1,423^rd of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 5%▼ down 28 pts since 2016

From bottom 32% (2016) to bottom 5% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

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	9.9	1423 of 1492	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	10.7	1408 of 1490	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	9.6	1428 of 1505	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.5	1377 of 1502	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	13.0	1391 of 1514	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	5.6	1460 of 1489	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	31.3	1078 of 1473	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	36.0	990 of 1434	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2017	39.6	916 of 1429	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	37.2	967 of 1425	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2015	16.6	1259 of 1440	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	16.8	1208 of 1390	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	15.7	1249 of 1403	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	16.2	1263 of 1388	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	27.2	1106 of 1381	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	30.3	1050 of 1363	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	39.7	924 of 1354	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	23.3	1094 of 1324	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	41.9	861 of 1293	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2006	34.4	945 of 1276	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	33.5	652 of 903	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	42.8	518 of 918	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.6	505 of 924	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	22.6	791 of 933	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	32.0	671 of 927	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	20.5	805 of 896	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	52.5	407 of 949	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.5	266 of 927	71.3%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	29.0	411 of 519	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	32.9	391 of 563	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.2	381 of 533	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	32.6	360 of 514	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	25.6	411 of 485	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	58.8	141 of 497	71.6%	★★★★☆
2018	69.8	70 of 421	83.4%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	8.4	1403 of 1447	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.9	1409 of 1451	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	11.6	1377 of 1455	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.7	1378 of 1459	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	19.7	1261 of 1458	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	8.4	1391 of 1440	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	29.3	1091 of 1424	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	35.2	1004 of 1405	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	17.9	911 of 981	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	17.8	879 of 961	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	17.1	885 of 951	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	23.4	775 of 915	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.3	814 of 893	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	9.2	837 of 843	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	41.9	516 of 865	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.4	401 of 851	52.9%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	39.6	903 of 1434	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	35.9	995 of 1437	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	30.9	1101 of 1450	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.5	1121 of 1437	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.9	1016 of 1366	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	12.9	1284 of 1329	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	50.5	670 of 1361	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	48.5	691 of 1332	48.1%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	12.4	1375 of 1451	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	15.7	1324 of 1450	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	10.3	1398 of 1464	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	18.0	1272 of 1461	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	9.6	1399 of 1464	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	5.1	1422 of 1444	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	33.8	1044 of 1430	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	38.3	952 of 1413	32.6%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)37th percentile+32 vs school

African American (2026)28th percentile+23 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)21st percentile+16 vs school

Hispanic (2026)7th percentile+3 vs school

Male (2026)5th percentile~ school

Female (2026)3rd percentile~ school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science52%-16 vs state

Mathematics38%-25 vs state

Reading25%-32 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Merry Oaks International Academy and help other families decide.

Rate Merry Oaks International Academy

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 Merry Oaks International Academy

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 Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOG Mathematics (2026)						EOG Reading (2026)						EOG Science (2026)		Vaccination (2025-26)		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	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	Vaccination: Kindergartners up to date on all required vaccines	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Merry Oaks International Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	3508 Draper Ave	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(980) 343-6422	601	41	14.8	—	23 (3.8%)	134 (22.3%)	420 (69.9%)	12 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.8%)	9.9	1423^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	4.6%		10.7	1408^th of 1490 public elementary schools	5.5%	15	37.8	25.8	53.9				23.7	21.3	29.9				51.9		94.5%	1.4%	$11,588	$1,304	$10,284
Shamrock Gardens Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	3301 Country Club Drive	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(980) 343-6440	532	38	14.0	32.1%	295 (55.5%)	93 (17.5%)	92 (17.3%)	17 (3.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.0%)	75.2	317^th of 1492 public elementary schools	78.8%		70.9	375^th of 1490 public elementary schools	74.8%	58	70.2	80.5	76.7				56.6	73.2	71.7				73.3		97.1%	1.9%	$10,846	$1,193	$9,653
Winterfield Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3100 Winterfield Pl	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(980) 343-6400	461	31	15.0	—	28 (6.1%)	68 (14.8%)	335 (72.7%)	24 (5.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.1%)	22.1	1243^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	16.7%		8.3	1441^st of 1490 public elementary schools	3.3%	198	54.9	37.8	65.7				22.5	20.3	32.8				63.6		90.6%	0%	$10,757	$1,201	$9,556
Chantilly Montessori	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	701 Briar Creek Rd	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(980) 343-0692	316	24	13.0	14.9%	190 (60.1%)	44 (13.9%)	40 (12.7%)	12 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (9.5%)	85.3	177^th of 1492 public elementary schools	88.1%		85.3	168^th of 1490 public elementary schools	88.7%	9	71.1	80.6	81.5	86.2			68.4	83.3	81.5	79.3			74.1		100%	0%	$12,899	$609	$12,290
Windsor Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3910 Sudbury Rd	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(980) 343-6405	470	29	16.0	—	19 (4.0%)	62 (13.2%)	343 (73.0%)	27 (5.7%)	3 (0.6%)	4 (0.9%)	12 (2.6%)	48.1	763^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	48.9%		43.1	863^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	42.1%	100	73.4	46.5	84.4				55.7	36.6	53.1				60.9		100%	0%	$10,837	$1,304	$9,533
Oakhurst STEAM Academy	Public, Magnet	K-5	4511 Monroe Rd	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(980) 343-6482	523	31	16.9	—	64 (12.2%)	197 (37.7%)	201 (38.4%)	31 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	28 (5.4%)	54.3	663^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	55.6%		38.8	940^th of 1490 public elementary schools	36.9%	277	73.3	62.0	68.8				46.5	49.4	50.0				78.8		95.2%	1.2%	$9,789	$1,264	$8,524
Movement School Eastland	Public, Charter	K-5	5249 Central Avenue	Charlotte	28212	Mecklenburg County	Movement School Eastland	Yes	No	No	Yes	(704) 532-0640	523	31	16.8	—	8 (1.5%)	322 (61.6%)	113 (21.6%)	10 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	69 (13.2%)	47.5	774^th of 1492 public elementary schools	48.1%		41.4	892^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	40.1%	118	67.6	66.7	43.2				47.9	60.0	56.8				54.5
Highland Mill Montessori	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	3201 Clemson Ave	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(980) 343-5525	341	23	14.8	22.0%	155 (45.5%)	113 (33.1%)	32 (9.4%)	13 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.2%)	92.1	84^th of 1492 public elementary schools	94.4%		89.3	118^th of 1490 public elementary schools	92.1%	34	88.4	85.7	82.1	76.0			86.0	88.6	71.8	76.0			89.7		96.2%	0%	$13,792	$1,243	$12,549
Villa Heights Elementary	Public	K-5	800 Everett Place	Charlotte	28205	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(980) 343-3666	153	15	10.3	—	32 (20.9%)	81 (52.9%)	29 (19.0%)	3 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.2%)	36.5	967^th of 1492 public elementary schools	35.2%		43.8	855^th of 1490 public elementary schools	42.6%	112	65.0	42.9	63.6				35.0	50.0	45.5				68.2				$14,935	$566	$14,370
Charlotte East Language Academy	Public, Magnet	K-8	6108 Wilora Lake Rd	Charlotte	28212	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(980) 343-0380	594	51	11.6	—	43 (7.2%)	40 (6.7%)	496 (83.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (1.9%)	66.1	491^st of 1492 public elementary schools	67.1%		61.6	536^th of 1490 public elementary schools	64.0%	45	81.3	78.5	68.6	72.7	62.3	71.7	49.5	68.4	55.7	48.5	44.2	58.7	71.4	87.0	80.2%	1%	$12,246	$1,264	$10,982

Frequently Asked Questions about Merry Oaks International Academy

What district is Merry Oaks International Academy in?

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

What is the racial makeup of Merry Oaks International Academy?

Students at Merry Oaks International Academy are 70% Hispanic, 22% African American, 4% White, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Merry Oaks International Academy attend?

Students who attend Merry Oaks International Academy usually go on to attend:

Middle : Eastway Middle
High : Garinger High School

Is Merry Oaks International Academy a good school?

Merry Oaks International Academy ranks in the bottom 4.6% of North Carolina elementary schools.

How many students attend Merry Oaks International Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 601 students attended Merry Oaks International Academy.

Rate Merry Oaks International Academy!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina Elementary 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 Merry Oaks International Academy!

Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2020–21 through 2025–26 immunization ratesNewOct 19, 2026

2022–23 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 2, 2026

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.