Charter schools in North Carolina are rising to the challenge

Happy National Charter Schools Week!

This year from May 11-17, thousands will celebrate the strides public charter schools are making across North Carolina. In classrooms from Asheville to Wilmington and beyond, public charter schools are transforming education, offering families more options, embracing innovation and putting students on the path to success.

Since the charter school law was passed in North Carolina nearly 30 years ago, the movement has grown steadily.  According to the most recent data from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, charter schools are seeing record enrollment. More than 150,000 students — about 10% of the state’s public school population — now attend one of the 208 public charter schools statewide. Over 85,000 students are on waiting lists for public charter schools across North Carolina.

This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about what those numbers represent: a growing trust in an alternative model of public education that emphasizes choice, innovation and accountability.

But beyond enrollment numbers, it’s the stories of impact that matter the most. Schools like Durham Charter School and Henderson Collegiate are proving what’s possible when autonomy is matched with accountability. Both schools are seeing academic gains year after year while serving a diverse student population.

This year Alex Quigley of Durham Charter School and Carice Sanchez of Henderson Collegiate were recognized as “Platinum Leaders in the Field” by the Relay Graduate School of Education’s Leverage Leadership Institute Fellowship. This program is for high-performing school leaders from across the world.

Recently, TMSA Public Charter Schools received an $8.3 million Charter Schools Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will bring 3,740 new student spaces for children and families in Cabarrus, Guilford, Mecklenburg and Wake counties.

What makes public charter schools unique is their ability to innovate.

Whether it’s a STEM-focused curriculum, dual-language immersion or an emphasis on the arts, charter schools are not bound by a one-size-fits-all approach. A.C.E. Academy has a unique learning approach that helps their students become “kid-prenuers.” Their afterschool program, the Young Moguls Club, is an entrepreneurship program that teaches students how to create a small business. The program’s “kid-preneurs” have earned more than $30,000.

This National Charter Schools Week, let’s honor the educators, students and families who are redefining success in public education. The future of education in North Carolina is about building a system where every student, regardless of ZIP code, has access to a high-quality education. Charter schools are proving, every day, that excellence can come in many forms and that every student deserves the opportunity to thrive.

Rhonda Dillingham is executive director of the North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools.