West Charlotte High School
West Charlotte High School, better known as West Charlotte or WC, is a public high school within the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System that services the western central region of Mecklenburg County. Located at 2219 Senior Drive, Charlotte, NC 28216, the school is fed by the surrounding neighborhoods of Oakview Terrace, Lincoln Heights, and Firestone-Garden Park. Established in 1938, it is home to 1,453 students and 96 faculty. The school’s mascot is the Mighty Lions.
Location
West Charlotte directly services the neighborhoods of Oakview Terrace, Lincoln Heights, and Firestone-Garden Park. These submarkets are in the western central region of Mecklenburg County and border school district lines with West Mecklenburg, Hopewell, North Mecklenburg, Julius Chambers, Garinger, Myers Park, and Harding. The school is almost in the direct center of Mecklenburg County. This area is mostly residential, and there has been little new development in recent years. As of 2023, the median household income for the area’s ZIP of 28078 was $57,438. The median sales price for the area was $334,583 in September 2023. Coca-Cola and The Home Depot have distribution centers here, and the neighborhood is home to two separate water treatment plants. The University Park shopping center provides residents with shopping opportunities. The area is accessed via I-77, I-85, and the Brookshire Frwy / Blvd.
Academics
West Charlotte services grades 9-12 and is generally considered a below-average school for academics in the Charlotte area. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI), 86.4% of all 2023 graduates finished school within 4 years. This is just behind the NC State average of 86%. Greatschools found that 86% of graduates also went on to attend public university for at least 2 years. This puts West Charlotte in a decent spot in terms of college readiness, as most of those who did graduate continued to excel in higher education programs. The school also offers 12 AP courses, 0 STEM programs, 1 art course, and 1 world language course. Test scores for Math and Biology were all behind state averages, the largest of which was a tie between Math 1 and Biology 1 at -10%. English was the only subject in which students outperformed the state mean and came in at 1% above the average. As of 2023, there are 116 teachers at West Charlotte, resulting in a Student / Teacher Ratio of 18-1.
Test Scores
Average SAT Test Scores: 2022-2023
West Charlotte High School students were relatively underprepared for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in 2023. According to the NC DPI, students were outperformed by their CMS and State counterparts in the Reading and Math portions of the exam. However, West Charlotte students did come in above average on the National level, beating scores by an average of 3.9% across both sections. This information points to the school being below average for North Carolina as well as the Charlotte area when preparing students for higher education, though it is better than the average National high school. The SAT participation rate for the school was 21.80%.
Average ACT Test Scores: 2022-2023
West Charlotte prepared its students poorly 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. The largest disadvantage was in English, where West Charlotte students were outscored by their CMS counterparts by 22.5% on average.
4-Graduation Rate
Graduation Rate: 2018-2023
The 4-Year Graduation Rate at West Charlotte High School has hovered in the mid-80s since 2018. There have been minimal fluctuations even as the school trudged through the COVID-19 pandemic. This trend is an outlier in the CMS system, as most schools saw a dip in their 4-year graduation rates. It is clear that West Charlotte handled COVID and its aftermath with success.
Food Assistance Programs
West Charlotte High School and all CMS schools provide 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 West Charlotte’s cafeteria.
How to Enroll
If you are interested in enrolling at West Charlotte 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.
