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Polo Ridge Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

22^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 99% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Polo Ridge Elementary, a public PK–5 school in Charlotte, NC, serves 634 students as part of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and has established itself as one of the state’s elite elementary schools over the past decade, currently ranking #22 of 1,492 schools (99th percentile). Students consistently score 25–30 percentage points above state and district averages on End-of-Grade tests, with reading proficiency between 84.7% and 88.1%, math between 90.2% and 93.0%, and fifth-grade science at 94.7%. Chronic absenteeism has dropped from 12.4% in 2022–2023 to just 7.1%, far below district and state rates, and Polo Ridge is surrounded by other high-performing schools like Providence Spring Elementary, Rea View Elementary, Marvin Elementary, and Hawk Ridge Elementary.

One distinguishing feature is how efficiently Polo Ridge achieves these results: per-student spending is about $8,446, lower than nearby Endhaven Elementary, McAlpine Elementary, and McKee Road Elementary, while its 17.1 student-teacher ratio is the highest among comparable local schools. Despite those resource constraints, Polo Ridge’s outcomes generally match or exceed those schools, and even the very strong nearby schools show a mixed comparative picture: Providence Spring Elementary, located 2.3 miles away, outstrips Polo Ridge in fifth-grade reading (93.6% vs. 88.1%) and science (98.2% vs. 94.7%). By contrast, Polo Ridge serves a more economically mixed student body, with 18.45% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, compared to single-digit percentages at Providence Spring Elementary, Marvin Elementary, and Rea View Elementary.

Polo Ridge is also notable for exceptional subgroup performance: its African American students ranked #1 statewide in 2024–2025 and #3 in 2025–2026, Hispanic students ranked around the 98th percentile, English Language Learners placed #8 statewide in 2025–2026, and Special Education students have consistently ranked near or above the 96th percentile. However, Asian students ranked in the 78th percentile in 2025–2026, and gifted/talented students have ranged from the 65th to 79th percentile in recent years—strong by most standards, but weaker than the school’s overall profile. In this highly competitive corridor, Providence Spring Elementary is an equally prominent alternative, particularly notable for its higher overall state ranking and especially strong results in upper-grade reading and science.

634

Students ?

17.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

18.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

11830 Tom Short Rd
Charlotte, NC 28277-9103

(980) 343-0749

District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Students who attend Polo Ridge Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Jay M. Robinson Middle
High:	Ardrey Kell High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

49.1%

Asian:

27.8%

Hispanic:

9.5%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Polo Ridge Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 99th percentile in 2016 → 99th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (90% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 1% of North Carolina elementary schools

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school90%

District avg64%

North Carolina avg61%

22^nd of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 1%▬ steady since 2016

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	96.5	22 of 1492	98.5%	★★★★★
2025	97.8	7 of 1490	99.5%	★★★★★
2024	95.1	47 of 1505	96.9%	★★★★★
2023	96.6	18 of 1502	98.8%	★★★★★
2022	96.9	20 of 1514	98.7%	★★★★★
2021	97.4	25 of 1489	98.3%	★★★★★
2019	94.3	35 of 1473	97.6%	★★★★★
2018	95.9	15 of 1434	99.0%	★★★★★
2017	97.0	4 of 1429	99.7%	★★★★★
2016	96.0	14 of 1425	99.0%	★★★★★
2015	96.8	10 of 1440	99.3%	★★★★★
2014	96.8	17 of 1390	98.8%	★★★★★
2013	98.3	15 of 1403	98.9%	★★★★★
2012	91.6	6 of 1388	99.6%	★★★★★
2011	90.8	22 of 1381	98.4%	★★★★★
2010	91.5	12 of 1363	99.1%	★★★★★
2009	91.9	18 of 1354	98.7%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	98.5	3 of 903	99.7%	★★★★★
2025	99.7	1 of 918	99.9%	★★★★★
2021	94.2	27 of 896	97.0%	★★★★★
2019	77.9	126 of 949	86.7%	★★★★☆
2018	83.0	78 of 927	91.6%	★★★★★

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	72.1	29 of 134	78.4%	★★★★☆
2025	75.1	27 of 131	79.4%	★★★★☆
2024	72.1	36 of 130	72.3%	★★★★☆
2023	71.5	35 of 114	69.3%	★★★★☆
2022	73.8	30 of 107	72.0%	★★★★☆
2021	81.9	6 of 95	93.7%	★★★★★
2019	76.2	21 of 106	80.2%	★★★★☆
2018	81.9	7 of 99	92.9%	★★★★★

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	71.5	99 of 634	84.4%	★★★★☆
2021	66.9	120 of 646	81.4%	★★★★☆
2019	78.3	91 of 878	89.6%	★★★★☆
2018	64.9	209 of 897	76.7%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	97.3	8 of 519	98.5%	★★★★★
2025	99.2	3 of 563	99.5%	★★★★★
2024	97.8	10 of 533	98.1%	★★★★★
2023	99.8	1 of 514	99.8%	★★★★★
2019	96.4	11 of 497	97.8%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	95.1	28 of 1447	98.1%	★★★★★
2025	97.6	7 of 1451	99.5%	★★★★★
2024	95.5	30 of 1455	97.9%	★★★★★
2023	94.7	27 of 1459	98.1%	★★★★★
2022	96.0	18 of 1458	98.8%	★★★★★
2021	96.0	30 of 1440	97.9%	★★★★★
2019	91.7	54 of 1424	96.2%	★★★★★
2018	96.4	3 of 1405	99.8%	★★★★★

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	69.3	147 of 710	79.3%	★★★★☆
2024	63.7	232 of 669	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.8	159 of 582	72.7%	★★★★☆
2022	65.6	148 of 500	70.4%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	96.1	18 of 981	98.2%	★★★★★
2024	96.1	17 of 951	98.2%	★★★★★
2021	99.6	3 of 843	99.6%	★★★★★
2019	89.1	41 of 865	95.3%	★★★★★
2018	94.2	16 of 851	98.1%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	83.4	117 of 1434	91.8%	★★★★★
2025	97.8	5 of 1437	99.7%	★★★★★
2024	94.3	27 of 1450	98.1%	★★★★★
2023	93.8	23 of 1437	98.4%	★★★★★
2019	64.3	406 of 1361	70.2%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	96.2	17 of 1451	98.8%	★★★★★
2025	96.7	20 of 1450	98.6%	★★★★★
2024	92.4	68 of 1464	95.4%	★★★★★
2023	96.8	12 of 1461	99.2%	★★★★★
2022	95.7	32 of 1464	97.8%	★★★★★
2021	97.4	16 of 1444	98.9%	★★★★★
2019	94.7	28 of 1430	98.0%	★★★★★
2018	94.0	34 of 1413	97.6%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	89.2	33 of 815	96.0%	★★★★★
2025	93.7	19 of 821	97.7%	★★★★★
2024	95.1	16 of 801	98.0%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	90.2	37 of 1146	96.8%	★★★★★
2025	92.3	24 of 1172	98.0%	★★★★★
2024	86.3	105 of 1166	91.0%	★★★★★
2023	90.2	48 of 1183	95.9%	★★★★★
2022	89.8	56 of 1194	95.3%	★★★★★
2021	85.7	116 of 1172	90.1%	★★★★★
2019	85.4	107 of 1183	91.0%	★★★★★
2018	90.3	48 of 1178	95.9%	★★★★★

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)

African American (2026)100th percentile~ school

Male (2026)99th percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2026)98th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)98th percentile~ school

Female (2026)98th percentile~ school

White (2026)97th percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)96th percentile-3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)92nd percentile-7 vs school

Disabled (2022)84th percentile-14 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)79th percentile-20 vs school

Asian (2026)78th percentile-20 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science95%+27 vs state

Mathematics91%+28 vs state

Reading87%+31 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, July 5, 2013

I've had the pleasure of interacting with some of the most caring, effective teachers I've ever met. They are excellent educators and always put the students first. Everyone is starting to settle into the new administration, although its a big change. We love Polo Ridge! Close Quote

Schools Near Polo Ridge Elementary

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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)				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/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Polo Ridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	11830 Tom Short Rd	Charlotte	28277	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-0749	634	37	17.1	18.5%	311 (49.1%)	43 (6.8%)	60 (9.5%)	176 (27.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	42 (6.6%)	96.5	22^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	98.5%		97.8	7^th of 1490 public elementary schools	99.5%	15	93.0	90.2	90.2				87.8	84.7	88.1				94.7		$8,446	$380	$8,066
Rea Farms STEAM Academy	Public, Magnet	K-8	11532 Golf Links Drive	Charlotte	28277	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(980) 343-0723	1,098	67	16.3	12.8%	459 (41.8%)	117 (10.7%)	108 (9.8%)	343 (31.2%)	5 (0.5%)	4 (0.4%)	62 (5.6%)	95.8	29^th of 1492 public elementary schools	98.1%		97.2	18^th of 1490 public elementary schools	98.8%	11	98.0	90.3	89.8	90.8	88.8	91.7	90.3	83.2	88.1	81.6	82.9	87.1	85.6	91.7
Hawk Ridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	9201 Bryant Farms Rd	Charlotte	28277	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-5927	640	44	14.6	19.5%	307 (48.0%)	51 (8.0%)	59 (9.2%)	193 (30.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.7%)	96	25^th of 1492 public elementary schools	98.3%		93.7	64^th of 1490 public elementary schools	95.7%	39	89.4	92.0	90.9				85.1	86.0	86.4				92.0		$8,540	$389	$8,151
Providence Spring Elementary	Public	K-5	10045 Providence Church Ln	Charlotte	28277	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-6935	586	36	16.1	5.3%	448 (76.5%)	29 (4.9%)	34 (5.8%)	35 (6.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.7%)	97.8	6^th of 1492 public elementary schools	99.6%		98.1	6^th of 1490 public elementary schools	99.6%		91.1	95.0	98.2				90.1	90.8	93.6				98.2		$8,184	$407	$7,776
Knights View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	11000 Beau Riley Rd	Charlotte	28277	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(980) 343-7442	511	35	14.5	19.4%	202 (39.5%)	44 (8.6%)	57 (11.2%)	182 (35.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.1%)	95.3	35^th of 1492 public elementary schools	97.7%					(n/a)	87.0	92.0	90.4				76.9	92.0	84.3				93.0
Rea View Elementary	Public	K-5	320 Reid Dairy Road	Waxhaw	28173	Union County	Union County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 290-1524	629	40	15.7	5.4%	452 (71.9%)	18 (2.9%)	36 (5.7%)	98 (15.6%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (3.5%)	96.9	18^th of 1492 public elementary schools	98.8%		97.5	14^th of 1490 public elementary schools	99.1%	4	90.2	90.8	94.8				87.0	93.3	87.8				93.0		$8,855	$523	$8,331
Endhaven Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6815 Endhaven Ln	Charlotte	28277	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-5436	790	49	16.0	36.1%	251 (31.8%)	111 (14.1%)	217 (27.5%)	170 (21.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (5.1%)	84.6	184^th of 1492 public elementary schools	87.7%		73.6	337^th of 1490 public elementary schools	77.4%	153	77.6	77.2	79.6				67.2	70.8	77.0				87.6		$9,386	$489	$8,897
McKee Road Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4101 McKee Rd	Charlotte	28270	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-3970	534	34	15.7	27.3%	259 (48.5%)	53 (9.9%)	58 (10.9%)	136 (25.5%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.9%)	94.1	56^th of 1492 public elementary schools	96.2%		96.1	38^th of 1490 public elementary schools	97.4%	18	98.6	97.5	82.6				83.6	84.0	75.0				88.0		$9,115	$850	$8,265
McAlpine Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	9100 Carswell Ln	Charlotte	28277	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-3750	535	39	13.7	29.9%	294 (55.0%)	73 (13.6%)	116 (21.7%)	26 (4.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.5%)	89	131^st of 1492 public elementary schools	91.2%		84.4	185^th of 1490 public elementary schools	87.6%	54	89.9	75.0	79.2				81.3	70.2	77.8				93.1		$10,386	$944	$9,443
Elon Park Elementary	Public	K-5	11425 Ardrey Kell Rd	Charlotte	28277	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-1440	732	44	16.6	22.0%	216 (29.5%)	92 (12.6%)	99 (13.5%)	286 (39.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.2%)	94.3	54^th of 1492 public elementary schools	96.4%		93	73^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	95.1%	19	89.0	87.0	88.0				85.3	79.4	83.2				89.6		$8,027	$350	$7,677

Frequently Asked Questions about Polo Ridge Elementary

What schools do graduates of Polo Ridge Elementary attend?

Students who attend Polo Ridge Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Jay M. Robinson Middle
High : Ardrey Kell High School

What is the racial makeup of Polo Ridge Elementary?

Students at Polo Ridge Elementary are 49% White, 28% Asian, 9% Hispanic, 7% African American, 7% Two or more races.

How many students attend Polo Ridge Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 634 students attended Polo Ridge Elementary.

Is Polo Ridge Elementary a good school?

Yes! Polo Ridge Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 22^nd of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools.

What district is Polo Ridge Elementary in?

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

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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.