Original Research by School Decision on Ridgeview Charter School
Ridgeview Charter School no longer operates. The school's charter was not renewed by the state Charter Schools Review Board in March 2024, and the school closed at the end of the 2023-24 school year due to poor academic performance. A substantial number of K-8 students were displaced and had to find new schools in the Gastonia area.
At the time of closure, the school enrolled a small population of students spanning kindergarten through eighth grade, with the largest cohorts in the early elementary years. The student body was predominantly Black, with smaller shares of Hispanic students, students identifying as multiracial, and very few white students. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, students receiving special education services, and English learners were not available.
State testing data and graduation rates were not provided, likely reflecting either the school's closure or data reporting gaps before the charter review process. The school's spending per student placed it in the upper range compared to other districts in Gaston County, though proficiency information needed to assess academic outcomes alongside that spending was not available in the record.
Chronic absenteeism at the school ran below the midpoint among Gaston County's districts, suggesting attendance was a relative strength. However, this metric alone could not offset the academic performance concerns that led the state to decline charter renewal.
For families in Gaston County seeking K-8 options, Ridgeview is no longer an enrollment choice. Parents and residents looking back at this school's history should know that the state's decision turned on academic performance and that the closure removed a small charter presence from the local landscape.
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