96.7% graduation rate and "Excellent" College and Career Readiness lead 2026 South Carolina School Report Card results
ROCK HILL, S.C. — October 12, 2026 — Riverwalk Academy High School earned an overall rating of Excellent on the 2026 South Carolina School Report Cards, the state's highest rating, for the second year in a row. The high school scored 70 out of 100 points overall. Riverwalk Academy Middle School climbed one rating level, from Average in 2025 to Good in 2026, as its score rose from 47 to 53 points.
Riverwalk Academy credits its partnership with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) as a key contributor to student growth across all three schools. Through NIET, teachers meet weekly in cluster meetings to analyze student data, learn a strategy together, test it in class, and adjust. The SC Teaching Standards Rubric guides that professional learning, and project-based learning gives students authentic challenges that build ownership of their learning.
In 2026, NIET named Riverwalk one of a handful of national finalists for its Founder's Award, an honor schools cannot apply for. The results show in the middle school, where the share of students meeting or exceeding expectations on SC READY math rose from 19.5% in 2024 to 45.4% in 2026.
High school: Excellent in graduation, readiness and success
Riverwalk Academy High School received the top rating of Excellent in three of its six rated indicators: Graduation Rate, College and Career Readiness, and High School Success. Its graduation rate was 96.7% in 2026. That rate has risen from 81% in 2023 and 87.5% in 2024.
Of the 30 students in the graduating cohort, 80% met the state's standard for college or career readiness. Seventy percent were career ready and one-third were college ready. One-third of the cohort also earned college credit through dual enrollment.
Academic Achievement rose from Average in 2025 to Good in 2026. School Climate was rated Average.
Middle school gains
Riverwalk Academy Middle School earned an overall rating of Good with 53 points. Student Progress improved from Average to Good. Preparing for Success improved from Below Average to Average. Academic Achievement held at Good.
At the elementary level, Preparing for Success rose two rating levels, from Unsatisfactory in 2025 to Average in 2026.
How Riverwalk compares locally
Riverwalk Academy High School's 70 points topped all three Rock Hill Schools high schools, which scored from 53 to 63 points. Riverwalk Academy Middle School's 53 points topped all five Rock Hill Schools middle schools, which scored from 41 to 49 points.
Riverwalk Academy also ranks among the top schools in the South Carolina Public Charter School District. The high school is one of eight district high schools rated Excellent, and its 70 points were 9 above the district median. The middle school ranked in the top five of 28 district middle schools.
"A 96.7% graduation rate and an Excellent rating in college and career readiness tell us our graduates are leaving ready for what comes next, whether that's college, a career or both," said Dr. Robert Compton, Head of School of Riverwalk Academy. "Our middle school's growth shows what happens when we build systems, not programs, and give students real ownership of their learning. This year our teachers are bringing that same focus to communication and collaboration, because at Riverwalk we believe in Pride in Every Step, and the best is still ahead."
See more SC Report Card data by visiting: https://screportcards.com/.
About Riverwalk Academy
Founded in 2014, Riverwalk Academy is a tuition-free public charter school in Rock Hill, South Carolina, serving students in kindergarten through grade 12. It is part of the South Carolina Public Charter School District. Through its project-based learning model, Riverwalk Academy serves over 825 students from 5 different counties.