Best Public Schools in Raleigh, NC

The city of Raleigh, North Carolina is home to a diverse array of 99 schools, including 63 elementary schools, 18 middle schools, 17 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The schools in this area serve a wide range of student populations and demonstrate a mix of academic performance levels.

Some of the standout schools in Raleigh include Raleigh Charter High School, which ranks among the top 5% of high schools in the state, and Wake Early College of Health and Science, another high-performing public high school in the top 10% statewide. At the elementary level, Abbotts Creek Elementary and Sycamore Creek Elementary are among the top 5% of schools in North Carolina, with exceptional test scores and 5-star ratings. The public charter Magellan Charter middle school also stands out, ranking among the top 3% of middle schools in the state.

However, the data also reveals significant performance gaps, with many schools serving higher-poverty student populations struggling to match the academic achievements of their more affluent counterparts. This underscores the influential role of socioeconomic factors in educational outcomes. Additionally, the wide range in spending per student and student-teacher ratios suggests that resource allocation and funding disparities may contribute to the uneven performance across the Wake County Schools district and other school systems in the Raleigh area.