Carolina Collegiate opens Durham STEM charter campus with Civic Builders, GSNC support

Carolina Collegiate High School opened its inaugural class this fall in Durham, backed by Great Schools North Carolina and Civic Builders. The school’s new campus is a long-term home for a growing STEM-focused charter program that plans to expand to about 600 students in grades 9-12.

Why it matters: - Carolina Collegiate High School adds a new STEM-focused public charter option in Durham for families seeking a college- and career-oriented high school. - The school is designed to grow with students, expanding one grade each year to eventually serve about 600 students in grades 9-12. - The campus model also tackles a common charter-school barrier: finding a permanent, financially workable facility.

What happened: - Carolina Collegiate opened its inaugural ninth-grade class this fall in Durham. - Great Schools North Carolina provided early-stage startup funding and strategic support through a Startup Grant. - Civic Builders acquired the property at 100 Capitola Drive and is leading a nearly $13.8 million renovation and adaptive reuse project. - The first phase of the campus work was completed in time for the 2026-27 school year. - The milestone will be formally marked Oct. 6 with a ribbon-cutting at the Durham campus.

The details: - Carolina Collegiate was created to broaden access to globally competitive STEM education across the region. - The school’s model emphasizes rigorous academics, innovative teaching and learning, and a student body that reflects the communities it serves. - The renovated campus is a three-story, 65,568-square-foot former office building. - Additional renovation is planned over the next two years as enrollment and grade levels expand. - Civic Builders’ turnkey development structure gives Carolina Collegiate a path to eventually purchase the facility. - Self-Help Credit Union, based in Durham, provided financing for the phased renovation. - The project team includes DTW Architects & Planners Ltd., JD Beam Inc., Edmundson Engineers and Morningstar Law Group. - Civic Builders described the project as its first school development in North Carolina. - Civic Builders has invested more than $2.2 billion into over 100 schools since 2002, serving more than 55,000 students annually.

Between the lines: - The partnership shows how school founders, grantmakers and real estate specialists can work together to bring a new charter school from concept to opening. - GSNC’s role suggests early philanthropic and strategic support can help a school reach a point where facility financing and development become possible. - Civic Builders’ involvement signals that access to a high-quality campus can be as important as academic programming when charter schools try to scale.

What's next: - Carolina Collegiate will continue adding one grade per year as the campus buildout advances. - More renovation work is expected over the next two years to match the school’s growth. - The school’s founders say the long-term goal is to create a durable home for students as the program expands in Durham. - The broader partnership is aimed at supporting the school beyond its first year and into full enrollment.

The bottom line: - Carolina Collegiate’s opening pairs a new STEM school with a rare long-term facility plan, giving Durham families a charter option built to grow.