The top reported proficiency rate is 13% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Phoenix Academy
Phoenix Academy is an alternative school serving grades seven through twelve in Oxford, North Carolina, operated by Granville County Schools. The school is very small, with a total enrollment concentrated in the secondary grades, particularly at the high school level. The vast majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the enrollment is predominantly Black students, with a small number of white and multiracial students.
The academic profile reflects the school's design as an alternative setting. On state end-of-grade testing in grades three through eight, Phoenix Academy reported proficiency rates that are substantially below typical ranges. In English language arts, a small share of tested students met proficiency standards. In mathematics, the proficiency rate was similarly low. Science testing showed no students proficient, though the science assessment itself underwent changes in scoring and design that year, making direct trend analysis uncertain. A parent may want to look into further what alternative instructional approaches the school uses and how it measures student progress beyond state testing.
Because Phoenix Academy serves such a small population and functions as an alternative school, its academic profile sits outside the typical district comparison set. The school occupies a distinct niche in the county's educational landscape. State testing data for the earlier elementary grades is not available because the school does not serve kindergarten through sixth grade. No graduation rate is reported in the current data, so a parent with a secondary-age student may want to ask the school directly about its outcomes for students aging out of the system.
Oxford itself is a historic county-seat town in the northern Research Triangle orbit. The downtown is walkable and active, anchored by Main Street America designation and the Thornton Library. Housing values reflect rural proximity to the Triangle, with median prices below the state benchmark but moving upward as development accelerates. The town is on a steep growth trajectory, with major residential subdivisions approved or planned, and infrastructure investments under way to accommodate population growth over the next decade.
Granville County Schools is implementing notable changes for the 2026-2027 school year, including the closure of one elementary school and new district-wide attendance zones, so families considering the district should verify their assigned school. The district also offers open enrollment and choice programs, allowing some flexibility beyond strict zone assignment. A new district-wide initiative called Skills Before Screens is launching to balance technology use with human connection in classrooms. Additionally, a local sales tax referendum on the March 2026 ballot, if approved, would funnel resources toward teacher supplements in the district.
For a family considering Phoenix Academy, the key questions center on the school's alternative mission and what that means for curriculum, pacing, support structures, and how student progress is tracked and communicated. The proficiency data signals this is not a school for students meeting grade-level standards through conventional instruction; rather it appears to serve students with greater academic or behavioral support needs. A parent should have a detailed conversation with the school about its model, what brought the child to this placement, and what the pathway forward looks like.
See more original research from School Decision →