Rolesville Charter Academy in Rolesville

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	5/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 North Carolina End-of-Course Tests data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and using 2025 North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Student Growth	2/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2024 Student growth data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Posted: February 5, 2026

A lot of the criticism aimed at the board doesnt fully reflect how charter governance actually works. A boards role is oversight and governance not day-to-day management, staffing, or running classrooms. Those responsibilities sit with school leadership and administration.

The school has absolutely faced challenges, particularly around leadership decisions. There was a period where a principal who wasnt the right fit remained longer than many felt was healthy for the school. Some board members raised concerns early, but ultimately leadership transitions can take time, and consensus matters. That delay did impact morale and perception.

Its also important to remember the timing. The school opened in 2019, and within a year COVID disrupted everything. Families were frustrated, staff were stretched thin, and the sudden loss of the inaugural principal added instability during an already chaotic period. Those early years shaped a lot of the criticism people still reference today.

The student population has also evolved. The school now serves a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students than originally anticipated. That shift requires intentional changes in instructional approach, support systems, and expectations and schools dont always adapt overnight.

The encouraging part is that there is now new leadership focused on academics, charter goals, and building a strong culture of scholarship. The school is actively trying to recalibrate and grow from its earlier missteps.

Criticism is valid accountability matters but its also worth understanding the structure, context, and growing pains behind what people are seeing. Schools are living institutions, and course correction is part of that journey. Many families stay and teachers too because they love the small school environment and they love the culture.

Posted: February 5, 2026

Posted: December 15, 2025

I used to like this school and wanted to continue to support it. But it has gone downhill FAST! Don't take my word for it, though; look at the test scores and how the state ranks them. They used to at least "meet expectations," but they've been given a failing grade repeatedly recently, with no signs of improvement. This has resulted in rotating staff who all seem confused and unqualified. That has resulted in essentially punishing the students by taking things away from them to hopefully boost grades and get the school out of the hot seat.

For example, did your kid do badly on the standardized test? If so, they could be taken out of "specials" during the day and sent to a tutoring session. Specials include activities such as gym, art, and music. So the kid would miss out on all of those activities. They could also be sent to summer school as a result.

Is it beneficial to ensure that kids understand the topics? Yes, but to take away things like specials or summer and give them extra tutoring based on the results of a test score doesn't seem to be in the best interest of the school.

I think part of the problem stems from classroom size. Public schools in the area have a 13-to-1 ratio for younger grades. So you have one teacher helping 13 students. But RCA has 25+ students per teacher. Essentially, each teacher has more than twice the number of students to teach and help. I'm sure that's a huge part of the problem.

And my biggest problem with the school? The lack of communication about important events, and their constant process of placing blame on others for their shortcomings. Case in point, the recent incident and subsequent arrest involving one of their now-former employees and an underage student. They were quick to try to blame others while at the same time refusing to give any information to concerned parents.

If you want your kid to have a good education and be in a safe environment with adequate supervision, this is 100% NOT the place to send them.

Posted: December 15, 2025

Posted: September 23, 2025

Since Mr. Barringer became principal, Rolesville Charter Academy has declined drastically in communication, safety, and trust. Policies change constantly without informing parents, leaving families blindsided. Rules are enforced with no factual or scientific reasoning provided, and attempts to seek clarity are met with vague, copy-and-paste responses.

One of the most alarming incidents involved a second grader being shown explicit sexual content on a school-issued Chromebook. This raises serious concerns about device monitoring and safety protocols. Even after the issue was reported, the administration provided no clear answers about how it happened, what actions were taken, or how it would be prevented in the future. Parents should not have to worry that their children are exposed to such material in an elementary classroom.

Equally troubling, the school displays an attendance board publicly at the front, shaming children rather than addressing attendance privately and supportively. Such practices damage morale and create humiliation instead of fostering growth.

Despite repeated efforts to follow proper channels contacting both the school and NHA parents continue to receive nothing but generic replies. There has been no genuine transparency, no accountability, and no substantive communication, even after going to great lengths to escalate concerns.

The pattern is clear: policies shift with no notice, safety issues are brushed aside, and parent voices are ignored. Leadership appears more interested in deflection than in accountability or building trust.

Until Rolesville Charter Academy demonstrates consistent policies, transparent communication, fact-based decision making, and a real commitment to student safety, I cannot recommend this school. Parents deserve honesty, respect, and protection for their children not silence, confusion, and public shaming.

Posted: September 23, 2025

Posted: September 16, 2025

This is our first year at Rolesville Charter Academy. I have a 2nd grader and 7th grader and I will say they have said nothing but nice things about this school. The communication is great and the environment is very welcoming.

Posted: September 16, 2025

This is my families first year here at RCA and from the first moment we walked in they opened us with open arms. As a new family here at RCA, I can feel the community vibe and their willingness to get us involved. So far, so good! I cant wait to see my scholars excel at RCA!

Posted: September 16, 2025

The energy at this school is fun and makes the kids want to be here

Posted: September 16, 2025

Posted: May 19, 2025

The quality of the teachers, students and education have been consistently sub-par. The principal doesn't care and it seems to pervade the staff's attitudes. My student's education has fallen behind, but they have learned what *nly F*ns and p*rnh*b are, thanks to their fellow students. The school shoves students along to the next grade, even when they are behind academically. The bright ones don't have anything to work towards. The discipline is a joke, as they prefer to keep kids sitting in chairs during recess time (taking away recess as punishment even if only a few kids did anything "wrong") en masse rather than address actual issues with students 1:1. Kids who need exercise in order to keep from getting antsy are forced to sit MORE and then get chewed out for being antsy in class. Teachers speak with students about issues without notifying parents, so we find out when the child comes home upset about something we didn't even know happened. IEPs are a joke as well. They are box-checkers who don't actually work with students on issues, but rather try to push them through the system. It's a broken system and a disappointment in all areas. I wish we'd left sooner.

Posted: April 19, 2025

Teachers always blame everyone for everything and it's not a good school in general. The deans always blame students for something because they have all the, "Information" which is not acceptable for my kid at this school. About 10 people have left the school year in 2024-2025 which determine sis not good. I've asked my sons friends if he liked the school they said no, and my son said no. Not a good school at all.

Posted: April 19, 2025

Posted: August 8, 2024

We made it thru the first day of Kinder Camp and saw major red flags. Personally, not a conductive environment for a positive abd productive Kindergarten experience.

Posted: August 8, 2024

Posted: May 10, 2024

Worst experience for my child so far in school & he's only in 4th grade. I pulled him out in January after only starting the end of August, to homeschool him. When I first visited this school with interest in attending & shared concerns with my son's disabilities, the principal reassured me he would get the help/academic assistance he needed. My son came home daily in tears with struggling at this school. From Bullies, to loud yelling teachers to even missing lunch because they ran out of his choice, to tons of homework at a high school level every night, to getting scolded for accidentally breaking a "borrowed" pencil from the Math Teacher, to not getting the help he needed academically, & the list goes on! Only one teacher, Mr. Quinn made my sons schooldays worth going. He was so kind, patient & understanding. Unfortunately, one teacher wasn't enough for my son to succeed. I even went to the Dean with my concerns, & one phone call & email was made. Not even an in person meeting when my concerns were still not addressed. That was the final straw for us, and we left. Unless your child can function at college level material and or does not have any kind of learning disability, & can guaranteed to never get bullied, then I suggest NOT letting your children attend here.!!

Posted: May 10, 2024

Posted: January 20, 2024

As a student for the middle schoolers here they have now expressed rules for being expelled for using the school bathrooms. So now if a child cannot hold their bladder they are being punished for it? That makes no sense and kids are getting upset because they arent allowed to use the simple necessity as a bathroom. Dont send your middle schoolers here if you want them to thrive in their education and not their worry for the bathroom.

Posted: January 20, 2024

Posted: September 19, 2023

We have been here since the school opened and absolutely love it! The teachers are wonderful, the Admin team goes above and beyond to make sure the students and staff feel supported, and the office staff is always so friendly.

Posted: September 19, 2023

Posted: June 28, 2023

I would say an overwhelming No if you are considering sending your kids to this school. Absolute horrible experience here. Lots of unqualified teachers, they use their inclusive woke catch phrase of feeling safe behind these doors but do nothing about bullying, they make parents sign permission slips to watch a pg movie yet do not when teaching a 3rd grader about how they can be transgendered like it's scientific. No school cafeteria very unhealthy nutrition. Start from the principle and on down this school needs to be completely revamped. Wouldn't recommend!

Posted: June 28, 2023

Posted: May 23, 2023

The school was good my first 2 years i joined when the school opened the school lunch was really bad last year but it is better this year Teachers at this school punish students for the dumbest reasons tho during my first elective we were aloud to talk at a whispering level and then the sub almost wrote me up for talking even tho we were still allowed to talk at a whisper level last year was fun but this year the school is OK. This school has given me Anxiety because of the kids that go here i act all happy in front of my friends but in the inside this made me even more depressed than i already am i don´t recommend this school.

Posted: May 23, 2023

Posted: May 3, 2023

I would never recommend this school for educational learners. The reason i say this is because once you get to stay a few months in this school, its elemental chaos. The teachers do the most, and they punish for the dumbest reasons, even if you didn't do nothing to them. But my recommend is not go to this school if your gonna experience the rules and how bad this school works. Some teachers even target you. For example, if a new student comes in, and a non-new student is in the same class, then the teacher will target the non-new student and have the new student as a teacher pet. So, after you read this, maybe not go to this school if this is expected or experienced, my recommend is leave this school while you can.

Posted: May 3, 2023

Posted: March 7, 2023

Horrible school do not recommend dont take your kids here

Posted: March 7, 2023

Posted: January 30, 2023

Like many others our child was doing great when they joined in the fall of 2019. We endured the hardships of COVID, teacher turnovers, and adapting to new ways of accessing student information and homework online. With every hardship we have persevered, but I feel strongly there is nothing left for my child at this school. I have learned that one particular teacher isnt qualified to be teaching mathematics (no teaching degree in this field, or even proper training to be teaching standards that is required at this level.) A quick research into charter schools and you will find that there is an accepted ratio of licensed and professional teachers to graduated adults who simply want to teach with no educational background. While this usually isnt an issue, when said teacher has no idea how to teach basic math principles it is. My child has now fallen way behind and we are struggling to get the resources we need at the school to help them. My suggestion is really do your research on ALL charter schools and see if this if for you. If you notice your child falling behind, be prepared to get little accountability from the instructors. Youre on your own.

Posted: January 30, 2023