Metrolina Regional charter, Fort Mill district top ranking of Charlotte-area elementary schools

With students now back in the classroom across the Charlotte region, an annual set of rankings is out that aims to show how schools stack up against each other in ways that extend beyond test scores and academic performance.

Niche.com recently released its 10th annual Best Schools and Districts rankings for 2024. The Pittsburgh-based research and review site says that its rankings differ from traditional ones in the criteria it uses, providing a more complete look at schools. For instance, its methodology pairs data from sources like the U.S. Department of Education with ratings from current students, alumni and parents to measure teachers, resources and facilities, and extracurricular activities, among other categories.

Niche.com’s rankings for the upcoming school year include updated data for more than 94,000 public schools, nearly 31,000 private schools and 12,000-plus school districts across the U.S.

CBJ is taking a closer look at how Niche.com ranked schools in the Charlotte metro, breaking them out four ways: public elementary, public middle, public high and private K-12 schools, starting with public elementary schools. Charter and magnet schools are included.

Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy, a charter school in Charlotte, tops the list of the area’s best public elementary schools for another year. Schools within the Fort Mill School District also dominated the top-10 list, with seven appearing there.

Check out Niche.com’s list of the 20 best public elementary schools in the Charlotte region, along with each’s state and national rank, here.

©2023 Cox Media Group