McAlpine Elementary

McAlpine Elementary is a mid-sized primary school in Charlotte, North Carolina, run under Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The school enrolls 535 students in grades pre-K through 5.

Across the 186 schools in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (145,014 students total), McAlpine Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, McAlpine Elementary lists that the most-represented group is White (55%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Beyond that, the school lists 22% Hispanic, 14% Black, 5% Asian, 4% multiracial. By comparison, Mecklenburg County as a whole is about 45% White, so the school skews noticeably more White than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 39 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.8:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 14.9:1, putting McAlpine Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. Roughly 30% of students at McAlpine Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is south of Mecklenburg County's rate of about 71%.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), McAlpine Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 69.7% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 71.7%.

Around the school, census data for Mecklenburg County shows the typical household earns roughly $87,005 per year, about 49% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. In all, Mecklenburg County runs 226 public schools (combined enrollment of about 170,407 students), of which McAlpine Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is Ballantyne Ridge High School, roughly 0.8 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), McAlpine Elementary ranks 4th on composite proficiency, ahead of the local average of 64.2%.

Geographically, the school is in a metropolitan area.

Looking at the recent track record. McAlpine Elementary's enrollment has remained close to its prior level since 2018, when it stood at 526 (now 535). Over the same period, the Hispanic share edged up from 15% to 22%. Class-load math has pulled in: from 16.2:1 in 2018 to 13.8:1 in 2025.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.