How a South Carolina Charter School Rose to the Top

Strong student results are putting Riverwalk Academy, located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, among the state's top charter schools. On the 2025-26 state assessments, students at the K-12 project-based learning charter school achieved notable results in middle and high school, outperforming state averages in multiple grades and subjects.

Eighth grade English language arts (ELA) results were particularly strong, with 74.6% of students meeting or exceeding expectations, which is nearly 16 percentage points above the state average and the second-highest performance among the 21 district charter schools reporting eighth-grade ELA results last year.

Seventh grade ELA exceeded the state average by more than 11 percentage points, while sixth-grade students surpassed state and charter district averages in ELA, math, and science. Eighth grade math also exceeded state and district averages.

On high school end-of-course assessments, students outperformed the state average in both English 2 and Biology. These latest results build on previous accomplishments, including Riverwalk’s high school earning an “Excellent” rating and achieving a 100% graduation rate in 2025.

Riverwalk Academy educates approximately 700 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades, over half of whom qualify as “pupils in poverty.” With a focus on creating a positive learning environment for teachers and students, Riverwalk Academy uses a common instructional language to help ensure instructional excellence happens across classrooms and grade levels. 

Building the Systems Behind Student Success

Behind Riverwalk’s results is a sustained investment in the educators dedicated to student success. In partnership with NIET, Riverwalk has implemented instructional leadership teams to support evidence-based expectations for effective classroom instruction, while also building pathways for shared leadership.

Riverwalk has created leadership pathways that allow teachers to expand their impact without leaving the classroom. Teachers support their colleagues in strengthening instruction while continuing to work directly with students.

To support professional learning facilitated by instructional leaders, Riverwalk uses the South Carolina Teaching Standards 4.0 Rubric (SCTS 4.0 Rubric) to strengthen high-quality instruction. The evidence-based rubric defines specific practices for effective teaching and learning, giving teachers and leaders a common instructional language.

Earlier this year, Riverwalk was named one of five finalists nationwide for NIET’s 2026 Founder’s Award, recognizing their commitment to educator excellence and student achievement. Dr. Robert Compton, Head of School at Riverwalk Academy,  shared what he believes contributes to Riverwalk’s success.

“We have intentionally built leadership pathways for teachers and continue to expand these opportunities through mentor teacher roles, team leadership, and instructional leadership positions,” said Compton. “These pathways allow teachers to broaden their impact without leaving the classroom, contributing to strong retention, particularly among high-performing educators who might otherwise seek leadership opportunities elsewhere.”

Through these investments in their teachers, Riverwalk has maintained an impressive teacher retention rate above 90%, creating a culture where educators are supported to grow and lead while continually strengthening instruction for students.

Riverwalk’s continued progress shows the value of investing in teacher leaders and creating a shared vision for strong instruction, which in turn builds the capacity for lasting success.