The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in Science. The lowest is 31% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Marie G Davis School
Marie G Davis School serves kindergarten through eighth grade in Charlotte's Griffith Street area, in the middle of one of the nation's fastest-growing metro regions. The school enrolls a small student body that is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with an overwhelming share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. It operates as a regular public school within Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, a large urban district managing substantial growth and infrastructure strain alongside curriculum renovation.
The school's recent state test results show proficiency that lags significantly. In math, roughly two of every five students tested in grades 3 through 8 met proficiency in 2024-25. In English language arts, proficiency was lower, with roughly one of every three students meeting the bar. Science proficiency, tested in fewer grades, was higher at roughly one of every two students. These numbers reflect a pattern of students working below grade-level expectations in core subjects, particularly in reading and writing. A parent may want to look into further with the school what interventions or supports exist for students who are not yet proficient, what professional development teachers have received in the district's newly adopted EL Education language arts curriculum, and what the school's trajectory has been in recent years.
The school is small by elementary and middle-school standards, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across grades. Kindergarten through second grade each have roughly 30 students, while the upper elementary and middle grades range from about 30 to 55 per grade. Nearly all students live in low-income households. Data on the proportion of students receiving special education services or English-learner support was not available, limiting visibility into those populations' size and needs.
Marie G Davis sits within Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, a district navigating major structural changes. Voters approved a record school bond in late 2023 that will fund 30 construction projects, including three new middle schools and extensive renovation work, with property tax increases staggered through 2029. The district is also moving away from its longtime "School Choice" model toward a new "Program Choice" system launching in 2027-28, which will reduce magnet themes from sixteen to six and shift families' focus toward K-12 academic pathways rather than school choice per se. At the elementary level, the district has rolled out a new EL Education language arts curriculum districtwide, replacing prior ad-hoc approaches with standardized thematic modules that weave reading, writing, discussion, and social-emotional learning. These shifts will shape instructional experience across the district over the next few years.
The broader Charlotte context matters for families considering this school. The city and Mecklenburg County are among the nation's fastest-growing regions, adding thousands of residents each year. Housing values in the 28203 zip code are substantial by national standards, though rents are climbing faster. The region has a dense Uptown business core with strong civic and cultural anchors, walkable neighborhoods in South End, NoDa and Plaza Midwood, and transit via the LYNX light rail system. Major employers include Bank of America, Duke Energy, Wells Fargo, Lowe's and Atrium Health. This growth is straining schools and housing supply alike; the bond and a newly proposed 1-cent sales tax for transit and roads reflect the infrastructure pressure.
For a family at Marie G Davis, the reality is a small, high-poverty school in a rapidly growing district where state test proficiency is substantially below typical benchmarks. The school's assets and supports, its relationship to the surrounding neighborhood, and the momentum of the district's curriculum and facility investments are all worth exploring in conversation with the school leadership.
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