The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in English language arts. The lowest is 23% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Wilmington Preparatory Academy
Wilmington Preparatory Academy is a public charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Wilmington, North Carolina. The school enrolls a small population, balanced across grade levels, with a student body that is predominantly Black, followed by a smaller share of Hispanic students and a very small share of white and multiracial students. Free-and-reduced-price lunch status and special education enrollment data were not available.
The school's state assessment results in the most recent year show proficiency rates that fall below what would typically be expected. In English language arts, roughly two-fifths of tested students in grades three through eight met proficiency benchmarks. In math, the proficiency rate was in the low-to-mid range. Science proficiency was notably lower, with only a small portion of the tested cohort meeting standards. The science assessment was administered under new cut scores and assessment design in this cycle, which limits direct comparison to prior years. Math and ELA comparisons over time are not yet available in the data. None of the three subjects shows trend information that would indicate whether results have been moving upward or downward in previous years.
The school is the only charter school reported within New Hanover County's school district membership, so direct peer comparison against other charters in the county is not possible. Among all districts in the county, proficiency metrics and graduation rates could not be computed as a comparison set; the county has multiple districts, and other standard benchmarks like chronic absenteeism were not provided.
Wilmington itself is a mid-sized coastal city with a compact, walkable historic downtown core along the Cape Fear River alongside suburban residential neighborhoods and beach-adjacent areas. The local economy is anchored by Novant Health, UNCW, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, nCino fintech, and the film and television production cluster at EUE/Screen Gems. The region is experiencing sustained population growth, with the Wilmington metro area among the fastest-growing in the nation. This growth has driven median home values upward; the local housing market shows home values above both state and national benchmarks, and rental costs have risen modestly year-over-year. A substantial share of Wilmington households are now cost-burdened by housing costs, and growth, traffic, and affordability have become top resident concerns.
The school's governance structure is that of a public charter, meaning it operates under a performance contract with the state but is not part of the traditional New Hanover County Schools system. A parent may want to look into what curriculum approach, enrollment priorities, and school culture Wilmington Preparatory Academy emphasizes, and whether the school has had recent changes in leadership, instruction, or strategic direction that might be relevant to current or future performance.
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