Pinnacle Classical Academy excels in U.S. News elementary, middle school rankings

Staff Reports | PCA

Pinnacle Classical Academy's elementary school and middle school are among the best in the state, according to the newly released U.S. News Best K-8 Schools Rankings for 2026.

Pinnacle Classical Academy's middle school ranks in the top 3% of middle schools in North Carolina (#31 out of 1,362 middle schools). Pinnacle Classical Academy's elementary school ranks in the top 9% (#192 out of 2,142 elementary schools). 

Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Pinnacle Classical Academy's high school among the top 9% of more than 24,000 public high schools in the nation, among the top 10% of public high schools in North Carolina, and among the top 11% of charter high schools in the nation.

"These rankings show that families don't have to leave Cleveland County for a first-rate education," said Dr. Shelly Shope, the school's CEO. "We're so grateful for the support of so many parents and community members, and proud of our faculty and staff."

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Founded in 2013, Pinnacle Classical Academy is a tuition-free public charter school in Shelby that attracts 1,215 students. In the spring, the 40 members of the school's class of 2025 were offered a combined $6.4 million in merit scholarships to college. 

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Chuck Thompson is a reporter and columnist for The Shelby Independent.