Research Triangle Charter Academy, 2418 Ellis Road: kindergarten to grade 8, 711 students in 2024-25 and a D (46) 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.

Research Triangle Charter Academy is a tuition-free public charter school for kindergarten to grade 8 at 2418 Ellis 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. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, according to its home page.

Who to call
Address 2418 Ellis Road, Durham, NC 27703
Phone 919-957-7108
Grades K to 8
Run by Its own nonprofit board (public charter school)
Calendar Traditional
State school code 32H000

School leaders

Principal Patrice Hardy, according to the school’s leadership page.

Enrollment and teachers

  • State count: an average daily membership of 711 students in the 2024-25 school year, down from 722 in 2023-24, according to the state’s report card data.
  • Federal count: 727 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 31 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 23 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 D (46) Not met
2023-24 D (52) Met

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: 47% (state: 59.2%)
  • College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 21.1% (state: 37.5%)
  • Reading, grades 3 to 8, at grade level: 49% (state: 55.7%)
  • Math, grades 3 to 8, at grade level: 41.7% (state: 59.6%)
  • 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

Open enrollment for 2027-28 runs until 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, 2027. If more students apply than there are seats, a random lottery decides who is offered one; there are no entrance exams or interviews, according to the school’s admissions page.

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

Classes run 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the office is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the school’s contact page.

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

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Frequently asked questions

What grades does Research Triangle Charter Academy serve?

Research Triangle Charter Academy serves kindergarten to grade 8, according to the school.

What is Research Triangle Charter Academy’s school grade?

Research Triangle Charter Academy earned a D, with a score of 46, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 47% of its state tests were at grade level or above.

How do you get into Research Triangle Charter Academy?

It is a public charter school with no attendance zone. Open enrollment for 2027-28 runs until 5 p.m.