‘Never happened.’ Charlotte academy’s growth made possible by Concord charter closure
Valor Preparatory Academy in Concord quietly voted Friday not to renew its charter for next year in a move that clears the way for another charter school to move into its building — a decision state officials called “unprecedented.”
The Math and Science Academy of Charlotte, which currently has two locations in the university area and affiliated schools elsewhere in the state, plans to move its secondary school campus for grades six through 12 into Valor’s campus, which is larger and will allow TMSA to expand. Parents and staff either found out about the move after a presentation to the state on Monday or after formal notifications went out Monday afternoon, according to statements made during the North Carolina Charter Schools Review Board meeting Monday.
The Charter Schools Review Board voted Tuesday to allow TMSA to move its campus to the location in Cabarrus County. The new location is about 8 miles from the current one.
“(TMSA’s) limited capacity currently restricts enrollment and prevents the development of a robust and competitive high school program,” Ashley Baquero, director of the North Carolina Office of Charter Schools, told the Charter Schools Review Board Monday. “Essentially, they’re looking to expand their program, make it better and have the resources that they need to fully live out their STEAM mission.”
TMSA currently serves more than 800 students across both of its Charlotte campuses. With the expansion into Cabarrus County, the school projects a total enrollment of around 1,460 students.
Valor Prep, which has been open since 2014, received a D from the state last year in its annual school performance grades. However, it was not in danger of being shut down by the state. TMSA Charlotte received a C.
Valor Prep’s board voted to voluntarily relinquish its charter, effective June 30, 2025. It’s a move the Charter Schools Review Board said was unusual.
“It’s just never happened before where there’s such a big school that’s not at risk of major financial or compliance issues just giving up its charter,” Charter Schools Review Board member Alex Quigley said Monday.
“Most closures, at least in my memory, tend to be schools that are smaller and kind of in the death spiral,” he said.
NC charter school closure
So, why did Valor Prep’s board vote to close it?
The school is currently managed by Charter Schools USA, a for-profit company that’s one of the largest education management companies in the nation. Charter Schools USA also owns the land used by Valor.
Claire Porter, Charter Schools USA’s deputy director of school support and compliance, said the closure allows Charter Schools USA and the school’s board to “focus resources and energies on other schools.” Valor’s board currently oversees three other charter schools in the Charlotte area.
Valor Prep didn’t tell students’ families about the closure prior to bringing it to the state Charter Schools Review Board. Staff were notified at 3:30 pm on Monday, and families were told at 4:30 pm, Porter said.
“The summary is that 800 to 900 students and families who have not been directly told yet are going to be losing or not being a part of their school, Valor Prep Academy, because it was more profitable or better strategically for the company to sell those buildings to direct resources elsewhere?” board member Eric Sanchez asked Monday.
“It was a strategic business move, and we’re attempting to facilitate that to cause the least displacement for those families as we possibly can,” Porter said.
Porter assured that current charter school students will receive priority in enrollment when TMSA opens at its new location, including current Valor Prep students. Valor Prep staff can be interviewed for roles at the new school, TMSA superintendent Ben Karaduman said Monday.
Board members held off voting on the expansion until Tuesday morning, after Valor Prep families and staff were notified of its closure and they had ensured all legal requirements had been met. The board voted to approve the expansion Tuesday after a brief discussion.
This story was originally published December 10, 2024 at 11:11 AM.
