Charlotte schools got their report cards. See which ones are on the rise

The letter grade system is based on the percentage of students who are proficient in reading and math and whether the school is improving test scores. These numbers primarily come from the end-of-grade and end-of-course tests students take.

Since test scores at a school are highly correlated with the percentage of students in poverty, it’s easy to write them off as simply a gauge of a school’s affluence. But the data also shows us where schools are effective in moving the needle even when students come in behind their peers. Even if a school has a lower score, it can be a quality school if it is helping its students catch up. Look for whether it “exceeded” growth standards.

Overall, these letter grades are an important gauge of where our community needs to invest its resources. They’re also increasingly looked at by people looking to buy homes.

Quick facts

• 12 percent of CMS schools received “A” or “A+” grades, compared with 6 percent for the state as a whole. But the district also had a higher percentage of failing schools: 6.3 percent compared with 5.8 percent.
• Only about half of CMS high school students are scoring “college and career ready” on English and math exams.
• The graduation rate in CMS continues to rise, hitting 88 percent (up from 85.1 percent last year).

• 27 schools improved a grade level. 21 schools dropped a grade level. (See lists at the bottom of this article)

Below are the grades each school received. Schools that opened this year won’t show up, because scores are based on the previous year’s EOGs. I’ve also included how the school performed on meeting growth targets for improving students’ performance over time. If you want a deeper look at the data, download the spreadsheet for the state here.

A+ schools

These had high proficiency and growth scores, and also had little achievement gaps between white and minority students. This is new this year. Some schools on the A+ list actually have lower numerical scores than scores that just received an A.

William Amos Hough High (Exceeded growth standards)
Elon Park Elementary (Exceeded)
Polo Ridge Elementary (Met)
Huntersville Elementary (Met)
Ballantyne Elementary (Exceeded)
Piedmont IB Middle (Exceeded)
Providence Spring Elementary (Exceeded)
Providence High (Exceeded)

A schools

Ardrey Kell High (Exceeded growth standards)
Bain Elementary (Exceeded)
Cato Middle College High
Community House Middle (Exceeded)
Elizabeth Lane Elem (Exceeded)
Jay M Robinson Middle (Exceeded)
Levine Middle College High
Myers Park High (Exceeded)
Selwyn Elementary (Exceeded)
South Charlotte Middle (Exceeded)
Grand Oak Elementary (Exceeded)

B schools

Bailey Middle (Exceeded growth standards)
Beverly Woods Elementary (Met)
Barnette Elementary (Met)
Carmel Middle (Exceeded)
Chantilly Montessori (Met)
Collinswood Language Academy (Met)
Cornelius Elementary (Not Met)
Cotswold Elementary (Met)
Crown Point Elementary (Exceeded)
Crestdale Middle (Not Met)
Davidson Elementary (Exceeded)
Butler High (Exceeded)
Dilworth Elementary (Met)
East Mecklenburg High (Exceeded)
Eastover Elementary (Not Met)
Elizabeth Traditional Elem (Not Met)
Endhaven Elementary (Exceeded)
Francis Bradley Middle (Exceeded)
Alexander Graham Middle (Exceeded)
Hawk Ridge Elementary (Not Met)
Highland Creek Elementary (Not Met)
Highland Mill Montessori (Met)
Independence High (Exceeded)
Morehead STEM Academy (Exceeded)
J.V. Washam Elementary (Not Met)
Mallard Creek High (Exceeded)
Matthews Elementary (Exceeded)
McAlpine Elementary (Not Met)
McKee Road Elementary (Met)
Mint Hill Middle (Exceeded)
Myers Park Traditional (Exceeded)
Northwest School of the Arts (Exceeded)
Oaklawn Language Academy (Met)
Olde Providence Elementary (Not Met)
Park Road Montessori (Met)
Palisades Park Elementary (Exceeded)
Phillip O Berry Academy of Technology (Met)
Performance Learning Center (Met)
Randolph Middle (Met)
Sharon Elementary (Met)
Waddell Language Academy (Met)
Smithfield Elementary (Met)
South Mecklenburg High (Exceeded)
Torrence Creek Elementary (Exceeded)
Charlotte Engineering Early College-UNCC (Met)
Irwin Academic Center (Not Met)
Winget Park Elementary (Exceeded)
Olympic High – Renaissance School (Exceeded)
Olympic High-Math Eng Tech Science (Exceeded)
Olympic High – Biotech Health Pub Admin (Exceeded)

C schools

J M Alexander Middle (Not Met)
Barringer Academic Center (Met)
Berryhill School (Exceeded)
Clear Creek Elementary (Met)
Military and Global Leadership Academy (Exceeded)
First Ward Creative Arts Acad (Exceeded)
Berewick Elementary (Met)
Hawthorne High (Exceeded)
Hickory Grove Elementary (Exceeded)
Highland Renaissance Academy (Met)
Hopewell High (Met)
Hornets Nest Elementary (Exceeded)
Croft Community Elementary (Met)
Idlewild Elementary (Exceeded)
Joseph W Grier Academy (Exceeded)
Lake Wylie Elementary (Exceeded)
Lansdowne Elementary (Met)
Lebanon Road Elementary (Met)
Blythe Elementary (Met)
Long Creek Elementary (Met)
Mallard Creek Elementary (Met)
Rocky River High (Exceeded)
Mountain Island Lake Academy (Not Met)
River Oaks Academy (Met)
Nathaniel Alexander Elementary (Exceeded)
J H Gunn Elementary (Exceeded)
North Mecklenburg High (Met)
Paw Creek Elementary (Met)
Pineville Elementary (Exceeded)
Pinewood Elementary (Met)
Piney Grove Elementary (Met)
Ranson Middle (Exceeded)
Reedy Creek Elementary (Exceeded)
Ridge Road Middle (Exceeded)
Shamrock Gardens Elementary (Met)
Southwest Middle School (Exceeded)
Statesville Road Elementary (Exceeded)
University Park Creative Arts (Exceeded)
University Meadows Elementary (Met)
Windsor Park Elementary (Met)
River Gate Elementary (Met)
Vance High (Exceeded)
Olympic TEAM High School (Met)
Olympic High-Leadership and Development (Met)

D schools

Albemarle Road Elementary (Exceeded)
Albemarle Road Middle (Exceeded)
Allenbrook Elementary (Not Met)
Whitewater Middle (Exceeded)
Whitewater Academy (Met)
Briarwood Elementary (Met)
Billingsville Elementary (Exceeded)
Cochrane Collegiate Academy (Met)
Coulwood Middle (Exceeded)
David Cox Road Elementary (Not Met)
Devonshire Elementary (Met)
Garinger High (Exceeded)
Greenway Park Elementary (Met)
Harding University High (Not Met)
Hidden Valley Elementary (Met)
Huntingtowne Farms Elementary (Met)
James Martin Middle (Met)
Kennedy Middle (Not Met)
McClintock Middle (Met)
Merry Oaks Elementary (Met)
Montclaire Elementary (Met)
Nations Ford Elementary (Met)
Newell Elementary (Met)
Northeast Middle (Not Met)
Northridge Middle (Not Met)
Oakdale Elementary (Met)
Quail Hollow Middle (Met)
Rama Road Elementary (Exceeded)
Sedgefield Elementary (Not Met)
Stoney Creek Elementary (Met)
Steele Creek Elementary (Met)
Thomasboro Academy (Exceeded)
Tuckaseegee Elementary (Met)
West Charlotte High (Met)
West Mecklenburg High (Met)
Winding Springs Elementary (Exceeded)
Winterfield Elementary (Exceeded)

F schools

Ashley Park PreK-8 School (Not Met)
Druid Hills Academy (Not Met)
Eastway Middle (Not Met)
Martin Luther King Jr Middle (Not Met)
Bruns Academy (Not Met)
Reid Park Academy (Met)
Sedgefield Middle (Not Met)
Sterling Elementary (Not Met)
Walter G Byers School (Not Met)
Westerly Hills Academy (Not Met)

27 schools that improved a grade level

Ballantyne Elementary
Berryhill School
Billingsville Elementary
Charlotte Engineering Early College-UNCC
Cochrane Collegiate Academy
Cotswold Elementary
Coulwood Middle
Crown Point Elementary
Eastover Elementary
Elon Park Elementary
First Ward Creative Arts Academy
Hawthorne High
Hickory Grove Elementary
J H Gunn Elementary
McClintock Middle
Mint Hill Middle
Myers Park High
Nathaniel Alexander Elementary
Ranson Middle
River Oaks Academy
Selwyn Elementary
Shamrock Gardens Elementary
Statesville Road Elementary
University Park Creative Arts
Winget Park Elementary
Whitewater Middle
Winterfield Elementary

21 schools that dropped a grade level

Allenbrook Elementary
Ashley Park PreK-8 School
Druid Hills Academy
Garinger High
Greenway Park Elementary
Harding University High
Hawk Ridge Elementary
Irwin Academic Center
Mallard Creek Elementary
Martin Luther King Jr Middle
McKee Road Elementary
Mountain Island Lake Academy
Newell Elementary
North Mecklenburg High
Northeast Middle
Rama Road Elementary
Sedgefield Elementary
Walter G Byers School
West Mecklenburg High
Westerly Hills Academy
Whitewater Academy