Charter schools in Durham, NC
16 schools in Durham, 8 more within 15 miles. Public, and free to attend.
Public charter schools (tuition-free)
Durham charter schools at a glance
16 public charter schools give Durham as their address in the 2025-26 federal school directory, and 8 more are within 15 miles. The 16 in town had about 13,859 students in 2024-25. 15 teach elementary grades and 6 teach high school. 2 are mostly or fully online. Every one is a public school that charges no tuition.
Charter schools in Durham (16)
Largest first. Enrollment and teachers are from 2024-25; schools new in 2025-26 have no count yet.
| Charter school | Grades | Students (2024-25) | Per teacher | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC Virtual AcademyFully online | K-12 | 3,482 | 18.7 | (919) 346-0121 |
| North Carolina Cyber AcademyFully online | K-12 | 2,461 | 17.1 | (984) 262-9237 |
| Voyager Academy | K-12 | 1,360 | 13.4 | (919) 433-3301 |
| Excelsior Classical Academy | K-12 | 1,032 | 24.8 | (919) 213-8585 |
| Durham Charter School | K-12 | 1,010 | 13.9 | (919) 956-5599 |
| Research Triangle Charter | K-8 | 710 | 21.8 | (919) 957-7108 |
| Maureen Joy Charter School | K-8 | 631 | 11.7 | (919) 908-1600 |
| Central Park School For Children | K-8 | 585 | 12.4 | (919) 682-1200 |
| Research Triangle High School | 9-12 | 572 | 13.3 | (919) 998-6757 |
| Kestrel Heights School | K-8 | 421 | 14.4 | (919) 484-1300 |
| The Institute Development Young Leaders | K-8 | 419 | 16.2 | (919) 308-9731 |
| Reaching All Minds Academy | K-8 | 391 | 11 | (919) 596-1899 |
| KIPP Durham College Preparatory | K-8 | 380 | 14.9 | (919) 973-0285 |
| Community School of Digital & Visual Art | K-8 | 204 | 15.5 | (919) 797-2340 |
| Global Scholars Academy | K-8 | 201 | 11.8 | (919) 682-5903 |
| North Oak Academy | K-5 | new in 2025-26 | (919) 695-9900 |
Nearby, within 15 miles (8)
Charter schools in other towns, nearest first. Online schools are left out here because their address is an office.
| Charter school | Grades | Students (2024-25) | Per teacher | Town | Miles | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Charter | 6-12 | 453 | 15.4 | Bahama | 10 | (984) 888-5504 |
| Sterling Montessori Academy | PK-8 | 702 | 21.1 | Morrisville | 11 | (919) 462-8889 |
| Falls Lake Academy | K-12 | 1,105 | 12.9 | Creedmoor | 13 | (919) 964-9003 |
| Quest Academy | K-8 | 139 | 12.6 | Raleigh | 13 | (919) 841-0441 |
| The Expedition School | K-8 | 380 | 13.2 | Hillsborough | 14 | (919) 245-8432 |
| Cardinal Charter Academy | K-8 | 584 | 45.2 | Cary | 14 | (919) 653-5000 |
| Magellan Charter | 3-8 | 411 | 13.1 | Raleigh | 14 | (919) 844-0277 |
| Eno River Academy | K-12 | 828 | 13.3 | Hillsborough | 14 | (919) 644-6272 |
Charter schools: how they work
- Public and free. NCES describes a public charter school as a publicly funded school, usually run by a group or organization under a contract (the charter) with the state, the district or another body. The federal definition says a charter school does not charge tuition.
- Families choose it. Under the same definition, a charter school is one parents choose to send their children to, and it admits students by lottery when more apply than it has room for.
- Its own rules, its own accountability. The charter frees the school from some state or local rules; in return it must meet the standards written in its charter. It is nonsectarian.
- No program badge. ChoiceFunded’s program badges and “schools that accept” lists cover private schools only. Charter schools are listed separately here, with no badge, and are never counted with private schools.
Sources: 20 U.S.C. 7221i (federal Charter Schools Program definitions); NCES, Condition of Education: Public Charter School Enrollment. Each state writes its own charter law, so ask the school how enrollment works there.
Keep looking
- Charter schools in Chapel Hill (9 mi)
- Charter schools in Morrisville (10 mi)
- Charter schools in Hillsborough (13 mi)
- Charter schools in Cary (14 mi)
- Charter schools in Creedmoor (16 mi)
- Charter schools in Apex (17 mi)
- Charter schools in Raleigh (18 mi)
- Charter schools in Wake Forest (22 mi)
- Charter schools in Holly Springs (23 mi)
- Charter schools in Saxapahaw (23 mi)
- All charter schools in North Carolina
- Private schools in Durham (listed separately)
- What North Carolina pays toward private school
- Charter schools in every state
Questions parents ask
How many charter schools are in Durham?
16 public charter schools in the 2025-26 federal directory are in Durham, and 8 more are within 15 miles. NC Virtual Academy, North Carolina Cyber Academy, Voyager Academy, Excelsior Classical Academy, Durham Charter School, Research Triangle Charter and others.
Do charter schools in Durham charge tuition?
No. Charter schools are public schools, and the federal definition of a charter school says it does not charge tuition. Ask each school about fees for extras.
How do I enroll in a Durham charter school?
Apply to each school directly. Under the federal definition, a charter school admits students by lottery when more apply than it has room for, so check each school’s application dates. Each state writes its own charter law.
School facts: U.S. Department of Education, Common Core of Data (2025-26 directory, 2024-25 enrollment and staff). Where our data comes from.