The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in Science. The lowest is 43% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Marjorie Williams Academy
Marjorie Williams Academy is a small K-12 charter school located in Newland, a very small mountain county seat in Avery County. The school enrolls a modest student body across all grades from kindergarten through twelfth, though high school enrollment is sparse. The overwhelming majority of students qualify for free or reduced price lunch, and the student population is predominantly white, with small representation from Black, Hispanic, and multiracial families.
The school's defining characteristic is its pedagogical model. Marjorie Williams Academy operates on the Sanctuary Model of Care, a trauma-informed framework designed for students who have experienced adverse childhood experiences, foster care transitions, or economic hardship. This is not a conventional academic pathway; it is an intentional choice by a family to place their child in an environment built around healing and resilience alongside academics. The charter operator, Crossnore Communities for Children, has begun replicating this model at other sites in North Carolina, signaling confidence in the approach. For a family whose child carries trauma or has experienced instability, this targeted structure and training may address needs that a standard school cannot.
On state testing in grades three through eight, the school's academic results are mixed. In English language arts, a small majority of tested students met grade-level proficiency. In mathematics, proficiency fell short of half. Science proficiency was noticeably higher, though the sample size was considerably smaller. The school does not have a published graduation rate available in the data provided, but publicly reported figures indicate the four-year graduation rate rose sharply over recent years, a material improvement that suggests the school's support model is working to keep students through completion. The high school grades carry very small enrollments, so any single cohort represents just a handful of students, making year-to-year numbers volatile and difficult to interpret as trends.
The school's student body is economically fragile. Nearly all students are economically disadvantaged by federal measure. Special education data and English learner data were not available, so a parent would need to ask the school directly about those populations. The poverty and trauma exposure are real: this is not a school for families seeking traditional academic rigor or peer diversity. It is a school for families who believe their child's immediate emotional and relational needs must be met before sustained academic progress can follow.
Newland itself is a very small, rural mountain town centered on a single downtown intersection anchored by the county courthouse. The economy is built on county government, a small critical-access hospital, tourism to nearby attractions like Grandfather Mountain, and Christmas tree farming. Downtown experienced significant damage from Hurricane Helene in September 2024, and recovery efforts, including a new affordable-housing project called Blue Haven, are underway. Housing costs in the area are modest by state comparison. The community is automobile-dependent with no public transit, and civic anchors include the public library and the courthouse. It is not a walkable town, and it offers limited street life or urban amenities.
For a family in rural Avery County whose child has experienced trauma or foster care, or who is looking for a school with a deep commitment to meeting students' emotional and relational needs before academic acceleration, Marjorie Williams Academy offers a clear alternative to standard public schooling. The rising graduation rate and national replication of its model point to something that works for its specific population. For other families, the school's academic results, small size, rural location, and specialized population make it a poor fit. A parent considering the school should ask directly about how academic instruction is structured when classroom behavior and therapeutic work are concurrent priorities, and what long-term college and career pathways exist for high school students.
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