Is South Providence a good school?

South Providence ranks in the bottom 1.7% of North Carolina high schools.

How many students attend South Providence?

In the 2023-24 school year, 110 students attended South Providence.

What is the racial makeup of South Providence?

Students at South Providence are 48% African American, 22% White, 21% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races.

South Providence

Summary:

South Providence is a public high school located in Waxhaw, North Carolina, serving grades 6-12 with a total enrollment of 81 students. Despite its diverse student population and high spending per student, South Providence consistently ranks among the lowest-performing high schools in the state, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

South Providence's academic performance, as measured by state assessments, is consistently well below the Union County Public Schools district and North Carolina state averages across all subject areas and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in mathematics and reading for 6th and 7th grades were less than 20%, compared to the district's rates of over 60% and the state's rates of over 45%. In contrast, several nearby high schools, such as Union County Early College, Central Academy of Technology and Arts, and Weddington High, are among the top-performing schools in the state, with proficiency rates well above the district and state averages.

The high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at South Providence, ranging from 50.72% to 96.3% over the past few years, coupled with its consistently low academic performance, suggests a potential correlation between poverty and academic achievement. Despite the high spending per student at South Providence, the school's academic outcomes remain significantly below the district and state averages, raising questions about the efficient use of resources and the effectiveness of the school's instructional practices and support systems.

Detail:

Public 6-12

500 South Providence Street
Waxhaw, NC 28173

(704) 290-1580

District: Union County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
629^th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $32,317

Student/teacher ratio: 5.8

Number of students: 110

Racial breakdown:

African American:

48.2%

White:

21.8%

Hispanic:

20.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 97.3%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare South Providence to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Providence ranks worse than 98.5% of middle schools in North Carolina. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 1.74. (See more...)

Compare Details South Providence ranks worse than 98.3% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks last among 12 ranked high schools in the Union County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 2.29. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at South Providence is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (48.2%), White (21.8%), Hispanic (20.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 97.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Providence is 5.8, which is the lowest among 13 high schools in the Union County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare South Providence employs 18.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Providence is $32,317, which is the highest among 13 high schools in the Union County Public Schools District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Providence:

SchoolDigger ranks South Providence 781^st of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See South Providence in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks South Providence 629^th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See South Providence in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Union County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Union County Public Schools 53^rd of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for South Providence

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Rank History for all middle school students at South Providence

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2006	3.73	575^th	598	3.8%
2007	1.09	601^st	606	0.8%
2008	4.21	590^th	620	4.8%
2009	3.38	598^th	630	5.1%
2010	22.20	555^th	640	13.3%
2011	4.18	614^th	648	5.2%
2012	4.81	628^th	662	5.1%
2013	7.38	638^th	673	5.2%
2015	2.86	681^st	705	3.4%
2016	1.41	680^th	692	1.7%
2017	0.68	693^rd	694	0.1%
2019	2.42	718^th	737	2.6%
2022	1.41	783^rd	786	0.4%
2024	1.74	781^st	793	1.5%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at South Providence

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	3.88	625^th	639	2.2%
2022	3.24	684^th	689	0.7%
2024	2.73	737^th	743	0.8%

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

Rank History for middle school Male students at South Providence

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	5.53	673^rd	697	3.4%
2024	2.44	742^nd	751	1.2%

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

Rank History for middle school African American students at South Providence

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	5.10	555^th	560	0.9%

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

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

Rank History for South Providence

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Rank History for all high school students at South Providence

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2006	3.56	415^th	431	3.7%
2007	12.62	407^th	453	10.2%
2008	19.35	407^th	477	14.7%
2009	18.89	420^th	490	14.3%
2010	26.51	418^th	499	16.2%
2011	27.03	419^th	506	17.2%
2012	0.41	487^th	502	3.0%
2013	4.96	497^th	505	1.6%
2015	2.94	499^th	531	6.0%
2016	2.36	479^th	507	5.5%
2017	1.23	470^th	476	1.3%
2019	1.48	508^th	514	1.2%
2023	1.69	626^th	626	0.0%
2024	2.29	629^th	640	1.7%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at South Providence

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	4.49	440^th	446	1.3%
2023	3.95	597^th	597	0.0%
2024	3.61	612^th	613	0.2%

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

Rank History for high school Male students at South Providence

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	2.41	600^th	602	0.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for South Providence

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1995	30	31	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	61
1996	30	31	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	61
1997	37	45	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	84
1998	49	39	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	90
1999	47	20	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	70
2000	44	25	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	72
2001	54	30	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	88
2002	33	31	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	67
2003	33	31	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	67
2004	47	39	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	91
2005	36	47	0	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	90
2006	36	40	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	80
2007	58	54	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	3	122
2008	54	56	0	10	1	n/a	n/a	8	129
2009	34	49	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	90
2010	35	49	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	91
2011	35	39	0	6	0	0	2	0	82
2012	35	37	1	4	2	0	1	0	80
2013	47	60	0	10	2	0	3	0	122
2014	71	67	0	33	1	0	7	0	179
2015	41	53	0	13	1	0	2	0	110
2016	46	48	0	21	2	0	2	0	119
2017	35	51	0	18	1	0	5	0	110
2018	21	29	0	7	0	0	1	0	58
2019	13	21	0	2	0	0	3	0	39
2020	15	34	0	10	0	0	2	0	61
2021	18	35	0	15	0	0	1	0	69
2022	12	23	0	10	0	0	1	0	46
2023	24	36	0	14	1	0	6	0	81
2024	24	53	1	23	0	0	9	0	110

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 South Providence

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	61	9.0	6.8	55.7
1996	61	9.0	6.8	55.7
1997	84	12.0	7.0	32.1
1998	90	14.0	6.4	57.8
1999	70	16.0	4.4	80
2000	72	16.0	4.5	80.6
2001	88	16.0	5.5	65.9
2002	67	16.0	4.2	95.5
2003	67	16.0	4.2	95.5
2004	91	16.0	5.7	68.1
2005	90	16.0	5.6	n/a
2006	80	16.0	5.0	80
2007	122	19.1	6.4	68.9
2008	129	18.9	6.8	n/a
2009	90	20.0	4.5	n/a
2010	91	18.7	4.8	76.9
2011	82	15.7	5.2	91.5
2012	80	22.7	3.5	82.5
2013	122	30.4	4.0	87.7
2014	179	30.0	5.9	76.5
2015	110	28.0	3.9	86.4
2016	119	29.0	4.1	97.5
2017	110	29.0	3.7	80.9
2018	58	26.0	2.2	75.9
2019	39	17.1	2.2	92.3
2020	61	22.0	2.7	95.1
2021	69	20.0	3.4	50.7
2022	46	19.0	2.4	93.5
2023	81	18.0	4.5	96.3
2024	110	18.7	5.8	97.3

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 South Providence

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	61	9.0	6.8	55.7
1996	61	9.0	6.8	55.7
1997	84	12.0	7.0	32.1
1998	90	14.0	6.4	57.8
1999	70	16.0	4.4	80
2000	72	16.0	4.5	80.6
2001	88	16.0	5.5	65.9
2002	67	16.0	4.2	95.5
2003	67	16.0	4.2	95.5
2004	91	16.0	5.7	68.1
2005	90	16.0	5.6	n/a
2006	80	16.0	5.0	80
2007	122	19.1	6.4	68.9
2008	129	18.9	6.8	n/a
2009	90	20.0	4.5	n/a
2010	91	18.7	4.8	76.9
2011	82	15.7	5.2	91.5
2012	80	22.7	3.5	82.5
2013	122	30.4	4.0	87.7
2014	179	30.0	5.9	76.5
2015	110	28.0	3.9	86.4
2016	119	29.0	4.1	97.5
2017	110	29.0	3.7	80.9
2018	58	26.0	2.2	75.9
2019	39	17.1	2.2	92.3
2020	61	22.0	2.7	95.1
2021	69	20.0	3.4	50.7
2022	46	19.0	2.4	93.5
2023	81	18.0	4.5	96.3
2024	110	18.7	5.8	97.3

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.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Providence

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,219 (6.9%)	$30,098 (93.1%)	$32,317

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Providence

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 718^th of 737 Middle schools	Ranks 783^rd of 786 Middle schools	2.2%
Ranks 508^th of 514 High schools	Ranks 626^th of 626 High schools	1.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (South Providence)	7.1	7.7	0.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Union County Public Schools)	76.9	72.6	4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)	58.8	52.3	6.5%
7th Grade Reading (South Providence)	25	8	17%
7th Grade Reading (Union County Public Schools)	72	63.4	8.6%
7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	58.8	48.9	9.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Providence)	5.6	5.3	0.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Union County Public Schools)	71.7	63.7	8%
8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)	52.6	42.3	10.3%
8th Grade Reading (South Providence)	5.6	5.3	0.3%
8th Grade Reading (Union County Public Schools)	69	66.8	2.2%
8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)	55.6	50.7	4.9%
8th Grade Science (South Providence)	11.1	13.3	2.2%
8th Grade Science (Union County Public Schools)	83.9	79.9	4%
8th Grade Science (North Carolina)	78.6	70.3	8.3%
End of Course Biology (South Providence)	0	5.3	5.3%
End of Course Biology (Union County Public Schools)	74.3	66.8	7.5%
End of Course Biology (North Carolina)	59.6	54.1	5.5%
End of Course English II (South Providence)	13.3	11.5	1.8%
End of Course English II (Union County Public Schools)	73.9	74.1	0.2%
End of Course English II (North Carolina)	59.7	58.5	1.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	39	81	107.7%
African American	21	36	71.4%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	2	14	600%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	13	24	84.6%
Two or More Races	3	6	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	92.3%	96.3%	4%

Schools Near South Providence

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOC Biology (2024)	EOC English II (2024)	EOC Math I (2024)	EOC Math III (2024)	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	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Providence	Public	6-12	500 South Providence Street	Waxhaw	28173	Union County	Union County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 290-1580	110	19	5.8	97.3%	24 (21.8%)	53 (48.2%)	23 (20.9%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (8.2%)	2.3	629^th of 640 public high schools	1.7%		1.7	626^th of 626 public high schools	0.0%	3	7.1	10.5		20.0	9.1	7.1		10.0	11.1			$32,317	$2,219	$30,098
Cuthbertson High	Public	9-12	1400 Cuthbertson Rd	Waxhaw	28173	Union County	Union County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 296-0105	1,900	85	22.3	8.9%	1,368 (72.0%)	130 (6.8%)	175 (9.2%)	160 (8.4%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	63 (3.3%)	88.2	96^th of 640 public high schools	85.0%		90.2	67^th of 626 public high schools	89.3%	29	77.6	88.3	79.9	87.3								$7,116	$416	$6,700
Marvin Ridge High	Public	9-12	2825 Crane Road	Waxhaw	28173	Union County	Union County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 290-1520	2,050	96	21.3	3.9%	1,282 (62.5%)	88 (4.3%)	116 (5.7%)	474 (23.1%)	1 (0.0%)	3 (0.1%)	86 (4.2%)	93.5	46^th of 640 public high schools	92.8%		93.2	44^th of 626 public high schools	93.0%	2	87.6	94.9	87.9	93.6								$7,144	$260	$6,884
Weddington High	Public	9-12	4901 Monroe-Weddington Road	Matthews	28104	Union County	Union County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 296-6319	1,857	84	22.0	7.3%	1,241 (66.8%)	117 (6.3%)	155 (8.3%)	275 (14.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	68 (3.7%)	89.6	81^st of 640 public high schools	87.3%		92.8	46^th of 626 public high schools	92.7%	35	81.5	90.7	68.3	92.9								$7,418	$423	$6,995
Parkwood High	Public	9-12	3220 Parkwood School Rd	Monroe	28112	Union County	Union County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 296-0154	1,055	64	16.4	41.0%	696 (66.0%)	113 (10.7%)	187 (17.7%)	9 (0.9%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	46 (4.4%)	55.8	259^th of 640 public high schools	59.5%		47.5	306^th of 626 public high schools	51.1%	47	52.8	62.2	58.9	60.6								$8,904	$574	$8,330
Ardrey Kell High School	Public	9-12	10220 Ardrey Kell Road	Charlotte	28277	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	No	No	No	No	(980) 343-0860	3,605	172	21.0	15.6%	1,556 (43.2%)	412 (11.4%)	427 (11.8%)	1,095 (30.4%)	5 (0.1%)	11 (0.3%)	99 (2.7%)	85.7	110^th of 640 public high schools	82.8%		88	88^th of 626 public high schools	85.9%	22	81.9	83.4	57.4	87.4								$7,345	$428	$6,917
Apprentice Academy High School	Public, Virtual, Charter	7-12	2505 Weddington Rd.	Monroe	28110	Union County	Apprentice Academy High School of NC	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(980) 313-8610	229	18	12.7		131 (57.2%)	36 (15.7%)	46 (20.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (7.0%)	15.5	549^th of 640 public high schools	14.2%		24	486^th of 626 public high schools	22.4%	63	34.0	42.1	14.3	29.4		19.5	8.3		34.1	25.0	25.0
Sun Valley High	Public	9-12	5211 Old Charlotte Hwy	Monroe	28110	Union County	Union County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 296-3020	1,383	78	17.6	43.9%	666 (48.2%)	293 (21.2%)	313 (22.6%)	34 (2.5%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	73 (5.3%)	42.6	352^nd of 640 public high schools	45.0%		46.2	312^th of 626 public high schools	50.2%	40	43.3	59.2	33.2	63.5								$8,375	$469	$7,906
Union County Early College	Public	9-12	4209A Old Charlotte Hwy	Monroe	28110	Union County	Union County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 290-1565	344	14	24.1	35.2%	164 (47.7%)	28 (8.1%)	121 (35.2%)	22 (6.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (2.0%)	95.6	20^th of 640 public high schools	96.9%		96.1	8^th of 626 public high schools	98.7%	12	95.1	96.5	87.5									$7,707	$125	$7,583
Central Academy of Technology and Arts	Public	9-12	600 Brewer Dr	Monroe	28112	Union County	Union County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 296-3088	846	52	16.1	16.4%	509 (60.2%)	71 (8.4%)	123 (14.5%)	103 (12.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (4.5%)	94.3	33^rd of 640 public high schools	94.8%		94.3	36^th of 626 public high schools	94.2%	3	92.1	95.8	84.9	93.7								$9,519	$417	$9,102

South Providence

South Providence:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Union County Public Schools:

Average Rating:

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Rank History for South Providence

Rank History for all middle school students at South Providence

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at South Providence

Rank History for middle school Male students at South Providence

Rank History for middle school African American students at South Providence

Rank History for South Providence

Rank History for all high school students at South Providence

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at South Providence

Rank History for high school Male students at South Providence

Review counts

Enrollment information for South Providence

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Providence

Student/Teacher Ratio South Providence

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Providence

Impact of COVID-19 on South Providence

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near South Providence

Frequently Asked Questions about South Providence

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