A classical education. A joyful school day.
Four tuition-free public charter schools serving families in Leland, Whiteville, Southport and Wilmington, North Carolina. A rigorous classical curriculum, character practiced daily, and a school community where students can learn and grow.
Safety, Joy, and Success
A safe, orderly classroom gives students room to participate, discover and take pride in their progress. Teachers build skills through a classical curriculum taught to mastery, with character practiced every day.
CCS Leland, CCS Whiteville and CCS Southport serve grades K–8. CCS Wilmington serves grades K–5. Across the network, families share a commitment to a strong education and a positive school experience.
From 53 students to four schools
Our first school opened in Leland in 2000 with 53 students. That beginning grew into four tuition-free public charter schools in southeastern North Carolina.
Explore the milestones behind today’s network.
Source: The Roger Bacon Academy, History and Growth
Year: 2000
B CCS-America's own published claim or a reputable third party. Not yet re-verified against the original source.
- 1999
The nonprofit behind CCS-America is established.
- 2000
The first school, Charter Day School in Leland, opens with 53 students in kindergarten through second grade and finishes its first year with 72.
- 2007
Columbus Charter School opens in Whiteville. It is now CCS Whiteville.
- 2013
Douglass Academy opens in downtown Wilmington. It is now CCS Wilmington.
- 2014
South Brunswick Charter School opens in Bolivia. It is now CCS Southport.
- 2021 to 2023
CCS Southport adds grades 6, 7 and 8, one year at a time.
- 2022
Audited statements are issued under the name Classical Charter Schools of America, Inc. from fiscal 2022 onward.
- 2023
Stanford CREDO names The Roger Bacon Academy network a gap-busting network in reading and math.
- 2025
CCS Leland earns a #1 national ranking and CCS Whiteville a #3 national ranking on the 2025 CLT8. Rankings were shared with other schools.
- 2026–27
About 2,500 students attend four campuses. The network introduces the Foundations of Virtue curriculum.
Who leads our schools
Classical Charter Schools of America, Inc. is a North Carolina 501(c)(3) nonprofit that holds the four schools’ charters and is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees. The Roger Bacon Academy provides day-to-day management.
Board of Trustees
The volunteers who govern the network.
The Roger Bacon Academy
Who manages the schools, and how.
Governance and records
Minutes, audits and policies.
CCS-America is not affiliated with Classical Charter Schools in the Bronx, New York.