Original Research by School Decision on Monroe Charter Academy
Monroe Charter Academy, a charter school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in Union County, North Carolina, closed permanently in mid-December 2025 after the state Charter Schools Review Board revoked its charter. This closure makes the school no longer a viable enrollment option for any family.
The state terminated the school's charter effective immediately on December 9, 2025, citing failures in both academic performance and financial management. According to publicly reported accounts, the school had received a failing performance grade from the state for three consecutive years, with only a small portion of its students reaching grade-level proficiency in the most recent school year. The state also placed the academy on financial noncompliance status due to spending that exceeded revenues. These dual failures—sustained low academic outcomes paired with fiscal mismanagement—led the Charter Schools Review Board to revoke the charter entirely rather than allow the school to continue.
At the time of closure, the academy enrolled a small number of students across seven grade levels, from kindergarten through sixth grade. The student body was predominantly Black, with substantial representation from Hispanic students and a smaller multiracial population. Precise counts for students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as English learners and students with disabilities, were not available in the school's reporting.
The school's chronic absenteeism rate stood in the bottom quartile among Union County's districts, meaning attendance was a concern relative to its peers in the county. Per-pupil spending was in the upper range for the county, though this higher spending did not translate to stronger academic results.
Just months before closure, in June 2025, the state had approved an expansion to add eighth grade, though it had rejected the school's broader request to extend through twelfth grade due to performance concerns. That approved expansion never took effect because of the December charter revocation.
Families whose children attended Monroe Charter Academy at closure were directed to enroll in their zoned public school within Union County or to pursue applications to other charter schools in the area. The school would need to begin an entirely new charter application process—a multi-year undertaking—in order to reopen, and no such application has been announced. For any parent considering charter options in Union County, Monroe Charter Academy is no longer available.
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