Providence High School
Providence High School, or Providence for short, is a public high school within the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System that services the central southeastern area of Mecklenburg County. Located at 1800 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, NC 28270, the school is fed by the surrounding neighborhoods of Raintree and Providence Plantation. Established in 1989, it is home to 2,025 students and 101 faculty. The school’s mascot is the Panthers.
Location
Providence directly services the neighborhood of Providence Plantation, as well as small portions of Weddington and Matthews. These submarkets are in the central southeastern region of Mecklenburg County and border school district lines with Butler, Audrey Kell, South Meck, Myers Park, and East Meck. These neighborhoods are quintessential suburbia and are home to some of Charlotte’s wealthiest citizens. As of 2023, the median household income for the area’s ZIP of 28270 was $112,745. This is nearly double that of the State of North Carolina. The median sales price for the area was $662,000 in September 2023. Shopping centers such as Providence Commons and the Arboretum are nearby and provide residents with high-end shopping opportunities. The Providence area is accessed via Providence Rd, Pineville-Matthews Rd, and I-485.
Academics
Providence services grades 9-12 and is generally considered an above-average school for academics in the Charlotte area. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI), 95.0% of all 2023 graduates finished school within 4 years. This is well above the NC State average of 86%. Greatschools found that 94% of graduates also went on to attend public university for at least 2 years. This puts Providence in a great spot for college readiness, as those who graduate continue to excel in higher education programs. The school also offers 29 AP courses, 2 STEM programs, 1 art course, and 1 world language course. Test scores for Math, Biology, and English were all above state averages. Math 1 held the largest advantage, where Providence students outperformed their state peers by 39% on average. As of 2023, there are 101 teachers at Providence, resulting in a Student / Teacher Ratio of 20-1.
Test Scores
Average SAT Test Scores: 2022-2023
Providence High School students were well prepared for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in 2023. According to the NC DPI, students outperformed their CMS, State, and National counterparts in the Reading and Math portions of the exam. The average Providence student outperformed their CMS counterparts by 7.0% This information points to the school being above average for the Charlotte area when preparing students for higher education. The SAT participation rate for the school was 52.3%.
Average ACT Test Scores: 2022-2023
Providence prepared its students poorly 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 was in English, where Providence students were outscored by their CMS counterparts by 44.4% on average.
4-Graduation Rate
Graduation Rate: 2018-2023
The 4-Year Graduation Rate at Providence High School has exceeded the CMS and State average since 2018. There have been minimal fluctuations even as the school trudged through the COVID-19 pandemic. The school saw a low point of 94.9% in 2021. This trend is an outlier in the CMS system, as most schools saw a dip in their 4-year graduation rates. Providence handled COVID and its aftermath with success.
Food Assistance Programs
Providence High School, 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 Providence’s cafeteria.
How to Enroll
If you are interested in enrolling at Providence 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.
