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Needs Improvement

#2382 of 2,648 schools in NC

Turning Point Academy

High School · Cleveland County Schools · Shelby, NC

A Cleveland County Schools high school where students score 34 points below what's typical for similar communities.

409 West Sumter Street, Shelby, NC 28150

  • Math 6% vs NC 49% (2025)
  • Reading 25% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 44.5% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress8.0Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.98 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics1.5Needs Improvement25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency5.6% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency20% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-43.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-34.1 pts
Overall Proficiency13% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-34.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile2th
College Readiness3.5Needs Improvement30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate44.5%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment2.6Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.5:1
District spending per student$12,540
Chronic Absenteeism77.7%

Students at Turning Point Academy score 13% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency6%(2025 NC)
School
State
49%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency25%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 5 points since 2020, reaching 15% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
35%
ELA
25%
2010
Math
35%
ELA
35%
2011
Math
35%
ELA
25%
2012
Math
8%
ELA
12%
2013
Math
3%
ELA
8%
2014
Math
3%
ELA
3%
2015
Math
3%
ELA
12%
2016
Math
3%
ELA
8%
2017
Math
3%
ELA
8%
2018
Math
3%
ELA
8%
2019
Math
3%
ELA
8%
2020*
Math
5%
ELA
15%
2021*
Math
5%
ELA
15%
2022
Math
16%
ELA
18%
2025
Math
6%
ELA
25%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 11% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 15% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 31 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

98%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Turning Point Academy sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 63Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 47Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,500/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Shelby), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$53,027

Median home value

$195,600

Median rent

$793/mo

College educated

24.4%

Homeownership

68.3%

Poverty rate

18%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28150; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Advanced STEM Courses2of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Cleveland InnovationEnrollment path unverified7.0K–120.0 mi164Compare →
Shelby HighEnrollment path unverified4.39–121.3 mi790Compare →
North ShelbyEnrollment path unverified6.5PK–122.3 mi77Compare →
Crest HighEnrollment path unverified6.69–123.9 mi1,101Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Cleveland County Schools

Schools in district
28
Rank in district
#28 of 28
District spending per student
$12,540NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

Turning Point Academy is listed in Cleveland County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Turning Point Academy

Turning Point Academy is a public high school in Shelby, NC, part of Cleveland County Schools, serving approximately 148 students in grades 6th-12th with a 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.9 out of 10 and ranks #2,382 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 11% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 15% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Turning Point Academy

What grades does Turning Point Academy serve?

Turning Point Academy serves students in grades 6th through 12th.

How many students attend Turning Point Academy?

Turning Point Academy has an enrollment of approximately 148 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Turning Point Academy?

The student-teacher ratio at Turning Point Academy is 13.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Turning Point Academy rank in NC?

Turning Point Academy ranks #2,382 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Turning Point Academy's MySchoolScout rating?

Turning Point Academy has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.9 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 Turning Point Academy?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Turning Point Academy has 11% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 15% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Turning Point Academy a charter school?

No, Turning Point Academy is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Turning Point Academy a Title I school?

No, Turning Point Academy is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Turning Point Academy?

98.0% of students at Turning Point 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 factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 12th
Enrollment
148
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
11
Type
alternative
Setting
Distant Town
County
Cleveland County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
77.7%
4-Year Graduation
44.5%
Area population (ZIP 28150)
26,447
Area average commute
24.2 min
Area median age
47.7
About this school's data

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

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 · 2025 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 · 2025 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)
NCES EdFacts · 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 28150; 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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