2024 Best Charter Middle Schools in America

• Bay District Schools, FL•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.62 out of 5  13 reviews

Middle school student: I am in 8th grade at RLA, and feel the school is very safe. The school cares about keeping students safe and puts on activities to keep kids involved and challenges us. One thing I really like is that when students make recommendations for classes or activities, the school listens and adds electives and activities. Talking to friends that go to other schools in town, I wouldn’t change anything about my school.... Read 13 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 335

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Tucson, AZ•

• Public School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 3.97 out of 5  61 reviews

Senior: I have really enjoyed the advanced classes offered at Basis Tucson North. You have plenty of opportunities to take honors and AP classes that will teach and challenge and prepare you for college.. I've really grown academically because of my school. I also love their foreign language curriculum. I have taken French for six years. Because of that, I feel confident in my ability to converse with native speakers on a variety of topics. The French teachers are amazing and have taught me a lot. The only complaint I have about my school is its focus on STEM. There are so many math and science courses available to take, but all of the fine arts programs are very small in comparison. In spite of that, I have had so many amazing experiences taking band and orchestra throughout my years at Basis Tucson North. Although small, the community of students that you make music with is close. Our conductor is amazing. He helps us to unlock our potential with out instruments. It's a really good class.... Read 61 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 863

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Phoenix, AZ•

• Public School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  77 reviews

Sophomore: Basis Phoenix is a school that provides challenging coursework with many resources for students to learn and advance individually. They provide a wide selection of electives for students to delve deeper into their areas of interest and offer unique extracurriculars such as an advocacy and astronomy club. This school is just the right fit for students who hope to challenge themselves. However, one thing the school could improve on is its events. For example, having more well-planned award ceremonies and school dances.... Read 77 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 730

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Scottsdale, AZ•

• Public School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 3.59 out of 5  123 reviews

Senior: My overall experience for this school is fairly positive I feel like every since I entered in fifth grade there have been changes for the better and changes for the worst. Amount of students are fairly larger at the lower grades and they begin to dwindle down as you get into higher grades and the courses become more rigorous and demanding of you. Because of this, all the students that remain are all very competitive with each other which is both good and bad, it helps foster growth and improvement but it also creates an environment that perpetually gatekept by a certain number of students that have just all the top positions and whatever they don’t have they just help their friends get it and this blatant bias is something I don’t unfortunately see going away anytime soon.... Read 123 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,057

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Mesa, AZ•

• Public School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 3.65 out of 5  55 reviews

Senior: Basis Mesa has taught me many things over the past 8 Years. The workload helped me develop tenacity and diligence. I absolutely love the teachers and atmosphere. They never fail to make sure that the students excel at their crafts. From hosting student hours to checking up on the students, the teachers are incredible to work with. Many of my friends I have grown along side with have impeccable characteristics and are very compassionate of others. The facilities at Basis can definitely use some work. I'm pretty sure its because the other Basis Schools are prioritized over our smaller school. I hope that are able to earn more money to aid in providing more extracurriculars. I would like a more diverse curriculum. It would be lovely if the art department had more funding because we have many talented students that love art, theatre, and music. The opportunities that Basis provides are out-matched and I am glad I went to this school.... Read 55 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 808

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Oro Valley, AZ•

• Public School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  98 reviews

Junior: I think that if I went to any other school, I wouldn’t have the same teacher-student relationship as I do here. Due to the smaller class size, teachers are able to connect more with your students, and they are fully able to show just how much that they care. There’s also additional hours reserved for students who need extra help with assignments, and plenty of accommodations for those who are struggling to learn. My only complaint would be the lack of funding for extracurriculars and social gatherings, but I know that they plan on making a dedicated group of students to help create better events in the future.... Read 98 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 575

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Phoenix, AZ•

• Public School•

• 4-12

• •
  Rating 3.95 out of 5  42 reviews

Junior: I have been a student at Basis Ahwatukee since 2016 and I will be extremely sad to leave this school at my graduation. From elementary, all the way through middle school, and finally in highschool, this school has helped me grow and develop into the person I now am. I am proud to call myself a student at this school. The teachers get to know each and every one of their students so well, keeping up to everyone's individual needs, the curriculum is challenging and brings out the full potential of everyone in class. A sense of unity is built within the students, a sense that every student is in it together, building a strong community within the grade levels. I highly recommend this school and I believe my experience at this school could not ever be surpassed by any other.... Read 42 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 720

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Chandler, AZ•

• Public School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 3.62 out of 5  74 reviews

Sophomore: Overall, BASIS Chandler was a great school. The teachers were well versed in their subjects in addition to being kind, compassionate, and caring. In academic options, BASIS really excelled. However, I felt that the arts were not given due appreciation. Furthermore, choosing a fine art class often interfered with more academic classes. This left students to choose between an artistic passions, for example, theatre, and taking an AP elective. There could be more funding and support for things that laid outside the realm of academia. Personally, I also felt the rules for students were too strict. BASIS Chandler, after all, does include high school, but we were banned from using phones during lunch, and students were not allowed to text their parents if they were feeling sick. They were supposed to go through the front office. I thought a lot of the rules were unreasonable, especially for high schoolers.... Read 74 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,154

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Peoria, AZ•

• Public School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  84 reviews

Sophomore: BASIS Peoria provides one of the best academic programs in the state, if not the entire country. In the short time I have been at this school, I am very pleased with the academic workload, both in terms of the course rigor and the homework given. There are lots of varieties of clubs, albeit they are mostly academic-based. I would say the extracurriculars are the weak side of the school, as most of them are competitive academic teams. There aren't many sports apart from the main ones that require a gym, but there isn't a swim or a tennis team (both are sports that I play). Most of my extracurriculars I have to pursue outside of school; however, the Speech and Debate team at my school is very strong and in my opinion isn't connected to academics. Finally, the kids are very focused here (especially once they get into high school), as they are focused on college applications but also want to have fun experiences with friends despite being at a small school.... Read 84 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 943

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Tempe, AZ•

• Public School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  134 reviews

Senior: I attended TPA from grades 6-12 and loved it! It prepared me for college and guided me through the application process, helping me find success. On top of this, my time at TPA built long-lasting friendships and I always felt supported by a strong community.... Read 134 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 447

• Student-teacher ratio —

• BASIS Texas Charter Schools, TX•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  63 reviews

Senior: BASIS San Antonio Shavano Campus has academic rigor like no other. The emphasis on STEM subjects genuinely helps students to prepare for their futures, and with the help of the college counselors, their higher education. In addition, BASIS provides some degree of flexibility in scheduling, allowing each student to customize their own path and achieve their own greatness. However, no school is perfect, and aide from the expected antipathy of the students towards the immense workload, BASIS sports are less than ideal, even in the scope of the Charter League, and so are the arts, moreso fine than liberal. If anything, I would love to see my school become more well rounded, lending itself to students who might not want to become scientists one day.... Read 63 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 976

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Granada Hills, CA•

• Public School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  1,515 reviews

Sophomore: Granada Hills Charter High School has an intellectually enhancing curriculum that is unique to any other LAUSD or charter school that allows students to succeed further in life. From things such as the STEM program (which I am in) allowing opportunities for AP Physics and Honors Chemistry in freshman year, to increased amounts of extracurriculars from service hour opportunities to endless amounts of successful sports!... Read 1,515 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 5,675

• Student-teacher ratio 26:1

• Scottsdale, AZ•

• Public School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  80 reviews

Alum: My experience at Scottsdale Preparatory Academy was excellent. Both the students and teachers there are great and are always able to provide support whenever it is needed. The rigorous nature of this school's liberal arts education was, by far, the most challenging aspect of my experience at this school, yet it was instrumental in maturing my mind, body, and spirit. Additionally, this school prepares you outstandingly for university education through its difficult curriculum and overall structure. If I had to change anything, I would allow students greater opportunities to focus on athletics, extracurriculars, and professional jobs outside of school through decreasing the work load.... Read 80 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 851

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Tallahassee, FL•

• Public School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.36 out of 5  814 reviews

Freshman: I love Flordia State University because it offers me so many opportunities socially, academically, and creatively. For the sake of this response, I will focus on the latter. In my hometown, I was not provided with many creative outlets. I felt alone in my creative interests, such as photography, film/cinematography, creative writing, etc. I thought that these interests would never help me in my career. However, after coming to FSU, I have seen so many opportunities that involve creativity! I have joined the screenwriting club, have had peers model for my photography, have had professors edit my poetry, and have talked with professors about psychology within literature. Many advisors, professors, mentors, and peers have helped guide me down the best path for me, utilizing my creativity so that I may prosper in life. I no longer feel alone in my creative pursuits.... Read 814 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,825

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• La Jolla, CA•

• Public School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.17 out of 5  308 reviews

Sophomore: This is a really great school! I am currently a sophomore and have had many great experiences. Although we aren’t widely known for our sports, we do offer a variety such as soccer, basketball, golf, etc. Preuss does provide more academically; they provide more advanced classes and prepare students for college. Since Preuss has a smaller population of students, it allows teachers to focus and actually help out students. All teachers are more than willing to help if needed. Also, the Preuss community is very open and active. There are a variety of clubs which put on multiple events for the school. If you are looking for an academically friendly school with a friendly community, the Preuss School UCSD is the school for you!... Read 308 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 853

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Chandler, AZ•

• Public School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.27 out of 5  93 reviews

Sophomore: Chandler Prep is an amazing school that I believe offers academics and college prep you can find in Arizona. Although the curriculum is more advanced, the smaller class sizes, diverse tutoring schedules, and mixed teaching styles ensure that every student has an opportunity for success. Chandler Prep is strong academically, however, it lacks many "classic" high school aspects. By that I mean dances are small and low-budget, minimal varieties for clubs or electives and no-cut sports teams. Chandler Prep students will be academically strong and prepared for anything the future holds for them, however, they will miss out on many of the experiences that made high school so memorable.... Read 93 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 694

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Flagstaff, AZ•

• Public School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.06 out of 5  63 reviews

Senior: I have been at this school since 6th grade and I love it! It can definitely be very academically challenging, but that is one of my favorite parts about it. The teachers are always pushing students to do our best work and reach our full potential. I feel that I am being prepared for college very well in my final year of high school, and I love all of the courses that are being offered senior year. Despite our rigorous academics, our school culture is not overly competitive, and we all support each other, especially when it comes to college applications senior year. Although I wouldn't say that BASIS Flagstaff has great programs when it comes to sports and arts, I have still participated in and thoroughly enjoyed both. If you are interested in a high school with a lot of school spirit, especially surrounding sports, I would not recommend BASIS Flagstaff. We also tend to have a few issues surrounding administrative organization, but overall, I still love this school!... Read 63 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 785

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Orange County Public Schools, FL•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.22 out of 5  188 reviews

Senior: After switching from my old elementary school to this school, I found it to be a drastic change. There are different buildings for each category of students (elementary, middle, high) and they're not all that big, however, the intelligence and diversity of this school make up for it! I've made friends of many different cultures and I've never met so many people who are of the same culture as me. I take college classes in addition to my high school classes, and I'm even graduating a year early to get a headstart on college. This school is primarily A student, and 90% of the teachers actually care about their students and prioritize their education. I love my teachers, I could never ask for better ones. Overall, this school is very hard-working, diverse, and the extracurriculars focus on STEM-related activities, but they have cultural and even athletic clubs, too!... Read 188 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,269

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Mesa, AZ•

• Public School•

• K-7

• grade A+

• Students 252

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Round Rock, TX•

• Public School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  69 reviews

Senior: The learning environment was very rigorous but it helped prepare me for college. They teach you advanced learning techniques and have an open and welcoming environment with equality for everyone through the use of school uniforms. It is a safer environment than any of the public schools I went to before going here. I've been going here for 10 years and have made a lot of friends. They are also very good and supportive of students with learning disabilities like ADHD and Dyslexia and Disgraphia, as well as students with depression and anxiety. They also provide more IB classes to help get the IB diploma to get college credits! Thanks to them, I got into my dream school!... Read 69 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,679

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Brooklyn, NY•

• Public School•

• 5-8

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

High School Senior: I felt as though I was being well prepared for college life. However, the strict rules somewhat affected how happy I was, and I could've enjoyed my time their more if I was given more freedom.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 250

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Adams 12 Five Star Schools, CO•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.35 out of 5  51 reviews

Sophomore: I have gone to the school since kindergarden and there are many good things about the school in its many clubs and programs such as our fairly decent sports program, wood shop, design lab, robotics lab and more! However the school does have many shortcomings as there are some teachers who are not too great to say the least, the school scheduled changes literally every single year as it hasn't stayed consistent for more than 2 years since 2016, and there is alot of homework, like alot of homework. The average day in the school can consist of around 3-4 homework assignments from my experience so if you do go here be prepared to loose sleep trying to finish assignments and projects. Overall if you are considering trying to get into this school it is a charter school that only accepts gifted kids so you need to reach that benchmark on an IQ test so overall I would recommend trying to go somewhere else just purely because of the workload this school has.... Read 51 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,551

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Brooklyn, NY•

• Public School•

• K-8

• grade A+

• Students 731

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Lumberton, NC•

• Public School•

• K-8

• grade A+

• Students 218

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Souderton, PA•

• Public School•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4.71 out of 5  17 reviews

Middle School Student: I am currently in middle school at SCSC and I would consider it a second home. I believe the learning process is fit and customized to the student so that the student personally can grow as an individual in all kinds of aspects. The teachers and students are all very welcoming the moment you walk in. SCSC is not like other schools. I feel the diversity at this school is excellent. One thing that makes my school so unique is a little thing we call "100 Book Challenge". Each school day we read 30 minutes of a book of our choice that is our level. Based on the student's reading ability, we are matched with a level. We log a line every 15 minutes we read. The point of this is that if you reach a multiple of 100, you get awarded a medal and recognition of the entire school. I have not even scratched the surface of what makes my school unique and extraordinary compared to others, but I'm running out of room to write. (This only allows 1000 characters to be able to write)... Read 17 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 226

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1