Ardrey Kell High School
Ardrey Kell High School, or simply AK, is a public high school within the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System that services the central southernmost area of Mecklenburg County. Located at 10220 Ardrey Kell Road, Charlotte, NC 28277, the school is fed by the surrounding neighborhoods of East / West Ballantyne. Established in 2006, it is home to 3,494 students and 166 faculty. The school’s mascot is the Knights.
Location
As mentioned previously, Ardrey Kell services the neighborhoods of East / West Ballantyne. These submarkets are in the southernmost region of Mecklenburg County and border the state line with South Carolina. They are home to several affluent neighborhoods and as such are where some of Charlotte’s wealthiest citizens reside. As of 2023, the median Household Income for the Ballantyne East / West Zip of 28277 was $122,748. This is roughly double that of the state. The median sales price for homes in the Ballantyne area was $567,000 in September 2023, one of the highest in all of Charlotte. The neighborhood has a luxurious country club and several Class A corporate office parks. Shopping centers such as Ballantyne Commons, Ballantyne Village, and Blakeney Village provide residents with high-end shopping opportunities. These neighborhoods are accessed via I-485 and Johnston Road which separates Ballantyne East and West.
Academics
Ardrey Kell services grades 9-12 and is generally considered a good school as far as academics go in the Charlotte area. According to GreatSchools, 97% of all students graduated within 4 years compared to the NC State average of 86%. 95% of graduates also went on to attend public university for at least 2 years. This puts Ardrey Kell far above the state average for college readiness, a vital factor when considering your children’s education. The school also offers 26 AP courses, 2 STEM programs, and an art and world language course. Test scores for Ardrey Kell far exceed the average for the state of North Carolina with Math, Biology, and English all ranking above state means. As of 2023, there are 166 teachers at Ardrey Kell, resulting in the school having a Student / Teacher Ratio of 21-1.
Test Scores
Average SAT Test Scores: 2022-2023
Ardrey Kell students prepared well for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in 2023. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI), students outscored their CMS, State, and National counterparts in all exam areas. The largest of these advantages was in the Math section, where Ardrey Kell students outperformed others by 9.1%, 12.6%, and 27.0% respectively. This information points to the school being above average when preparing students for higher education. The SAT participation rate for the school was 60.60% which was also above the remainder of their CMS peers.
Average ACT Test Scores: 2022-2023
Ardrey Kell also prepared its students well for the Aptitude and Critical Thinking test (ACT). Average 2023 scores for English, Math, Reading, and Science were all above those of their CMS, State, and National counterparts. The largest advantage held by Ardrey Kell students was in English, where students scored 22% higher than the national average.
Graduation Rate
Graduation Rate: 2018-2023
The Graduation Rate at Ardrey Kell High School has been above 95% since 2018. This is an exceptionally high graduation rate and far outpaces those of CMS and the state of North Carolina. Note that the NC DPI maxes out its graduation rate at 95% for data consistency. Graduation also remained consistent through the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The same cannot be said of the remaining CMS or public State high schools.
Food Assistance Programs
Ardrey Kell, as well as all CMS schools, provides meals for underprivileged students via the CMS School Nutrition Services system. This service provides both breakfast and lunch options to students across Mecklenburg County. According to Mecklenburg County Public Health, approximately 15% of households are food insecure, so this program is a welcome addition to Ardrey Kell’s cafeteria.
How to Enroll
If you are interested in enrolling at Ardrey Kell High School, there are a few things you need:
Use the CMS Geoportal to confirm your place of residence is within the appropriate school district here.
Compile documents necessary for enrollment. These requirements can be found here.
Download and complete the enrollment packet. Can be found on the far right side of the page here.
Submit your application to the school. This is required to be done in person and typically by appointment.
