Our Program
Mission Statement: Building upon the foundation of the Core Knowledge Sequence, Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy partners with families to educate students in grades K-12 in the trivium of grammar, logic, and rhetoric, thus graduating thoughtful, articulate young adults who are prepared for college and a lifetime of citizenship and active intellectual inquiry.
GPA Scale:
Honors Classes – Add 0.5 Point
AP Classes – Add 1 Point
A: 90-100 = 4.0
B: 80-89 = 3.0
C: 70- 79 = 2.0
D: 60-69 = 1.0
F: 0-59 No GPA Points Awarded
Accreditation: The school is accredited by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina Office of Charter Schools.
Accolades: In 2023, US News & World Report ranked TJCA the 14th best high school in North Carolina and the 119th-ranked charter high school in the nation. Based on that report, TJCA is among the country's top 2% of high schools.
Advanced Placement Courses: TJCA offers more than 15 Advanced Placement (AP) courses, including English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, European History, US History, US Government, World History, Human Geography, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics, Computer Science Principles, Computer Science A, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics, Studio Art (Photography/2-D Design and Drawing). Students can also take Advanced Placement courses not offered at TJCA through the North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS). All students taking AP classes must take the corresponding AP Exam to earn the additional AP credit toward their GPA. AP Courses are awarded one (1) extra quality point on the GPA. *NOTE: 9th-grade and 10th-grade students are limited in their AP course options.
Honors Courses: TJCA offers more than 30 Honors level courses including English I, II, III, and IV, World History, European History, American History I & II, Civics & Economics, Logic, Math II/Geometry, Math III/Algebra II, Math IV, Pre-Calculus, Statistics, Latin III & IV, Biology, Chemistry, Clinical Human Anatomy, Astronomy, Pre-Veterinary Science, Environmental Science, Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Orchestra III & IV. Honors Courses are given one-half (0.5) extra quality point on the GPA.
Graduation Requirements and Class Schedules: TJCA students meet the requirements for the North Carolina course of study, with additional TJCA requirements. Students must earn at least these minimum requirements: 4 English credits, 4 Social Studies Credits, 4 Science Credits, 4 Math Credits, 3 Foreign Language Credits (including Latin I and II), 1 Rhetoric Credit, 1 Logic Credit, 1 Art History Credit, and 1 Health/PE credit. The school schedule is a traditional year (180 days), seven periods per day, with all classes meeting for 50 minutes for the entire academic year. Most classes meet Monday-Friday; however, some elective courses may meet only on MWF or T/Th. Students can also study independently with teachers before or after school for courses they cannot fit into their regular day schedule.
Attendance Policy: For classes that meet Monday-Friday, students must not miss more than 18 days to earn a passing grade. For classes that meet on MWF, students must not miss more than 12 days to make a passing grade. For classes that meet on T/Th, students must not miss more than six classes to earn a passing grade.
High School Extracurricular Activities: TJCA extracurricular offerings have included: Academic Team, Art Club, ASL Club, 4H, Chess Club, Chorus, Classical Guitar, Drama, Equestrian Club, FBLA, FCA, FTA, Jr. Civitan, Jr. Classical League, National Honor Society, National Latin Honor Society, National Math Honor Society, New Century Scholars, Orchestra, Outdoor Club, Speech and Debate, Science Olympiad, Stock Market Club, Student Council, and Theater. We also have an advisory hour and a club hour once a week built into the school day.
College Acceptance Rates: More than 90% of our graduates are accepted into colleges and universities.
Merit Scholarship Offerings: Our seniors average more than $5 million in merit scholarship offerings each year.