A−
Wake County Schools
Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 13 towns
Serves Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Morrisville, Knightdale, Wendell, Rolesville, Zebulon and Angier.
Raleigh’s School Grade A− better than 75% of North Carolina school districts
Students
163,176
Schools
198
Spent per student
$12,279
NC $13,045
Students per teacher
15:1
Free or reduced lunch
41%
Debt
$2.3B
fiscal 2024
What stands out about Wake County Schools
- Its letter, A−: results better than 75% of North Carolina districts
- Math proficiency 9 pts above the state
- Reading proficiency 12 pts above the state
- Spends 6% less per student than the NC average
- 15 students per teacher
- Debt of $2.3B, about $13,983 per student
The School Grade
What this district adds to its towns’ grade
A−: better than 75% of the 325 North Carolina school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.
Test scoresReading and math well above the state, 2021–22
A−GraduationFour-year graduation above the state, class of 2023
B+The towns it serves, and their School Grades
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Raleigh. Grade by grade →
PK–548 elementary schoolsThis district
6–818 middle schoolsThis district
9–1212 high schoolsThis district
Test scores vs. NC
2021–22 · class of 2023Math proficiency60%
State average 50.8% · 78,784 students tested
Reading / language arts62%
State average 49.9% · 84,839 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)90%
State average 86.5% · 13,187 in the class
97% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.
Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$12,279 per student · 6% below NC
Spending
Classroom instruction 66%Support & administration 31%Other 3%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 34%State 56%Federal 10%
Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
159,802’20
160,099’21
159,778’22
161,481’23
163,176’24
About steady since 2020–21.
Students
White 41%Black 21%Hispanic 20%Asian 13%Two or more races 4%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%
Schools in the district
198 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with North Carolina’s other public schools.
Olive Chapel Elementary
A+1,066 students15:1
Herbert Akins Rd Elementary
B+988 students14:1
Alston Ridge Elementary
A917 students14:1
Buckhorn Creek Elementary
B+905 students14:1
Apex Friendship Elementary
896 students15:1
Holly Grove Elementary
A889 students14:1
Oakview Elementary
A873 students15:1
Scotts Ridge Elementary
A869 students15:1
White Oak Elementary
A+843 students16:1
Harris Creek Elementary
B827 students13:1
Abbotts Creek Elementary
A805 students15:1
Cedar Fork Elementary
A778 students14:1
Sycamore Creek Elementary
A778 students15:1
Salem Elementary
B+776 students14:1
South Lakes Elementary
B774 students15:1
Fuquay-Varina Elementary
B+772 students15:1
Rogers Lane Elementary
D−763 students14:1
Holly Springs Elementary
A751 students15:1
Ballentine Elementary
A−742 students14:1
Hortons Creek Elementary
A739 students16:1
Holly Ridge Elementary
A735 students15:1
North Ridge Elementary
B730 students14:1
Parkside Elementary
A730 students14:1
Weatherstone Elementary
A730 students15:1
Lake Myra Elementary
C−722 students13:1
River Bend Elementary
C−709 students14:1
Highcroft Elementary
A+698 students16:1
Combs Elementary
A−695 students14:1
Lacy Elementary
A695 students15:1
Laurel Park Elementary
A−694 students15:1
Zebulon Elementary
D693 students14:1
Bryan Road Elementary
B685 students14:1
Wakelon Elementary
C−679 students15:1
Beaverdam Elementary
C−678 students13:1
Baucom Elementary
A675 students14:1
Lincoln Heights Elementary
C+667 students15:1
Hunter Elementary
A658 students13:1
Adams Elementary
B655 students13:1
Banks Road Elementary
B651 students14:1
Barwell Road Elementary
D648 students13:1
Dillard Drive Elementary
C−648 students12:1
Farmington Woods Elementary
B+648 students14:1
Brier Creek Elementary
C+642 students13:1
Turner Creek Elementary
A−638 students13:1
Middle Creek Elementary
A−636 students13:1
Heritage Elementary
A−634 students16:1
Jones Dairy Elementary
A627 students17:1
Carpenter Elementary
B+604 students14:1
Sanford Creek Elementary
B+599 students14:1
Hilburn Drive Academy
B+596 students13:1
Smith Elementary
C−596 students13:1
Conn Elementary
B595 students15:1
Mills Park Elementary
A+594 students14:1
Wilburn Elementary
C−593 students14:1
Vandora Springs Elementary
C582 students13:1
West Lake Elementary
A−581 students15:1
Northwoods Elementary
A−579 students14:1
Durant Road Elementary
B577 students12:1
Walnut Creek Elementary
C−574 students11:1
Forestville Road Elementary
C−570 students12:1
Joyner Elementary
A−569 students13:1
York Elementary
B+563 students14:1
Douglas Elementary
B562 students14:1
Richland Creek Elementary
B−558 students16:1
Oak Grove Elementary
B+553 students13:1
Wildwood Forest Elementary
D551 students12:1
Apex Elementary
B+550 students14:1
Stough Elementary
B+550 students13:1
Creech Road Elementary
C−549 students13:1
Knightdale Elementary
C+549 students14:1
Green Hope Elementary
A+548 students15:1
Fuller Elementary
B+545 students12:1
Jeffreys Grove Elementary
A543 students14:1
Rolesville Elementary
B−538 students15:1
Yates Mill Elementary
B538 students14:1
North Forest Pines Elementary
A−536 students14:1
East Garner Elementary
C−535 students13:1
Green Elementary
C−534 students12:1
Millbrook Elementary
C534 students13:1
Pleasant Union Elementary
A530 students15:1
Hodge Road Elementary
C−522 students13:1
Wakefield Elementary
C+520 students13:1
Barton Pond Elementary
515 students14:1
Carver Elementary
C−495 students13:1
Forest Pines Drive Elementary
B−493 students14:1
Briarcliff Elementary
B+486 students15:1
Lynn Road Elementary
B−486 students13:1
Cary Elementary
B+477 students15:1
Brooks Elementary
B−471 students13:1
Root Elementary
A469 students13:1
Lockhart Elementary
D463 students12:1
Vance Elementary
B445 students13:1
Wake Forest Elementary
B−444 students12:1
Wiley Elementary
B429 students12:1
Kingswood Elementary
B−427 students13:1
Woods Creek Elementary
406 students12:1
Rand Road Elementary
C+394 students13:1
Timber Drive Elementary
B−391 students13:1
Brentwood Elementary
C385 students11:1
Aversboro Elementary
C−381 students14:1
Southeast Raleigh Elementary
D−378 students13:1
Pleasant Grove Elementary
B−376 students13:1
Baileywick Road Elementary
C352 students11:1
Bugg Elementary
D345 students12:1
Powell Elementary
B−335 students10:1
Poe Elementary
C−324 students10:1
Olds Elementary
A−244 students12:1
Willow Springs Elementary
A826 students14:1
Davis Drive Elementary
A+794 students15:1
Morrisville Elementary
A643 students14:1
Brassfield Elementary
B+613 students14:1
Reedy Creek Elementary
B605 students14:1
Leesville Road Elementary
A528 students15:1
Washington Elementary
A514 students13:1
Penny Road Elementary
B+509 students13:1
Wendell Elementary
C458 students13:1
Fox Road Elementary
C430 students13:1
Underwood Elementary
A405 students11:1
Lead Mine Elementary
B359 students12:1
Swift Creek Elementary
B310 students12:1
Partnership Elementary
B−276 students10:1
Mount Vernon
D−70 students3:1
Mills Park Middle
A+1,632 students19:1
Alston Ridge Middle
A1,494 students19:1
Apex Friendship Middle
A1,412 students19:1
Herbert Akins Road Middle
1,253 students16:1
West Millbrook Middle
B1,164 students17:1
East Garner Middle
C−1,109 students16:1
Salem Middle
A1,057 students18:1
Oberlin Middle
B+1,049 students15:1
Lufkin Road Middle
A−1,035 students17:1
Martin Middle
A−1,011 students17:1
Fuquay-Varina Middle
B1,004 students18:1
River Bend Middle
D995 students16:1
Davis Drive Middle
A+992 students17:1
Holly Grove Middle
B+979 students17:1
Dillard Drive Middle
C+977 students15:1
Ligon Middle
A−959 students15:1
Holly Ridge Middle
A−955 students18:1
Heritage Middle
A947 students16:1
Carnage Middle
A924 students15:1
Carroll Middle
C898 students15:1
Rolesville Middle
B889 students17:1
Wake Forest Middle School
C+878 students16:1
Neuse River Middle
C−877 students14:1
Apex Middle
A−867 students16:1
North Garner Middle
C831 students16:1
West Cary Middle
A824 students17:1
Reedy Creek Middle
B805 students15:1
Wakefield Middle
B+803 students18:1
Leesville Road Middle
A−795 students18:1
Pine Hollow Middle
A776 students15:1
Zebulon Middle
C+772 students16:1
Wendell Middle
C762 students14:1
East Millbrook Middle
D731 students13:1
West Lake Middle
B+687 students16:1
Durant Road Middle
B−649 students16:1
East Cary Middle
B597 students13:1
Moore Square Middle
A−594 students13:1
Centennial Campus Middle
C+477 students13:1
Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy
A+337 students16:1
Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
A262 students13:1
Longview
18 students1:1
Connections Academy
8 students1:1
River Oaks Middle
7 students0:1
Apex Friendship High
A2,748 students21:1
Enloe High
A2,643 students18:1
Panther Creek High
A+2,609 students20:1
Millbrook High
A−2,498 students18:1
Apex High
A2,449 students20:1
Leesville Road High
A2,411 students20:1
Rolesville High
B2,321 students18:1
Green Hope High
A+2,304 students21:1
Green Level High
A+2,283 students20:1
Willow Spring High
2,223 students20:1
Athens Drive High
A2,156 students17:1
Needham Broughton High
B2,153 students18:1
Wakefield High
A−2,065 students20:1
Cary High
A−2,044 students18:1
Wake Forest High School
A2,043 students19:1
Holly Springs High
A2,018 students20:1
Fuquay-Varina High
A1,858 students19:1
South Garner High
B1,835 students17:1
Heritage High
A1,778 students18:1
East Wake High
B1,777 students18:1
Knightdale High
C1,695 students16:1
Garner High
B−1,670 students16:1
Sanderson High
A−1,648 students18:1
Middle Creek High
A−1,587 students18:1
Southeast Raleigh High
C+1,438 students14:1
SCORE Academy
C−584 students18:1
Vernon Malone College and Career Academy
A348 students16:1
North Wake College and Career Academy
A+346 students18:1
Wake Early College of Health and Science
A+317 students23:1
Wake STEM Early College High School
A+294 students20:1
Wake EC of Information & Biotechnologies
260 students16:1
Crossroads FLEX
A+139 students24:1
Phillips High
D−123 students4:1
Left off: 4 schools reporting no students for 2024–25.
Nearby districts
Compare spending and schools next door.
District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within North Carolina.