Mountain City Public Montessori, 27 Church St.: grades K-8, 135 students in 2024-25, a D (53) state grade.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Sources: the school’s website; the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2024-25 report card data and 2025-26 school assessment workbook; and the federal NCES school directory.
Mountain City Public Montessori is a tuition-free public charter school at 27 Church St., Asheville. It is not part of Asheville City Schools or Buncombe County Schools: it has no attendance zone and admits students through its own application. The school is in the educational building of Central United Methodist Church, a few blocks from downtown, and expects to grow to nearly 200 students at full enrollment at that site, according to its about page.
Who to call
- Front office: 828-570-5554, 27 Church St.
- School website: mountaincitypublic.org
- Admission: the school’s enrollment page
- State record: the school’s NC School Report Card
| Address | 27 Church St., Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Phone | 828-570-5554 |
| Grades | Kindergarten to 8 in 2025-26 |
| Operator | Public charter school (its own board) |
| State school code | 11L000 |
Leadership
The school uses a participatory leadership model instead of a single head of school, according to its about page. Its staff page lists Maureen Freeman as education director, Brittany Wager as operations and finance director and Sandy Drews as student support director.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: an average daily membership of 135 students in the 2024-25 school year, up from 98 in 2023-24, according to the state’s report card data.
- Federal count: 102 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 5 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 20 students per teacher.
State report card
North Carolina grades every public school A to F. The grade is based 80% on student achievement and 20% on academic growth, according to the state’s 2025-26 annual testing report. For this school, achievement is measured by the state’s end-of-grade reading, math and science tests.
| School year | Grade and score | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | D (53) | Met |
| 2023-24 | D (45) | Not reported |
The 2024-25 grade is the latest in the state’s downloadable report card data. From the state’s 2025-26 school assessment workbook:
- At grade level or above, all state tests: 54.2% (statewide, all tests: 59.2%)
- College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 32.6%
- Growth in 2025-26: met expected growth
- Reading: 64.3% at grade level or above; math: 38.1%
The full report card, with class sizes, teacher data and school safety figures, is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site.
Admission
Open enrollment for 2026-27 ran Jan. 1 to March 31, 2026, and a random lottery on April 13, 2026, set admission and the waiting list order, according to the school’s enrollment page. Later applications go to the end of the waiting list. The school runs a weighted lottery, optional for families, for students who meet federal free and reduced-price lunch income guidelines. There is no tuition or application fee. Pre-K on the campus is run by a partner program, Little Grove Preschool.
Bus service is offered to students who live inside the Asheville City Schools district, the school says. Other families provide their own transportation.
Calendar and bell times
Mountain City Public Montessori sets its own calendar, posted on the school’s calendar page. It does not follow either district’s breaks.
More
- The school’s own website
- Every public school in Asheville, with zones and report cards
- Our Asheville schools guide for district calendars, enrollment and the school boards
Frequently asked questions
What grades does Mountain City Public Montessori serve?
Mountain City Public Montessori serves kindergarten through eighth grade, according to the state’s 2025-26 data. It is a tuition-free public charter school, not part of either district.
What is Mountain City Public Montessori’s school grade?
Mountain City Public Montessori earned a D, with a score of 53, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 54.2% of its state tests were at grade level or above and it met its growth target.
How do I apply to Mountain City Public Montessori?
Apply in the January to March open enrollment window. A random lottery, weighted for income-eligible families who opt in, sets admission; for 2026-27 it was April 13, 2026.
Is Mountain City Public Montessori free?
Yes. Mountain City Public Montessori is a North Carolina public charter school: there is no tuition and no attendance zone.
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