Durham Charter School, 4621 Kemp Road: kindergarten to grade 12, 988 students in 2024-25 and a C (68) state grade.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Sources: the school’s website, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2025-26 assessment data and report card data and the federal NCES school directory.

Durham Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school for kindergarten to grade 12 at 4621 Kemp Road in Durham. It is not run by Durham Public Schools: charter schools have their own boards and no attendance zones, and any North Carolina child can apply. The school says it serves more than 1,350 students in kindergarten through 12th grade and calls itself the oldest public charter school in North Carolina, on its home page. The campus has a Durham mailing address but sits just outside the city limits, on the city’s limits map.

Who to call
Address 4621 Kemp Road, Durham, NC 27703
Phone 919-956-5599
Grades K to 12
Run by Its own nonprofit board (public charter school)
Calendar Traditional
State school code 32B000

School leaders

High School Principal James Hegmann, Middle School Principal Tanice Palmer and Elementary School Principal Elizabeth Wiley; Alex Quigley is executive director, according to the school’s staff directory.

Enrollment and teachers

  • State count: an average daily membership of 988 students in the 2024-25 school year, up from 762 in 2023-24, according to the state’s report card data.
  • Federal count: 777 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 62 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 13 students per teacher.

State report card

North Carolina gives every public school an A to F School Performance Grade, based 80% on achievement on state tests and other measures and 20% on academic growth, according to the state’s 2025-26 annual testing report.

School year Grade (score) Growth
2024-25 C (68) Exceeded
2023-24 C (62) Exceeded

The 2024-25 grade is the latest in the state’s downloadable report card data.

From the state’s 2025-26 school assessment data:

  • At grade level or above, all state tests: 69.6% (state: 59.2%)
  • College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 43.9% (state: 37.5%)
  • Reading, grades 3 to 8, at grade level: 61.8% (state: 55.7%)
  • Math, grades 3 to 8, at grade level: 73.7% (state: 59.6%)
  • ACT composite of 17 or higher, 11th graders: 50% (state: 54.5%)
  • Four-year graduation rate: 89.4% (state: 89%)
  • Growth: exceeded expected growth

The full report card, with attendance, teacher and course data, is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site.

How admission works

Durham Charter is no longer taking waitlist applications for 2026-27 in any grade, its apply page says; families interested in next year can join its interest list or mailing list.

Charter schools are free and open to any North Carolina child. North Carolina law requires a charter school to hold a lottery when more students apply than it has room for. Charter schools do not have to provide buses or meals the way the district does, so ask the school what it offers. Our Durham public schools guide lists the district schools for each part of the city.

Calendar and bell times

Doors open at 7:35 a.m., and dismissal runs 3 to 3:30 p.m. (12:30 to 1 p.m. on early release days), according to the school’s bell schedule.

Charter schools set their own calendars. The school’s own website posts its calendar; the state lists Durham Charter School’s calendar as traditional.

Sports and activities

Durham Charter School is not listed in the NCHSAA’s approved 2025-29 realignment. High school sports in Durham are covered in our Friday night football guide and on our scoreboard.

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Frequently asked questions

What grades does Durham Charter School serve?

Durham Charter School serves kindergarten to grade 12, according to the school.

What is Durham Charter School’s school grade?

Durham Charter School earned a C, with a score of 68, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 69.6% of its state tests were at grade level or above.

How do you get into Durham Charter School?

It is a public charter school with no attendance zone. Durham Charter is no longer taking waitlist applications for 2026-27 in any grade, its apply page says; families interested in next year can join its interest list or mailing list.