Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy, 5203 Shopton Road West: tuition-free public charter school, grades K-8, 859 students in 2024-25.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Sources: the school’s website, its enrollment page, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2025-26 accountability data and 2024-25 report card data, the federal NCES school directory, and Mecklenburg County’s charter schools map layer.
Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy is a tuition-free public charter school for kindergarten to eighth grade at 5203 Shopton Road West. Charter schools are public schools approved by the state but run by their own boards: it is not part of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, has no attendance zone and takes students from anywhere in North Carolina, filling seats by lottery when more students apply than it has room for, as state law requires.
The campus has a Charlotte mailing address but sits just outside the city limits, in unincorporated Mecklenburg County, according to the county’s jurisdiction map.
Who to call
- Main office: 980-505-8344, 5203 Shopton Road West
- School website: scstemacademy.org
- Applying: the school’s enrollment page
| Address | 5203 Shopton Road West, Charlotte, NC 28278 |
| Phone | 980-505-8344 |
| Grades | K to 8 |
| Type | Public charter school |
| Admission | Application; lottery when oversubscribed |
| State school code | 62J000 |
Applying
The school uses a lottery when applications exceed seats, and students not picked go on a waitlist in lottery order, its guide to the charter school lottery says.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: an average daily membership of 859 students in the 2024-25 school year, according to the state’s report card data.
- Federal count: 836 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 49 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 17 students per teacher.
State report card
North Carolina grades every public school, charter schools included, A to F. The score is based 80% on student achievement and 20% on academic growth, the state’s 2025-26 annual testing report says.
| School year | Grade and score | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | C (59) | Not met |
| 2024-25 | C (64) | Exceeded |
The 2025-26 grades come from the state’s accountability data, released in September. From the same data:
- At grade level or above, all state tests: 57.5% (state: 59.2%)
- College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 29.7%
- Growth: did not meet expected growth
The full report card is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site. On Oct. 11 it still showed the 2024-25 edition.
Calendar
Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy sets its own calendar, separate from CMS; check the school’s website for dates and bell times.
More
- The school’s own website
- Every public school in Charlotte, with zones and report cards
- Our Charlotte schools guide for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools enrollment and calendars
Frequently asked questions
Is Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy free?
Yes. Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy is a tuition-free public charter school, open to North Carolina students. It fills seats by lottery when more students apply than it has room for, as state law requires.
What grades does Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy serve?
Kindergarten to eighth grade, according to Mecklenburg County’s charter schools map data.
What is Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy’s school grade?
Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy earned a C, with a score of 59, in North Carolina’s 2025-26 School Performance Grades, after a C (64) in 2024-25.
How do you apply to Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy?
The school uses a lottery when applications exceed seats, and students not picked go on a waitlist in lottery order, its guide to the charter school lottery says.
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