Combs Elementary

Summary:

Combs Elementary is a public magnet elementary school located in Raleigh, North Carolina, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 622 students. The school is part of the Wake County Schools district, which is ranked 59th out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Combs Elementary consistently performs above the state and district averages in standardized test scores across grades 3-5 in mathematics, reading, and science. In the 2023-2024 school year, Combs Elementary's 3rd-grade mathematics proficiency rate was 68.3%, compared to the Wake County Schools average of 69.3% and the North Carolina average of 62.7%. The school also has a relatively diverse student population, with 43.41% White, 24.12% African American, 15.92% Hispanic, and 10.77% Asian students in the 2022-2023 school year, which is higher than the nearby schools like Swift Creek Elementary, Wiley Elementary, and Yates Mill Elementary.

Combs Elementary has a strong gifted and talented program, ranking 19th out of 669 North Carolina elementary schools in this category for the 2023-2024 school year, and a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 12.3 to 13.9 over the past three school years, which is lower than the nearby schools. While the school has maintained a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several school years, its performance for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds is relatively lower, with a 1-star rating in this category for the 2023-2024 school year, indicating a need for additional support and resources for its economically disadvantaged students.


Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-5

 2001 Lorimer Rd
       Raleigh, NC  27606-2661


(919) 233-4300

District: Wake County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
299th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,127 Help


Students who attend Combs Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Centennial Campus Middle
High:    Athens Drive High
    Wake Early College of Health and Science
    Wake STEM Early College High School
    Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  13.2 Help
Number of students:  635

Racial breakdown:

White:
45.7%
African American:
20.0%
Hispanic:
17.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  37.8% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Combs Elementary ranks better than 80.1% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 47th among 115 ranked elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.67. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Combs Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (45.7%), African American (20%), Hispanic (17.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 37.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Combs Elementary is 13.2, which is the 56th best among 115 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Combs Elementary employs 48 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Combs Elementary is $9,127. 99 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Combs Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Combs Elementary 299th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Combs Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Wake County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wake County Schools 59th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Combs Elementary.

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Rank History for Combs Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 83.72 123rd 1276 90.4%
2007 72.72 297th 1293 77.0%
2008 65.22 444th 1324 66.5%
2009 66.78 466th 1354 65.6%
2010 70.88 381st 1363 72.0%
2011 67.55 459th 1381 66.8%
2012 65.09 509th 1388 63.3%
2013 80.74 218th 1403 84.5%
2014 76.91 287th 1390 79.4%
2015 80.34 233rd 1440 83.8%
2016 81.44 200th 1425 86.0%
2017 77.94 260th 1429 81.8%
2018 78.08 255th 1434 82.2%
2019 75.56 296th 1473 79.9%
2021 79.84 240th 1489 83.9%
2022 79.90 247th 1514 83.7%
2023 74.81 329th 1502 78.1%
2024 76.67 299th 1505 80.1%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.28 4th 86 95.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.55 54th 421 87.2%
2019 71.77 76th 497 84.7%
2022 62.55 105th 485 78.4%
2023 66.47 97th 514 81.1%
2024 49.50 222nd 533 58.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.63 542nd 1332 59.3%
2019 60.42 480th 1361 64.7%
2021 50.06 583rd 1329 56.1%
2022 51.59 621st 1366 54.5%
2023 33.96 1003rd 1437 30.2%
2024 32.45 1072nd 1450 26.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.81 307th 1405 78.1%
2019 77.08 260th 1424 81.7%
2021 78.71 246th 1440 82.9%
2022 78.33 252nd 1458 82.7%
2023 63.24 498th 1459 65.9%
2024 76.81 259th 1455 82.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.95 563rd 897 37.2%
2019 63.20 211th 878 76.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 64.34 234th 612 61.8%
2021 61.13 226th 494 54.3%
2022 68.81 111th 500 77.8%
2023 61.90 241st 582 58.6%
2024 71.21 19th 669 97.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.16 225th 1413 84.1%
2019 72.34 336th 1430 76.5%
2021 77.28 275th 1444 81.0%
2022 77.98 262nd 1464 82.1%
2023 80.66 215th 1461 85.3%
2024 72.96 336th 1464 77.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.86 67th 99 32.3%
2019 42.19 80th 106 24.5%
2024 40.96 96th 130 26.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.09 456th 927 50.8%
2019 57.48 340th 949 64.2%
2021 56.08 280th 896 68.8%
2022 53.86 352nd 927 62.0%
2023 42.47 526th 933 43.6%
2024 55.59 356th 924 61.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.11 221st 851 74.0%
2019 58.67 313th 865 63.8%
2021 52.21 345th 843 59.1%
2022 73.29 164th 893 81.6%
2023 59.86 303rd 915 66.9%
2024 49.42 458th 951 51.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Combs Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.51 84th 1178 92.9%
2019 82.75 149th 1183 87.4%
2021 83.46 146th 1172 87.5%
2022 84.24 130th 1194 89.1%
2023 84.17 130th 1183 89.0%
2024 87.06 93rd 1166 92.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Combs Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
33%

0%

33%

0%

33%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Sunday, January 2, 2011

Open Quote Combs is a nice school overall, but is not without its issues. Some inexperienced, insecure teachers can create misunderstandings with parents. The administration will back the teachers up no matter what, and are unwilling to acknowledge fault or shortcomings on their part. The praise this school has received seems to have gone to their heads a bit.

Be sure to document everything, especially if you have a child with special needs. Also, ask if your child's teacher has experience teaching children with your child's special need to try to avoid problems later. This school has some very good teachers, but some could improve with better training on dealing with certain types of students and in dealing sensitively with parents. The administration could definitely learn to deal more sensitively with parents and learn to acknowledge their school is not perfect----there is always room for improvement! Close Quote


by a parent
Sunday, December 27, 2009

Open Quote They have no Autism program at this school! Kids who live in the Combs district with Autism are shipped off to a a crumbling run down facility that is 1 hour each way by transportation. Parents of autistic kids are stuck paying higher property taxes to pay for a school their child is not even allowed to attend. A better facility for Autism education is closer but due to Combs being the child's base school they are not allowed to attend the closer school. If you have an Autistic child of Elementary school age do not even think about purchasing a home in the Combs district. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Combs Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 291 141 7 6 2 n/a n/a 0 447
1989 273 166 15 5 1 n/a n/a 0 460
1990 270 188 24 4 1 n/a n/a 0 487
1991 260 124 14 12 1 n/a n/a 0 411
1992 251 128 21 16 2 n/a n/a 0 418
1993 235 117 32 24 1 n/a n/a 0 409
1994 255 133 38 31 2 n/a n/a 0 459
1995 293 100 53 56 3 n/a n/a 0 505
1996 293 100 53 56 3 n/a n/a 0 505
1997 293 107 59 80 3 n/a n/a 0 542
1998 301 119 66 51 2 n/a n/a 0 539
1999 303 109 73 50 0 n/a n/a 0 535
2000 285 106 59 48 1 n/a n/a 0 499
2001 282 117 65 44 0 n/a n/a 0 508
2002 322 153 70 64 0 n/a n/a 0 609
2003 322 153 70 64 0 n/a n/a 0 609
2004 335 173 64 82 3 n/a n/a 0 657
2005 348 187 65 89 1 n/a n/a 0 690
2006 381 193 71 114 0 n/a n/a 0 759
2007 390 178 81 121 0 n/a n/a 35 805
2008 406 221 63 142 1 n/a n/a 30 863
2009 393 252 62 112 1 n/a n/a 0 820
2010 432 207 65 105 2 n/a n/a 0 811
2011 439 145 62 127 2 0 38 0 813
2012 457 177 91 123 1 0 42 0 891
2013 434 180 88 132 1 0 45 0 880
2014 433 183 107 141 1 0 47 0 912
2015 434 197 107 136 1 0 50 0 925
2016 418 190 119 119 1 0 46 0 893
2017 436 223 113 118 1 0 44 0 935
2018 451 192 113 126 1 1 43 0 927
2019 437 192 99 107 1 1 38 0 875
2020 381 180 78 110 0 1 35 0 785
2021 326 168 69 107 0 1 29 0 700
2022 297 150 60 84 1 0 33 0 625
2023 270 150 67 99 1 1 34 0 622
2024 290 127 74 111 2 0 31 0 635

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Combs Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 447 26.0 17.1 22.8
1989 460 26.0 17.6 20.7
1990 487 25.0 19.4 22.4
1991 411 38.0 10.8 26.5
1992 418 38.0 11.0 15.1
1993 409 29.0 14.1 17.6
1994 459 34.0 13.5 20.3
1995 505 35.0 14.4 22.6
1996 505 35.0 14.4 22.6
1997 542 34.0 15.9 18.8
1998 539 43.0 12.5 18
1999 535 37.0 14.5 26.9
2000 499 37.0 13.5 26.7
2001 508 41.0 12.4 26.2
2002 609 46.0 13.2 31.4
2003 609 46.0 13.2 31.4
2004 657 46.0 14.3 36.8
2005 690 48.0 14.4 35.1
2006 759 58.0 13.1 38.3
2007 805 n/a n/a 38.4
2008 863 59.0 14.6 n/a
2009 820 60.4 13.6 n/a
2010 811 51.6 15.7 31.9
2011 813 49.8 16.3 30.6
2012 891 53.8 16.5 31.5
2013 880 52.8 16.6 31
2014 912 58.7 15.5 32.9
2015 925 58.0 15.9 36.1
2016 893 56.0 15.9 38.4
2017 935 59.0 15.8 41
2018 927 58.9 15.7 36.6
2019 875 56.2 15.5 37.8
2020 785 53.8 14.5 35.4
2021 700 50.3 13.9 32.6
2022 625 50.5 12.3 27.8
2023 622 47.1 13.1 40.7
2024 635 48.0 13.2 37.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Combs Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 447 26.0 17.1 22.8
1989 460 26.0 17.6 20.7
1990 487 25.0 19.4 22.4
1991 411 38.0 10.8 26.5
1992 418 38.0 11.0 15.1
1993 409 29.0 14.1 17.6
1994 459 34.0 13.5 20.3
1995 505 35.0 14.4 22.6
1996 505 35.0 14.4 22.6
1997 542 34.0 15.9 18.8
1998 539 43.0 12.5 18
1999 535 37.0 14.5 26.9
2000 499 37.0 13.5 26.7
2001 508 41.0 12.4 26.2
2002 609 46.0 13.2 31.4
2003 609 46.0 13.2 31.4
2004 657 46.0 14.3 36.8
2005 690 48.0 14.4 35.1
2006 759 58.0 13.1 38.3
2007 805 n/a n/a 38.4
2008 863 59.0 14.6 n/a
2009 820 60.4 13.6 n/a
2010 811 51.6 15.7 31.9
2011 813 49.8 16.3 30.6
2012 891 53.8 16.5 31.5
2013 880 52.8 16.6 31
2014 912 58.7 15.5 32.9
2015 925 58.0 15.9 36.1
2016 893 56.0 15.9 38.4
2017 935 59.0 15.8 41
2018 927 58.9 15.7 36.6
2019 875 56.2 15.5 37.8
2020 785 53.8 14.5 35.4
2021 700 50.3 13.9 32.6
2022 625 50.5 12.3 27.8
2023 622 47.1 13.1 40.7
2024 635 48.0 13.2 37.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Combs Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $525 (5.8%) $8,602 (94.2%) $9,127

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Combs Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 296th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 329th of 1502 Elementary schools
 1.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Combs Elementary)73.677.5
 3.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)69.467.4
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Combs Elementary)71.469.7
 1.7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)6658.7
 7.3%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Combs Elementary)74.272.3
 1.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6565
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Combs Elementary)70.169.3
 0.8%
   4th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)63.265.7
 2.5%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Combs Elementary)78.661.5
 17.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6665.6
 0.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Combs Elementary)67.956.3
 11.6%
   5th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)60.659.1
 1.5%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Combs Elementary)68.663.2
 5.4%
   5th Grade Science (Wake County Schools)71.370.6
 0.7%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students875622
 28.9%
African American192150
 21.9%
American Indian11
Asian9967
 32.3%
Hispanic10799
 7.5%
Pacific Islander11
White437270
 38.2%
Two or More Races3834
 10.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients37.8%40.7%
 2.8%


Schools Near Combs Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Combs Elementary

In the 2023-24 school year, 635 students attended Combs Elementary.

Students at Combs Elementary are 46% White, 20% African American, 17% Hispanic, 12% Asian, 5% Two or more races.

Combs Elementary ranks 299th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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