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Public elementary school · Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools · Charlotte, North Carolina

First Ward Creative Arts Academy

First Ward Creative Arts Academy rates 6.2, below most Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools elementary schools, whose rated median is 7.2.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
6.2this school

6.2 on a one-to-ten scale; the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools median is 7.2.

#1,471 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina · Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: 115 elementary schools rated, median 7.2

The brief

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools elementary school where students score 27 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,471 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina and 113 of 180 in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

First Ward Creative Arts Academy is listed in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math71%14 points above the North Carolina average of 57%2026 NC
Reading83%27 points above the North Carolina average of 56%2026 NC
In 2026, 71% of students were proficient in math and 83% in reading, against North Carolina averages of 57% and 56%.2026 NC; 60 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
4.3
50% of the rating
Academics
9.3
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
6.4
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 57% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2026 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 28202; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

About our dataHow we calculate scores

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
First Ward Creative Arts Academy and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

Open the Charlotte school map to see school quality against home prices across the metro.

The area

Median income
$101,711
Median home value
$425,900
Median rent
$1,862/mo
College educated
63.6%
Homeownership
26.7%
Poverty rate
12.4%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28202; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
87
Very Walkable
Transit Score
71
Excellent Transit
Bike Score
58
Bikeable
County reported crime
3,541/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 county residents, counting every city police department, sheriff's office and county police department that reported a full year to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program. Shown only where those agencies cover at least 80% of the county's residents. Not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
98.9%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Irwin Academic Center1.2 mi
    9.2Compare →
  2. Oaklawn Language Academy1.8 mi
    9.2Compare →
  3. Elizabeth Traditional Elem1.0 mi
    8.9Compare →
  4. Dilworth Elementary School Latta Campus1.6 mi
    8.7Compare →
  5. Villa Heights Elementary1.2 mi
    7.3Compare →
  6. Metro School0.9 mi
    6.4Compare →
  7. First Ward Creative Arts Academythis school
    6.2
  8. Walter G. Byers School1.2 mi
    4.8Compare →
  9. Veritas Community School Cfa1.7 mi · charter
    3.6Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and six rate higher than First Ward Creative Arts Academy.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does First Ward Creative Arts Academy serve?

First Ward Creative Arts Academy serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend First Ward Creative Arts Academy?

First Ward Creative Arts Academy has an enrollment of approximately 447 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at First Ward Creative Arts Academy?

The student-teacher ratio at First Ward Creative Arts Academy is 12.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does First Ward Creative Arts Academy rank in NC?

First Ward Creative Arts Academy ranks #1,471 of 2,660 schools in NC.

What is First Ward Creative Arts Academy's MySchoolScout rating?

First Ward Creative Arts Academy has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at First Ward Creative Arts Academy?

Based on loaded state assessment records, First Ward Creative Arts Academy has 57% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is First Ward Creative Arts Academy a charter school?

No, First Ward Creative Arts Academy is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is First Ward Creative Arts Academy a Title I school?

No, First Ward Creative Arts Academy is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for First Ward Creative Arts Academy?

98.9% of students at First Ward Creative Arts Academy qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
447
Student-teacher ratio
12.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
35
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large City
County
Mecklenburg County
Phone
(980) 343-5485
Rank in district
#113 of 180
Schools in district
184
District spending per student
$12,198
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.9%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 28202)
16,855
Area average commute
19.8 min
Area median age
29.9

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Sources and official links

Keep exploring

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, North Carolina Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.