Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Q: Is Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy a good school?

Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy ranks 485 th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy is a public charter elementary and middle school serving 817 students in grades K-8 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school is part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district, which is ranked 113 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy stands out for its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (57.04%) and Hispanic (20.81%) students compared to nearby schools. The school has consistently outperformed the state and district averages in mathematics and reading proficiency, with 72.4% of 3rd graders proficient or better in mathematics, compared to the state average of 62.7%. The school's African American, Hispanic, and low-income students have also performed exceptionally well, ranking in the top 150-215 and 373-705 schools in the state for these subgroups, respectively.

Over the past few years, Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy has steadily improved its statewide ranking, moving from the 941st out of 1489 elementary schools in 2020-2021 to the 485th out of 1505 in 2023-2024. While the school has excelled in the lower grades, its performance in the upper grades, particularly in mathematics, has been more mixed. Compared to nearby schools, such as Winget Park Elementary, Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy generally outperforms them in academic metrics, with higher proficiency rates and stronger subgroup performance. The school's growing population of low-income students, with a free and reduced-price lunch rate of 47.61% in 2022-2023, highlights its ability to support these students effectively.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

5203 Shopton Rd
Charlotte, NC 28278

(980) 505-8344

District: Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
485^th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 16.9

Number of students: 836

Racial breakdown:

African American:

60.5%

Hispanic:

20.3%

Asian:

6.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98.7%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy ranks better than 67.8% of elementary schools in North Carolina. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.23. (See more...)

Compare Details Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy ranks worse than 64.7% of middle schools in North Carolina. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.42. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy 485^th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy 513^th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy 113^th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	34.88	941^st	1489	36.8%
2022	34.94	1009^th	1514	33.4%
2023	52.09	731^st	1502	51.3%
2024	65.23	485^th	1505	67.8%

See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	33.48	897^th	1329	32.5%
2022	21.78	1191^st	1366	12.8%
2023	50.59	705^th	1437	50.9%
2024	66.56	373^rd	1450	74.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	32.09	963^rd	1440	33.1%
2022	27.40	1116^th	1458	23.5%
2023	44.78	817^th	1459	44.0%
2024	61.76	520^th	1455	64.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	38.46	870^th	1444	39.8%
2022	43.60	830^th	1464	43.3%
2023	57.46	609^th	1461	58.3%
2024	66.17	449^th	1464	69.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	51.29	336^th	896	62.5%
2022	50.04	406^th	927	56.2%
2023	72.87	176^th	933	81.1%
2024	74.45	150^th	924	83.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	66.61	193^rd	843	77.1%
2022	53.76	352^nd	893	60.6%
2023	67.28	215^th	915	76.5%
2024	82.08	102^nd	951	89.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	53.44	323^rd	741	56.4%
2022	44.95	424^th	786	46.1%
2023	32.12	532^nd	784	32.1%
2024	37.42	513^th	793	35.3%

See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	46.77	301^st	633	52.4%
2022	37.94	433^rd	689	37.2%
2023	32.47	519^th	735	29.4%
2024	28.12	577^th	743	22.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	58.34	264^th	706	62.6%
2022	41.75	425^th	733	42.0%
2023	23.40	591^st	731	19.2%
2024	23.42	592^nd	738	19.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	47.38	357^th	711	49.8%
2022	47.04	389^th	748	48.0%
2023	39.73	448^th	747	40.0%
2024	51.06	356^th	751	52.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	67.39	94^th	533	82.4%
2022	55.51	186^th	550	66.2%
2023	48.08	250^th	559	55.3%
2024	51.36	219^th	560	60.9%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	80.22	56^th	522	89.3%
2022	54.03	220^th	541	59.3%
2023	46.96	279^th	553	49.5%
2024	60.17	179^th	564	68.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	79.07	124^th	658	81.2%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2020	62	226	28	86	1	2	37	442
2021	77	347	54	119	6	4	46	653
2022	76	412	55	171	3	0	52	769
2023	62	466	50	170	2	0	67	817
2024	50	506	52	170	6	0	52	836

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	442	30.5	14.4	n/a
2021	653	35.4	18.4	27.6
2022	769	46.2	16.6	30.3
2023	817	45.5	17.9	47.6
2024	836	49.3	16.9	98.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	442	30.5	14.4	n/a
2021	653	35.4	18.4	27.6
2022	769	46.2	16.6	30.3
2023	817	45.5	17.9	47.6
2024	836	49.3	16.9	98.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Schools Near Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOG Mathematics (2024)						EOG Reading (2024)						EOG Science (2024)		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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	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
Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	5203 Shopton Rd	Charlotte	28278	Mecklenburg County	Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(980) 505-8344	836	49	16.9	98.7%	50 (6.0%)	506 (60.5%)	170 (20.3%)	52 (6.2%)	6 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (6.2%)	65.2	485^th of 1505 public elementary schools	67.8%		52.1	731^st of 1502 public elementary schools	51.3%	246	72.4	79.7	63.5	32.5	37.3	22.5	63.2	68.4	67.1	43.1	54.2	51.9	81.2	70.0
Berewick Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5910 Dixie River Rd	Charlotte	28278	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 344-1010	771	49	15.8	99.6%	85 (11.0%)	319 (41.4%)	245 (31.8%)	75 (9.7%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	42 (5.4%)	19.4	1296^th of 1505 public elementary schools	13.9%		19.2	1268^th of 1502 public elementary schools	15.6%	28	52.5	25.4	41.9				34.7	32.5	39.0				41.2		$8,840	$767	$8,073
Steele Creek Elementary	Public	K-5	4100 Gallant Ln	Charlotte	28273	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-3810	432	33	13.2	99.3%	21 (4.9%)	163 (37.7%)	217 (50.2%)	19 (4.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.5%)	44.8	838^th of 1505 public elementary schools	44.3%		36.1	990^th of 1502 public elementary schools	34.1%	152	62.3	57.5	61.4				30.4	28.4	45.2				75.0		$9,484	$699	$8,785
Steele Creek Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	2200 Shopton Road	Charlotte	28217	Mecklenburg County	Steele Creek Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(980) 243-5580	407	17	23.4	78.4%	11 (2.7%)	263 (64.6%)	103 (25.3%)	7 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.7%)	16.3	1337^th of 1505 public elementary schools	11.2%		8.7	1433^rd of 1502 public elementary schools	4.6%	96	42.6	29.7	19.4	26.9	17.1	18.2	40.4	35.1	22.2	50.0	28.6	63.6	25.0	63.6
South Pine Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	2541 Sandy Porter Rd	Charlotte	28273	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(980) 343-0765	727	37	19.8	99.6%	29 (4.0%)	252 (34.7%)	400 (55.0%)	22 (3.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.0%)	12.5	1397^th of 1505 public elementary schools	7.2%		22.2	1227^th of 1502 public elementary schools	18.3%	170	62.0	28.3	33.0				17.6	19.2	30.1				23.4
Berryhill School	Public	PK, KG-8	10501 Windy Grove Rd	Charlotte	28278	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(980) 343-6100	421	33	12.8	99.3%	32 (7.6%)	50 (11.9%)	324 (77.0%)	9 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.4%)	16.4	1336^th of 1505 public elementary schools	11.2%		13	1369^th of 1502 public elementary schools	8.9%	33	38.8	37.8	34.1	25.0	18.0	37.5	22.4	37.8	40.9	22.2	22.0	31.3	54.5	50.0	$12,434	$1,032	$11,401
Winget Park Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	12235 Winget Rd	Charlotte	28278	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(980) 343-1063	701	42	16.6	44.7%	168 (24.0%)	259 (36.9%)	161 (23.0%)	71 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	41 (5.8%)	70	399^th of 1505 public elementary schools	73.5%		48.9	783^rd of 1502 public elementary schools	47.9%	384	65.7	65.2	72.3				56.9	58.4	53.5				78.2		$9,518	$859	$8,659
Nations Ford Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7050 Nations Ford Rd	Charlotte	28217	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(980) 343-5838	608	40	15.2	99.5%	15 (2.5%)	127 (20.9%)	449 (73.8%)	6 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.6%)	14.9	1365^th of 1505 public elementary schools	9.3%		20.4	1250^th of 1502 public elementary schools	16.8%	115	40.4	41.2	40.2				20.2	17.5	22.0				58.5		$9,317	$1,154	$8,163
Renaissance West STEAM Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	3241 New Renaissance Way	Charlotte	28208	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(980) 343-0049	679	64	10.6	99.6%	9 (1.3%)	464 (68.3%)	159 (23.4%)	24 (3.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	21 (3.1%)	34.1	1025^th of 1505 public elementary schools	31.9%		22.2	1224^th of 1502 public elementary schools	18.5%	199	49.3	58.6	64.6	37.8	40.8	46.8	33.8	27.9	35.0	21.6	38.2	36.5	73.4	58.7	$10,213	$1,562	$8,650
Lake Wylie Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	13620 Erwin Rd	Charlotte	28273	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-3680	584	41	14.2	99.5%	70 (12.0%)	191 (32.7%)	251 (43.0%)	30 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	40 (6.8%)	29.7	1105^th of 1505 public elementary schools	26.6%		52	733^rd of 1502 public elementary schools	51.2%	372	58.9	43.8	44.0				31.5	43.3	38.1				56.0		$10,023	$931	$9,092

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

What district is Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy in?

Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy

How many students attend Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 836 students attended Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy?

Students at Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy are 61% African American, 20% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 6% Two or more races, 6% White.

Is Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy a good school?

Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy ranks 485^th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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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.