Enrollment
771
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Matthews, NC
Matthews Charter Academy
Federal NCES profile for Matthews Charter Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370040503392Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Matthews Charter Academy earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 4
- elementary schools in Matthews · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 48.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Matthews Charter Academy has class sizes larger than 91% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Matthews Charter Academy ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Matthews, NC.
School address
District: Matthews Charter Academy · North Carolina
NCES ID 370040503392 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Matthews Charter Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Matthews Charter Academy
Matthews Charter Academy is a mid-sized charter elementary school in Matthews, North Carolina, enrolling 771 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.8:1 is larger than about 91% of North Carolina schools and 32% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 771 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 436 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #411, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (37%) and African American (28%) (diversity index 72/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Matthews's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mint Hill Elementary School (864 students): Matthews Charter Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.8:1 vs 22.2:1).
Matthews Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, so Matthews Charter Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Matthews Charter Academy compares
Matthews Charter Academy on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.8:1 | ▲ 32% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.7% | ▼ 26% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 771 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.8:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
771
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.8:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 91% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
28.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$10,006
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 30 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 37.4%
African American 28.1%
Hispanic or Latino 22.6%
Two or More 7.5%
Asian 3.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 37.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.3, Matthews Charter Academy is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Matthews Charter Academy, which includes Matthews Charter Academy.
$10,006
Per student
-17%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
Similar elementary schools in Matthews
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~771 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Matthews Charter Academy's federal record.
- Compare Matthews Charter Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Matthews Charter Academy's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Matthews Charter Academy
How many students attend Matthews Charter Academy?
Matthews Charter Academy has 771 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Matthews, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Matthews Charter Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Matthews Charter Academy is 20.8:1, which is 32% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 32% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Matthews Charter Academy?
48.7% of students at Matthews Charter Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Matthews Charter Academy?
The largest demographic group at Matthews Charter Academy is White at 37.4% of enrollment, in Matthews, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Matthews Charter Academy?
Matthews Charter Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Matthews Charter Academy rank among elementary schools in Matthews?
By Resource Investment Index, Matthews Charter Academy ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Matthews, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Matthews on the city page.
Is Matthews Charter Academy a good school?
Matthews Charter Academy earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of North Carolina schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Matthews Charter Academy?
None; Matthews Charter Academy is a single-school charter district, and Matthews Charter Academy is its only campus.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.