Most families are deeply invested in their children’s education. Moving to a new place means finding new schools and figuring out what schools have the best ratings. Luckily, if you’re moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, we’ve got you covered. We’ve compiled a list of the top school districts in the area to give you a head start on your school search.
Table of Contents
Fort Mill School District
Fort Mill School District is located in Fort Mill, SC. Under 20 miles from Charlotte, NC, it serves students from Charlotte suburbs including Fort Mill, Lake Wylie, and Tega Cay.
We learned about Fort Mill and other Charlotte school districts from digital entrepreneur and Charlotte schools alum Udemezue John, who notes that Fort Mill “excels in academics.”
School Stats
- 20 schools in the district to choose from
- 11 elementary schools
- 6 middle schools
- 3 high schools
- Over 18,000 students
- Student-teacher ratio of 13:1
- 67% of students are at least proficient in math, and 75% of students are at least proficient in reading.
- Currently ranked the best school district in South Carolina
- 83% of their graduates enrolled in further education in 2021.
Fun Facts
- In the Fort Mill School District, Nation Ford High School offers an extracurricular program known as the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). Notably, their Rifle Team took home its fifth consecutive National Championship title in 2020. The school also has a wide variety of other clubs.
- Fort Mill School District’s student enrollment has almost quadrupled from 1998 to 2024. It’s no surprise that it’s the fastest-growing school district per capita in South Carolina!
Union County Public Schools
Union County Public Schools is a school district in Monroe, NC, part of the Charlotte metropolitan area. It is located about 25 miles outside of Charlotte. John notes this district “offers diverse activities and high student achievement.” Indeed, you should consider this district if you want your child to have access to outstanding academic opportunities.
School Stats
- 52 schools in the district to choose from
- 29 preschools
- 31 elementary schools
- 11 middle schools
- 12 high schools
- Over 41,000 students
- Student-teacher ratio of 17:1
- 71% of students are at least proficient in math, and 64% of students are at least proficient in reading.
Fun Facts
- This district’s Marvin Ridge High School is one of the top-rated high schools in the Charlotte area, the state of North Carolina, and even the US as a whole. Ranking 589th in the nation, it boasts an astounding graduation rate of over 95%.
- This district offers many great opportunities that benefit students. For instance, it has language immersion programs in Spanish and Mandarin in 30 of its schools.
- Other unique opportunities in this district include the Benton Heights Elementary School of the Arts and the Union County Early College, where students can earn an advanced degree while in high school.
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Clover School District
Clover School District is located in Clover, SC, about 30 miles from Charlotte, NC. Although this district is part of the Charlotte metro area, many of its campuses are in more rural areas.
School Stats
- 10 schools in the district to choose from
- 7 elementary schools
- 2 middle schools
- 1 high school
- Over 9,000 students
- Student-teacher ratio of 14:1
- 61% of students are at least proficient in math, and 66% of students are at least proficient in reading.
Fun Facts
- Clover High School is home to the Clover Choraliers, an acclaimed choir that has won awards on the state and national levels.
- The Clover School District offers a free program called Bright Beginnings that supports parents of young children.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District serves students in Charlotte. If you’re renting in Charlotte proper, this is a good school district for you. It is notable for its strong special needs program compared to other Charlotte public schools.
School Stats
- 186 schools in the district to choose from
- 103 elementary and K-6 schools
- 44 middle and K-8 schools
- 35 high schools
- 4 special program schools
- Over 141,000 students
- Student-teacher ratio of 17:1
- 48% of students are proficient in reading, and 52% of students are proficient in math.
Fun Facts
- With over 141,000 students, this district is the 16th largest school district in the US.
- The district featured prominently in legal history as the site of the 1971 Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education court case, a step toward racial integration in US schools.
- This district offers a variety of special needs programs that serve students of all ages. They also have sites for Project SEARCH, a program that helps students with disabilities transition from school to the workforce.
Mooresville Graded School District
Mooresville Graded School District is located in Mooresville, NC, another region of the Charlotte metro area. It’s about 30 miles north of Charlotte.
School Stats
- 8 schools in the district to choose from
- 3 elementary schools
- 2 intermediate schools and 2 middle schools
- 1 high school
- Over 6,000 students
- Student-teacher ratio of 17:1
- 61% of students are at least proficient in math, and 54% of students are at least proficient in reading.
Fun Fact
- An early adopter of 1:1 technology, Mooresville Graded School District is has served as a national model for tech in schools. Their program has even yielded academic studies that speak to the benefits for students.
- Mooresville Middle School has a unique mascot: the red imp.
Conclusion
We’ve gone over the best school districts in Charlotte, North Carolina. They include the Fort Mill School District, Union County Public Schools, Clover School District, Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District, and Mooresville Graded School District. Fort Mill and Union County have top-tier academics. Clover School District and Mooresville are smaller districts and also offer great educational opportunities. Finally, Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District is very large and thus offers diverse resources like good special education programs. However, there’s no wrong choice: John describes several of these districts as “top school districts in Charlotte” that “stand out for community involvement and quality education.”
If you want to get your family excited about moving to Charlotte, check out our blog on the best things to do in the area. For help with moving logistics, look into UniMovers’ many services. And if you’re still weighing the pros and cons of making the move, that’s all right, too!
FAQs
Fort Mill, Union County, Clover, and Mooresville Graded are school districts near Charlotte, NC with very high ratings for academics.
Within the top school districts in Charlotte, NC, Marvin Ridge High School, Weddington High School, and Fort Mill High School are very academically rigorous high schools.
Great elementary schools in Charlotte include Gold Hill Elementary School, Tega Cay Elementary School, and Pleasant Knoll Elementary School.
Springfield Middle School, Pleasant Knoll Middle School, Gold Mill Middle School, and Fort Mill Middle School are all excellent middle schools in the Charlotte metro area.
Sophie Pollack-Milgate has a day job as a research assistant. In her free time, she likes to read 10% of the library books she checks out, complain about how either ice or heat are ruining her runs (depending on the season), and modify recipes beyond recognition.
Aubrey graduated from UCLA in 2019 with dual degrees in English and Psychology, as well as receiving a concentration in Fiction Creative Writing. Her writing can be found at Locale Magazine, UCLA's MindWell pod, HerCampus, Westwind, and Bloody Donuts. Aubrey currently lives in Los Angeles with her orange tabby cat, Bowie, and spends her free time reading anything she can get her hands on and soaking up the golden California sun. You can find her hiking the Laguna trails, making jewelry, or exploring the local library.
