Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology
Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, better known as just Berry, is a public high school within the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System that services the western central area of Mecklenburg County. Located at 1430 Alleghany Street, Charlotte, NC 28208, the school is a magnet high school in the Ashley Park neighborhood of Charlotte. The school specializes in teaching the subjects of Engineering, Information Technology, and Biotechnology. Established in 2003, it is home to 1,723 students and 95 faculty. The school’s mascot is the Cardinals.
Location
Berry is located along Alleghany St within the neighborhood of Ashley Park. This area is mostly comprised of residential subdivisions and a few commercial shopping centers. Most of the homes here were built in the early 1960s. The neighborhood is also very close to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). As of 2023, the median Household Income for Ashley Park Zip of 28208 was $47,717. The median sales price for homes in the area was $266,500 in September 2023, one of the lower price points in Charlotte. The area is home to Bryant Park and Westerly Hills Park both of which provide areas for recreation. Shopping is mostly on the neighborhood boundaries, with strip malls lining both Freedom Dr and Wilkinson Blvd. Walmart has a store here, and there are a few hotels that provide lodging for overnight airport travelers. Ashley Park is accessed primarily via Wilkinson Blvd, Freedom Dr, and I-85 which both provide quick transportation to Uptown Charlotte.
Academics
Phillip O. Berry services grades 9-12 and is generally considered an average school for academics in the Charlotte area. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI), 95% of all 2023 graduates finished school within 4 years compared to the NC State average of 86%. Greatschools found that 88% of graduates also went on to attend a public university for at least 2 years. This puts Berry in a good position for college readiness, an important factor when considering your child’s education. The school also offers 15 AP courses and 1 TEM program. Test scores for Berry were all above state averages with the exception of Biology. Here students underperformed their state colleagues by about 5%. As of 2023, there are 95 teachers at Hopewell, resulting in the school having a Student / Teacher Ratio of 18-1.
Test Scores
Average SAT Test Scores: 2022-2023
Berry students closely underperformed on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) compared to their CMS, State, and National counterparts in 2023. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI), students were outperformed by fellow CMS and State examinees in the Reading and Math sections. However they did beat the National average for both sections. This information points to the school being below average for the Charlotte and CMS systems when preparing students for higher education. The SAT participation rate for the school was 16.1% which was on the lower end for CMS.
Average ACT Test Scores: 2022-2023
Berry students were ill-prepared for the Aptitude and Critical Thinking test (ACT). Average 2023 scores for English, Math, Reading, and Science were all below those of their CMS, State, and National counterparts.
4-Year Graduation Rate
Graduation Rate: 2018-2023
The Graduation Rate at Phillip O. Bery Academy of Technology has remained relatively consistent over the last six years. The school seems to have persevered through the COVID-19 pandemic and has remained well above the average 4-year graduation rate for CMS and the State.
Food Assistance Programs
Berry, 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 Berry’s cafeteria.
How to Enroll
If you are interested in enrolling at Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, 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.
