The Founders Academy Charter School

The The Founders Academy Charter School system includes two public charter schools in Manchester, New Hampshire, serving grades 5–12: The Founders Academy Charter School (E) for grades 5–8 and The Founders Academy Charter School (H) for grades 9–12. Together, they enroll 431 students and share the same location, with relatively small student-teacher ratios.

The two schools have very different performance profiles. The high school is the clear standout, ranking 15th out of 89 schools in 2025–26 and earning four stars. Its strongest results are in reading, where 87% of students are proficient, and science, at 63%; both are well above statewide results. Reading also stands out on the SAT, with 87% proficiency compared with 62% statewide. Mathematics is a weaker area, however: 30% of high school students are proficient, matching the state rate but well below the school’s reading and science performance. The high school also improved substantially in reading and science compared with the prior year.

The middle school is the main area requiring attention. It ranked 120th out of 138 schools and received one star in 2025–26. Proficiency rates were below state averages in mathematics, reading, and science, at 24%, 42%, and 21%, respectively. Eighth grade was particularly concerning, with just 13% proficient in math, 27% in reading, and 15% in science. Mathematics is a shared weakness across both schools, while reading is the strongest subject at the high school. Families should also consider the high school’s student-outcome measures: its 84.3% graduation rate is slightly below the state rate, and its 9.3% dropout rate is substantially higher than the statewide 2.3% rate. Overall, the system offers a strong high school experience academically, but middle school achievement, eighth-grade performance, math improvement, and student retention deserve close attention.