Rocky River High School

Summary:

Rocky River High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Mint Hill, North Carolina, with a student population of 1,643 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school is part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district, which is ranked 140 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Rocky River High School is part of the same district as several nearby high schools, such as Levine Middle College High School and Hickory Ridge High, its academic performance and student demographics differ significantly. Rocky River has a much higher percentage of African American (56.6%) and Hispanic (33.23%) students compared to the more balanced racial distribution of nearby schools. Additionally, the school consistently ranks in the bottom half of North Carolina high schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the majority of the past 5 years. Its test scores are significantly lower than the district and state averages across all subject areas, and its performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as male students, Hispanic students, and students with disabilities.

Despite the relatively high spending per student ($9,681 in 2018-2019) and student-teacher ratio (19.8 in 2022-2023) at Rocky River High School, the school's academic challenges appear to be systemic and have not been adequately addressed. Addressing these issues will likely require a comprehensive, data-driven approach that focuses on improving instructional practices, supporting underperforming student subgroups, and ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 10505 Clear Creek Commerce Dr
       Mint Hill, NC  28227-7078


(980) 344-0409

District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
570th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,681 Help


Feeder schools for Rocky River High School:

Elementary:    J. H. Gunn Elementary
    Joseph W Grier Academy
    Reedy Creek Elementary
Middle:    Northridge Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  18.4 Help
Number of students:  1,535

Racial breakdown:

African American:
54.6%
Hispanic:
35.0%
White:
4.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.8% Help


 See top rated North Carolina high schools

 Compare Rocky River High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Rocky River High School ranks worse than 89.1% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 24th among 29 ranked high schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.79. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (54.6%), Hispanic (35%), White (4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 99.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Rocky River High School is 18.4. 18 high schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Rocky River High School employs 83.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Rocky River High School is $9,681, which is the 12th highest among 29 high schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Rocky River High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Rocky River High School 570th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Rocky River High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools 140th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Rocky River High School?

Rank History for Rocky River High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 55.17 235th 506 53.6%
2012 49.07 238th 502 52.6%
2013 33.43 287th 505 43.2%
2014 29.86 279th 451 38.1%
2015 28.59 345th 531 35.0%
2016 20.84 376th 507 25.8%
2017 21.05 369th 476 22.5%
2018 14.54 399th 469 14.9%
2019 21.27 394th 514 23.3%
2021 13.66 528th 594 11.1%
2022 14.23 547th 621 11.9%
2023 19.59 512th 626 18.2%
2024 12.79 570th 640 10.9%
See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 59.14 70th 195 64.1%
2022 29.43 168th 226 25.7%
2023 38.87 158th 249 36.5%
2024 27.15 208th 261 20.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.53 85th 147 42.2%
2019 36.39 107th 173 38.2%
2021 26.11 103rd 124 16.9%
2022 21.68 146th 156 6.4%
2023 30.29 157th 226 30.5%
2024 30.46 197th 262 24.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 31.59 235th 349 32.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.61 335th 424 21.0%
2019 29.99 294th 446 34.1%
2021 21.26 356th 432 17.6%
2022 21.48 458th 544 15.8%
2023 25.87 457th 597 23.5%
2024 19.84 514th 613 16.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.77 16th 17 5.9%
2022 55.73 9th 34 73.5%
2023 27.28 35th 45 22.2%
2024 63.81 13th 47 72.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.35 409th 449 8.9%
2019 17.56 405th 475 14.7%
2021 14.86 408th 475 14.1%
2022 14.79 518th 594 12.8%
2023 20.15 489th 588 16.8%
2024 13.19 540th 602 10.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.31 343rd 349 1.7%
2019 27.49 281st 364 22.8%
2022 20.46 300th 330 9.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 52.00 235th 403 41.7%
2024 14.11 385th 403 4.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.48 401st 463 13.4%
2019 20.68 384th 488 21.3%
2021 11.17 447th 481 7.1%
2022 12.55 539th 585 7.9%
2023 18.22 506th 602 15.9%
2024 11.55 559th 607 7.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 15.26 84th 98 14.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.57 259th 359 27.9%
2019 36.73 200th 369 45.8%
2021 30.26 230th 364 36.8%
2022 28.43 311th 430 27.7%
2023 35.83 255th 434 41.2%
2024 24.64 348th 437 20.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.70 276th 340 18.8%
2019 31.04 245th 354 30.8%
2021 20.93 311th 370 15.9%
2022 22.28 364th 436 16.5%
2023 23.83 367th 449 18.3%
2024 19.59 396th 454 12.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Rocky River High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.20 357th 427 16.4%
2019 17.33 386th 444 13.1%
2021 17.55 378th 439 13.9%
2022 10.73 495th 534 7.3%
2023 45.65 287th 537 46.6%
2024 17.66 480th 553 13.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Rocky River High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Open Quote Rocky River lacks Intentional Teachers and Administration Staff, they have nothing but a decline in all scores, ranks and major behavior problem . They need a new principal, someone who knows what they are doing and can come up with a proper plan to restore the problems that have continued to get worse. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Open Quote It's a good new school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Rocky River High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2011 190 840 50 253 2 0 50 0 1385
2012 220 1060 60 311 3 0 52 0 1706
2013 194 1081 54 344 4 0 59 0 1736
2014 183 1035 64 342 10 3 55 0 1692
2015 150 1036 58 397 9 2 58 0 1710
2016 130 973 49 474 11 1 56 0 1694
2017 103 968 55 441 9 2 52 0 1630
2018 87 889 44 455 12 0 47 0 1534
2019 92 837 39 462 9 0 39 0 1478
2020 72 788 36 485 7 0 74 0 1462
2021 74 829 38 499 3 1 34 0 1478
2022 59 875 38 529 1 3 44 0 1549
2023 71 930 42 546 2 4 48 0 1643
2024 62 838 39 537 1 3 55 0 1535

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Rocky River High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2011 1385 78.4 17.6 58.8
2012 1706 95.7 17.8 62.8
2013 1736 92.4 18.7 64.8
2014 1692 95.4 17.7 68
2015 1710 90.0 19.0 65.2
2016 1694 88.0 19.2 63.6
2017 1630 91.6 17.7 63.1
2018 1534 89.2 17.1 62.7
2019 1478 83.4 17.7 59.2
2020 1462 80.0 18.2 58.5
2021 1478 85.4 17.3 43
2022 1549 83.6 18.5 35
2023 1643 82.8 19.8 52.3
2024 1535 83.3 18.4 99.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Rocky River High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2011 1385 78.4 17.6 58.8
2012 1706 95.7 17.8 62.8
2013 1736 92.4 18.7 64.8
2014 1692 95.4 17.7 68
2015 1710 90.0 19.0 65.2
2016 1694 88.0 19.2 63.6
2017 1630 91.6 17.7 63.1
2018 1534 89.2 17.1 62.7
2019 1478 83.4 17.7 59.2
2020 1462 80.0 18.2 58.5
2021 1478 85.4 17.3 43
2022 1549 83.6 18.5 35
2023 1643 82.8 19.8 52.3
2024 1535 83.3 18.4 99.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Rocky River High School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $668 (6.9%) $9,013 (93.1%) $9,681

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Rocky River High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 394th of 514 High schoolsRanks 512th of 626 High schools
 5.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Rocky River High School)43.529.5
 14%
   End of Course Biology (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)60.350.6
 9.7%
   End of Course Biology (North Carolina)59.654.1
 5.5%
End of Course English II (Rocky River High School)43.345.9
 2.6%
   End of Course English II (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)6160
 1%
   End of Course English II (North Carolina)59.758.5
 1.2%
End of Course Math I (Rocky River High School)2418.5
 5.5%
   End of Course Math I (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)42.229.2
 13%
   End of Course Math I (North Carolina)41.235.9
 5.3%
End of Course Math III (Rocky River High School)25.539.2
 13.7%
   End of Course Math III (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)50.259.2
 9%
   End of Course Math III (North Carolina)46.858.3
 11.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students14781643
 11.2%
African American837930
 11.1%
American Indian92
 77.8%
Asian3942
 7.7%
Hispanic462546
 18.2%
Pacific Islander04
White9271
 22.8%
Two or More Races3948
 23.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients59.2%52.3%
 6.9%


Schools Near Rocky River High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Rocky River High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,535 students attended Rocky River High School.

Rocky River High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : J. H. Gunn Elementary
Elementary : Joseph W Grier Academy
Elementary : Reedy Creek Elementary
Middle : Northridge Middle

Rocky River High School ranks in the bottom 10.9% of North Carolina high schools.

Students at Rocky River High School are 55% African American, 35% Hispanic, 4% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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