Summary
Cuthbertson High School in Waxhaw, NC is a large suburban school serving about 1,857 students in grades 9–12 and belongs to Union County Public Schools, a district ranked in the 83rd percentile statewide. Cuthbertson currently ranks #101 out of 662 North Carolina high schools (85th percentile, 4 stars), and it scores comfortably above district and state averages on every End-of-Course test, with strong proficiency rates in Biology (84%), English II (93%), and Math III (90%). Even so, it sits behind several nearby rivals in the same competitive suburban cluster: Marvin Ridge High (96th percentile), Union County Early College (96th percentile), Weddington High (89th percentile), and Providence High (88th percentile).
The clearest academic red flag is Math I. Proficiency fell to 69% this year — a drop of more than eight points from the prior year, even as district and state scores rose — and it trails Marvin Ridge (88%) and Weddington (85%) by wide margins. Gifted and Talented students also dipped to the 67th percentile, down from the 85th percentile two years earlier. But Cuthbertson's results with historically underserved groups are genuinely exceptional: special education students rank in the top 5% statewide, English Language Learners rank in the top 5%, and Hispanic, African American, and multi-racial students all perform near the top 15% of North Carolina high schools. That kind of equitable success is particularly notable at a school where only about 10% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Attendance is another strength: just 8.4% of students are chronically absent, far better than nearby Parkwood High (22.3%), Ardrey Kell High (16.1%), or Sun Valley High (21.1%). Cuthbertson was once ranked #2 in North Carolina a decade ago; today it is a very good, consistent comprehensive high school that is no longer the undisputed stand-out in its own community. For most area families, though, it remains a highly attractive option with a notable record of lifting achievement across a broad range of students.
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