Carolinas Real Estate Talk

Union County NC Schools--Eight Things You Should Know

Union County NC Schools—Eight Things You Should Know

Families moving to the Charlotte NC area usually want to know about the schools first. Neighborhoods and homes come second.  After researching regional schools, many newcomers decide to look at the Union County NC schools.

What should families know about the Union County schools?

Here is my list of ten things you should know about the Union County NC schools.

1. Union County Public Schools (UCPS) is a county-wide school system, like most North Carolina systems.  This means that school pupil assignment areas do not correspond to town or village boundaries.  School assignments zones are fluid and can change when schools get overcrowded and new schools are built.
2. Union County Public Schools is the sixth largest system in the state and the fastest growing school system in North Carolina.  UCPS student enrollment increased 79% over the past ten years bringing enrollment to 39,366 students in the 2009-10 school year.
3. There are 53 schools in the UCPS system—30 elementary schools, 9 middle schools, 11 high schools and 3 special schools.  Union County constructed 25 new schools during a ten year period from 2000 to 2010.  Union County NC schools have 4,658 employees of which 2,585 are licensed administrators, principals and teachers.
4. Union County Public Schools ranked number one among the state’s eight largest school districts in the percentage of schools that met the federal No Child Left Behind, Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals.  81.6% met the 100 percent standard of AYP.  90% met more than 90% of AYP goals.
5. UCPS 2009 SAT scores exceeded state and national averages.  The UCPS average SAT score was 1029.
6. 88% of 2009 UCPS graduates plan to attend college. The 2008-2009 graduation rate was 80.7% and the 2007-2008 dropout rate for grades 7 through 12 was 2.32%.  UCPS graduates received $51.1 in scholarships in 2009.
7. Seven Union County high schools ranked in Charlotte Magazine’s Top Public Schools list. Schools in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, and Union were evaluated on school environment and school performance for this list.  These schools in order of ranking were Marvin Ridge, Piedmont, Weddington, Parkwood, Sun Valley, Porter Ridge, and Monroe.
8. Union County Schools is one of the first 20 school systems in the nation and the only system in North Carolina to be chosen to be part of the Hanban Asia Society Confucious Classrooms Network.  This programs is designed to help school systems enhance their Chinese language programs.

Source:  Union County Public Schools

Want to know more about schools and living in Union County NC?  Go to www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Copyright 2010.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Union County NC Schools—Eight Things You Should Know*