A Guide to School Choice in the Charlotte Region

The Charlotte Region offers a vast and rich selection of schools-of-choice.  Pioneer Springs Community School, which focuses on environmental education, is just one of many schools of choice in our region.  Before enrolling in Pioneer Springs, look at all of your options to ensure that Pioneer Springs is the right choice for your student and your family.

Type of School	Focus of School Type	Examples of School
Environmental Education & Place Based focused school	Environmental education is the lens through which academics are accessed. Students explore the interdependence of human communities and the natural world.	Pioneer Springs Community School
Basic Schools, also known as Community Schools	Basic Schools are elementary schools that follow Ernest Boyer’s model for community schools, according to which community, literacy, and character development are the cornerstones of education.	Pioneer Springs Community School, Croft Community School, Corvian Community School, Community School of Davidson
Neighborhood Public Schools	Neighborhood public schools offer high quality academic programs to families in the same neighborhood or region.  Neighborhood schools may focus on a particular approach to education, such as Montessori.	Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Cabarrus County Schools, Gaston County Schools
Art Schools	Arts schools offer specialized instruction in the performing and visual arts, including pre-professional education.​	Northwest School of the Arts, First Ward, Long Creek, Greenway Park Elementary Schools, and Crestdale Middle School
Lab Schools	Student-centered innovative education​	The Charlotte Lab School
Montessori Schools	Montessori education provides student-guided learning of real-world and academic skills through exploration.	CMS Montessori magnet schools, Phoenix Montessori School, Guidepost Montessori School
Trade Schools	Trade Schools provide hands-on learning for high school students that simultaneously leads to a high school diploma and a trade certificate.	Aspire Trade High School (a public charter school in Huntersville)
Special Education Schools	These schools offer specialized education to students with unique learning challenges, including dyslexia, ADHD, Down Syndrome, neurological disorders, and autism.	Epiphany School of Charlotte, Ignite Achievement Academy, Thrive Day School, The Fletcher School, The Halton School, Webb Street School
Alternative Schools	Alternative schools are caring and nurturing schools for students who are not successful in traditional settings either due to academic or behavioral challenges.	Turning Point Academy