The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Science. The lowest is 16% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Starmount Academy of Excellence
Starmount Academy of Excellence serves a small student population from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Charlotte's southwestern neighborhoods. The school reflects the makeup of its immediate area: the student body is predominantly Hispanic and Black, and nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a low-income school serving families for whom public education, in its current form, represents essential support.
The school's state test results are well below proficiency. In grades three through five, where North Carolina assesses reading and math, about one-third of students tested met proficiency in math, and about one in six met it in reading. Science proficiency rates, measured only in certain grades, sat around one-third. These figures place the school in a position where most students are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks. A parent considering this school should ask directly about reading and math support structures, including whether the school has intervention programs, small-group instruction, or tutoring in place, and what progress trends the school has seen in prior years. The district has adopted a standardized English Language Arts curriculum district-wide that combines reading, writing, and discussion in thematic modules; understanding how that program is being implemented at Starmount specifically would be worth exploring.
The school is part of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which is managing substantial change. The district approved a historic school bond for facility upgrades and new schools, and voters committed to property tax increases over coming years to fund that work. More directly relevant to families seeking choice: CMS is moving away from its traditional School Choice model to a "Program Choice" system starting in the 2027–2028 school year, meaning families will select academic pathways (such as Arts, Montessori, World Languages, or STEM) rather than individual schools. Starmount's current program offerings within that structure were not available in the data; a parent should confirm what pathway options, if any, this school will offer under the new system.
Charlotte itself is among the fastest-growing major U.S. cities, and Mecklenburg County has added residents rapidly. The local housing market reflects that demand; median home values in the school's zip code are in the mid-range for the region, and rents have moved modestly lower in recent months. The school's location on Brookdale Avenue places it in an area undergoing steady residential activity as growth spreads outward from Uptown.
Starmount is a small school by design, with a total enrollment of fewer than five hundred students spread across seven grades. Class sizes in the older elementary grades appear to be in the mid-sixties per grade. For families seeking a neighborhood school in southwest Charlotte that serves a majority-immigrant, majority-Hispanic, high-poverty student population, Starmount is present and open. For families seeking strong academic proficiency or advanced offerings, state test results suggest this is not the right fit at present. The next step for any prospective parent is to talk with the school directly about its recent progress, its intervention and enrichment supports, and how it plans to participate in the district's shifting choice landscape.
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