- In 90% of states, charter growth outpaced overall school-age population trends.
North Carolina has become one of the nation’s fastest-growing states for public charter school enrollment, even as traditional district schools face stable or slightly declining student populations.
According to the newly released National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) 2025 Enrollment Brief, North Carolina added 31,315 charter students between the 2019–20 and 2024–25 school years, a 26.4% increase, ranking the state fourth nationally behind Texas, Florida, and California.
“Since the General Assembly lifted the 100-school cap on charter schools in 2011, the number of charter schools throughout North Carolina has more than doubled,” Dave Machado, executive director of the North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools, told Carolina Journal.
Local data show that charter school enrollment in North Carolina continued rising in 2024–25, increasing by approximately 6% from the previous year and bringing the total number of charter students to 153,480. By contrast, traditional district schools saw a slight decline in enrollment, dropping from 1,393,679 to 1,379,826 students over the same period.
“Charter schools were the fastest-growing sector of K–12 enrollment in each of the past two years,” said Kaitlyn Shepherd, policy analyst for the Center for Effective Education at the John Locke Foundation. “While many traditional public schools experienced enrollment declines during the pandemic, charter schools saw increased enrollment, a testament to their popularity and parents’ desire for educational choices. Today, more than 150,000 students in North Carolina attend charter schools, with nearly 75,000 students on waitlists.”
Charter schools now educate just over 10% of all public K–12 students in North Carolina, a share that has grown steadily over the past decade as the number of charter schools increased to 208 campuses as of the 2024–25 school year.
High Demand and Waitlists
Despite expansion, demand for charter schools continues to exceed available seats. Statewide, the report found that more than 74,000 students were on charter school waitlists at the start of the 2024–25 school year.
Both charter and district schools are tuition-free and publicly funded, but they differ in governance. District schools are managed by local boards and state education departments, while charter schools operate under independent nonprofit boards with oversight from the state. In North Carolina, that oversight comes from the state Charter School Review Board.
Education analysts note that charter schools often appeal to families seeking specialized academic programs, smaller class sizes, or unique instructional models, whereas district schools serve all students in their zones, including those with significant special needs or transportation challenges.
“This trend makes clear what we have long known to be true: parents value options when it comes to choosing the best schools for their children,” said Machado. “Children deserve to learn in a place that best helps them reach their full potential. Public charter schools provide innovative learning environments that help some students do exactly that.”
Who Is Choosing Charter Schools
Nationally, charter school enrollment is growing across major racial and ethnic groups. the report found that over the past six years, enrollment has grown among Hispanic students by 22.6%, among black students by 10%, and white student enrollment is up 4.5%.
“Parents are realizing that that one system does not fit all; they have options,” Machado added. “If there was only one bank or one gas station that you had to go to, nobody would be happy or put up with that.”
