Original Research by School Decision on Alpha Academy
Alpha Academy is a charter school district in Cumberland County, North Carolina, serving kindergarten through twelfth grade with a single school by that name. The district operates a small enrollment overall, with roughly equal numbers across the elementary grades and a substantial drop as students move into middle and high school. The high school program is the school's most recent addition; it began graduating seniors in 2026, marking a major structural shift for the school and for families who previously had to transfer elsewhere to complete high school.
The student body is predominantly Black, with a sizable Hispanic enrollment and smaller representations of Asian students, students of two or more races, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students, and White students. American Indian and Alaska Native enrollment is minimal. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, and English learner status were not available, so a parent seeking to understand the economic circumstances of the population or the school's support infrastructure for students with disabilities or developing English proficiency would want to ask the school directly about these populations.
State assessment results and graduation rate data are not present in the available records. This gap is notable given that Alpha Academy now serves high school students; a parent weighing this school would want to request recent proficiency and graduation information directly from the school or seek out any public reporting the school has published on its own website.
Within Cumberland County's districts, Alpha Academy stands out for having a chronic absenteeism rate in the top quartile among the two districts in the comparison set for which such data exists. Per-pupil spending at the school falls in the lower range compared to other county districts, a detail that may reflect the school's size or operational model and is worth understanding in context of what programs and resources that spending supports.
The expansion from K-8 into a full K-12 program is a watershed change for families considering long-term placement. Previously, students had to leave after eighth grade; now the school can house them through graduation. This eliminates a major logistical disruption for families committed to the school's model and allows continuity of peer relationships and school culture through the high school years. A parent should inquire with the school about the newness of the high school program, the stability of its curriculum and staffing, and how ninth through twelfth grade students are being integrated into a school whose identity was built over many years in the elementary and middle grades.
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