Pine Springs Preparatory Academy Rca, Holly Springs NC

Original Research by School Decision on Pine Springs Preparatory Academy Rca

Pine Springs Preparatory Academy RCA is a new virtual school within the Pine Springs Preparatory Academy charter network, launched in the 2024-25 school year as a fully remote offering for middle-grade students statewide. It is not yet operational as a traditional brick-and-mortar campus; it exists as a distance-learning program administered in partnership with K12.

The school's academic results from the 2024-25 school year show proficiency rates that are below state expectations across tested subjects. In English language arts, proficiency sits at a low level. In mathematics, proficiency is notably lower still. Science proficiency data is available for only a subset of students and also reflects weak performance. These results represent the school's first year of operation, and trends cannot yet be established. A parent may want to look into whether the school has plans to address these proficiency gaps and what supports are being offered to students who are not meeting grade-level standards.

The virtual model itself is a defining feature of this school. Unlike traditional in-person charter schools, students complete coursework online, which means no daily commute to Holly Springs but also no physical classroom, peer interaction, or hands-on labs. This structure works well for families seeking flexible scheduling, students who are self-directed, or those navigating complex circumstances that make traditional school attendance difficult. It is less suited to students who thrive with in-person peer community, hands-on learning, or who need significant structure and accountability from daily in-class presence.

Enrollment data, demographic breakdowns, and details about special education and English learner services are not available in the public record at this time. The district brief indicates that PSPA as a whole has grown substantially, with enrollment surging across its three learning pathways (traditional in-person, blended, and virtual). That growth trajectory suggests the virtual academy is drawing interest, but specific enrollment numbers for this virtual cohort are not public.

Holly Springs itself is a fast-growing biomanufacturing hub in southwest Wake County, about 20 miles from Raleigh. The town has a small historic downtown centered on Main Street and a mix of older and new residential subdivisions, with large pharma and biotech manufacturing campuses on its edges. That geography matters less for a fully virtual student, but families considering the school are likely doing so from within the Triangle region or across North Carolina.

The virtual academy expands what PSPA offers beyond its original K-8 charter mission and adds a statewide K-12 option. It represents a different learning pathway entirely from the two traditional and blended schools the district already runs. For families choosing a virtual middle-grade option, this is a school to evaluate on the basis of curriculum, virtual teaching quality, support systems, and whether online learning matches their child's learning style and needs—not on campus amenities, peer diversity, or hands-on program access, which do not apply to this format.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grades 3-815%

School 15% · district not reported

▼ 41 pts below state median · ▼ 52 pts below county median

English language arts

Grades 3-839%

School 39% · district not reported

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Science

Grades 3-825%

School 25% · district not reported

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 44 pts below county median

This schoolDistrict average, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income27%Higher-income44%17 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income34%Higher-income41%7 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income28%Higher-income38%10 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income41%Higher-income56%15 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income40%Higher-income48%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income38%Higher-income41%3 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income36%Higher-income45%9 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income14%Higher-income14%0 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income14%Higher-income15%1 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income7%Higher-income33%26 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income6%Higher-income42%36 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income14%Higher-income37%23 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income9%Higher-income29%20 pp gap