Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has officially been named a national leader in academic recovery and growth by Education Scorecard, a prestigious research collaboration between Harvard and Stanford Universities and Dartmouth College. 

Looking at data from 2022 to 2025, CMS didn't just meet expectations — our students outperformed both state and peer district averages.

The district recently shared news about its feature as a national model for instructional excellence by Columbia University’s Center for Public Research and Leadership (CPRL). That case study validated the shift from a "system of schools" to a unified, aligned school system under the "All Systems Go" approach.

Here are a few highlights from the data release:

• National Standouts in Literacy and Math: Our math growth trend placed in the 82nd percentile across the United States, and our reading growth trend ranked in the 86th percentile nationally.
• Outperforming the State: While North Carolina as a whole experienced a slight decline in test score trends during this period, CMS maintained a sharp positive trajectory, growing at a rate more than triple that of similar districts in the state.
• Accelerated Learning: CMS students achieved an exceptional average learning rate of 1.03 grade levels per year, placing CMS in the 66th percentile nationally for learning efficiency. 
• Bridging the Gap: Students who have historically faced the most challenges are making the quickest progress. In fact, students from lower-income backgrounds are improving their skills by an extra 20% of a grade level every year.

"The latest Education Scorecard results highlight a defining moment for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools," said Beth Thompson, chief strategy and innovation officer. "This data confirms that our focused efforts to accelerate learning are delivering exceptional results. We are particularly encouraged by the rapid progress of our historically underserved students, whose significant gains prove that when we combine high-quality instruction with targeted supports, we can effectively close achievement gaps and ensure every child has the opportunity to excel."

Read more about CMS and our “All Systems Go” approach to academic excellence here. 

Click here to read the full "All Systems Go" case study.

Click here to see the Education Scorecard data.