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Northwoods Elementary

Summary:

Northwoods Elementary is a public elementary school in Cary, North Carolina, serving students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade as part of the Wake County Schools district. With a diverse student population, the school has consistently ranked in the top 15% of North Carolina elementary schools, performing particularly well in mathematics and science.

Northwoods Elementary's academic performance is strong, with students scoring above the state average on standardized tests. The school's English Language Learner and Special Education students perform exceptionally well, ranking in the top 15% and top 10% of North Carolina elementary schools, respectively. However, the school's performance for its Hispanic and Low Socioeconomic Status student subgroups is relatively weaker, ranking in the bottom half or bottom third of the state. Northwoods Elementary also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio and higher per-student spending compared to the state average and nearby schools, such as Farmington Woods Elementary and Laurel Park Elementary, which have even stronger academic performance.

While Northwoods Elementary is a high-performing school, there are opportunities for improvement, particularly in addressing the performance gaps for certain student subgroups. Continued focus on data-driven instruction, targeted interventions, and professional development for teachers could help the school maintain and further enhance its academic excellence.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 8850 Chapel Hill Road
       Cary, NC  27513

(919) 460-3491

District: Wake County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
442nd of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,215 Help


Students who attend Northwoods Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    West Cary Middle
High:    Cary High
    Wake Early College of Health and Science
    Wake STEM Early College High School
    Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  13.9 Help
Number of students:  621

Racial breakdown:

White:
34.8%
Asian:
28.2%
Hispanic:
16.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  28.8% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Northwoods Elementary ranks better than 70.6% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 60th among 115 ranked elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.15. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Northwoods Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (34.8%), Asian (28.2%), Hispanic (16.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 28.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northwoods Elementary is 13.9. 84 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Northwoods Elementary employs 44.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northwoods Elementary is $10,215, which is the 48th highest among 115 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northwoods Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Northwoods Elementary 442nd of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Northwoods Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education 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 Northwoods Elementary.

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Rank History for Northwoods Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 69.92 339th 1276 73.4%
2007 72.66 298th 1293 77.0%
2008 73.05 297th 1324 77.6%
2009 73.70 323rd 1354 76.1%
2010 64.44 521st 1363 61.8%
2011 67.03 469th 1381 66.0%
2012 77.78 248th 1388 82.1%
2013 80.30 224th 1403 84.0%
2014 69.79 396th 1390 71.5%
2015 70.35 410th 1440 71.5%
2016 65.54 467th 1425 67.2%
2017 77.41 273rd 1429 80.9%
2018 78.40 248th 1434 82.7%
2019 72.30 361st 1473 75.5%
2021 82.51 211th 1489 85.8%
2022 81.97 223rd 1514 85.3%
2023 75.97 304th 1502 79.8%
2024 68.15 442nd 1505 70.6%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.93 23rd 421 94.5%
2019 75.13 61st 497 87.7%
2021 78.99 29th 385 92.5%
2022 89.29 27th 485 94.4%
2023 85.56 38th 514 92.6%
2024 74.72 75th 533 85.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 81.09 68th 801 91.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.65 316th 1332 76.3%
2019 55.07 573rd 1361 57.9%
2021 48.90 612th 1329 54.0%
2022 56.17 538th 1366 60.6%
2023 49.85 726th 1437 49.5%
2024 32.15 1076th 1450 25.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.86 277th 1405 80.3%
2019 68.11 423rd 1424 70.3%
2021 80.91 209th 1440 85.5%
2022 80.02 224th 1458 84.6%
2023 79.63 220th 1459 84.9%
2024 64.16 470th 1455 67.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.20 190th 897 78.8%
2019 53.04 322nd 878 63.3%
2022 62.55 148th 634 76.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 57.45 337th 612 44.9%
2021 68.82 126th 494 74.5%
2022 47.56 382nd 500 23.6%
2023 69.51 13th 582 97.8%
2024 45.43 531st 669 20.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.79 278th 1413 80.3%
2019 73.43 315th 1430 78.0%
2021 79.90 236th 1444 83.7%
2022 80.67 221st 1464 84.9%
2023 69.27 390th 1461 73.3%
2024 69.08 401st 1464 72.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.50 48th 99 51.5%
2019 43.40 76th 106 28.3%
2021 46.93 67th 95 29.5%
2022 57.31 66th 107 38.3%
2023 54.06 67th 114 41.2%
2024 48.45 87th 130 33.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.46 55th 927 94.1%
2019 78.82 117th 949 87.7%
2022 65.78 225th 927 75.7%
2023 55.32 359th 933 61.5%
2024 49.40 436th 924 52.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.10 420th 851 50.6%
2019 43.81 503rd 865 41.8%
2021 41.05 472nd 843 44.0%
2022 50.95 394th 893 55.9%
2023 61.71 277th 915 69.7%
2024 34.01 676th 951 28.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Northwoods Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.07 131st 1178 88.9%
2019 82.87 147th 1183 87.6%
2021 88.93 70th 1172 94.0%
2022 79.04 202nd 1194 83.1%
2023 63.40 412th 1183 65.2%
2024 64.18 394th 1166 66.2%
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.

Northwoods Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)
50%

0%

50%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Open Quote Communication needs to improve - very inconsistent on how important details communicated. Sometimes it’s a newsletter, sometimes the website, sometimes the PTA site, sometimes an email or voicemail, or maybe you have to read through Facebook posts and comments to find out critical information. Only time communication is really good is when the school is fundraising. Very frustrating when you have to spend so much time trying to find important de for school events, etc. The administration should be the ones verifying that this information is readily available to all- not just the PTA members. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, January 26, 2017

Open Quote excellent school Close Quote



Enrollment information for Northwoods Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 497 136 27 0 3 n/a n/a 0 663
1989 553 122 32 2 4 n/a n/a 0 713
1990 535 101 42 7 1 n/a n/a 0 686
1991 594 94 41 7 2 n/a n/a 0 738
1992 423 85 22 13 2 n/a n/a 0 545
1993 462 78 22 12 2 n/a n/a 0 576
1994 584 77 22 8 3 n/a n/a 0 694
1995 552 115 35 12 1 n/a n/a 0 715
1996 552 115 35 12 1 n/a n/a 0 715
1997 650 132 53 11 2 n/a n/a 0 848
1998 659 147 67 39 1 n/a n/a -5 908
1999 660 132 72 30 1 n/a n/a 0 895
2000 459 121 50 22 2 n/a n/a 0 654
2001 426 160 53 25 4 n/a n/a 0 668
2002 410 179 93 50 3 n/a n/a 0 735
2003 410 179 93 50 3 n/a n/a 0 735
2004 408 209 98 62 6 n/a n/a 0 783
2005 420 184 123 83 9 n/a n/a 0 819
2006 290 149 41 62 4 n/a n/a 0 546
2007 294 127 39 69 3 n/a n/a 40 572
2008 312 131 69 87 3 n/a n/a 37 639
2009 247 179 66 75 3 n/a n/a 0 570
2010 236 169 64 81 4 n/a n/a 0 554
2011 207 117 71 111 2 0 29 0 537
2012 227 112 61 114 2 0 34 0 550
2013 218 117 47 121 1 0 24 0 528
2014 216 120 61 120 3 0 21 0 541
2015 209 106 63 119 0 0 18 0 515
2016 187 95 76 123 0 0 19 0 500
2017 218 80 72 129 0 0 20 0 519
2018 190 96 108 110 1 2 19 0 526
2019 204 80 133 122 1 3 17 0 560
2020 218 86 176 117 1 1 20 0 619
2021 210 81 210 115 2 1 26 0 645
2022 211 78 215 121 3 1 27 0 656
2023 216 87 175 104 1 1 37 0 621

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 Northwoods Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 663 27.0 24.5 9.8
1989 713 27.0 26.4 5
1990 686 31.0 22.1 10.8
1991 738 68.0 10.8 10
1992 545 68.0 8.0 11
1993 576 35.0 16.5 11.3
1994 694 42.0 16.5 10.2
1995 715 45.0 15.9 8.7
1996 715 45.0 15.9 8.7
1997 848 54.0 15.7 9.4
1998 908 63.0 14.4 7.8
1999 895 55.0 16.3 13.4
2000 654 55.0 11.9 16.2
2001 668 43.0 15.5 15.3
2002 735 43.0 17.1 19
2003 735 43.0 17.1 19
2004 783 43.0 18.2 25.9
2005 819 51.0 16.1 25.8
2006 546 39.0 14.0 28.6
2007 572 n/a n/a 29.7
2008 639 41.0 15.6 n/a
2009 570 38.3 14.9 n/a
2010 554 36.2 15.3 33.6
2011 537 39.3 13.6 38.2
2012 550 41.5 13.2 38.4
2013 528 41.3 12.7 43
2014 541 42.0 12.8 40.1
2015 515 40.0 12.8 37.7
2016 500 36.0 13.8 39.2
2017 519 34.9 14.8 36
2018 526 35.5 14.8 35.2
2019 560 39.1 14.3 34.6
2020 619 43.5 14.2 29.2
2021 645 47.3 13.6 23.7
2022 656 48.0 13.6 20
2023 621 44.5 13.9 28.8

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 Northwoods Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 663 27.0 24.5 9.8
1989 713 27.0 26.4 5
1990 686 31.0 22.1 10.8
1991 738 68.0 10.8 10
1992 545 68.0 8.0 11
1993 576 35.0 16.5 11.3
1994 694 42.0 16.5 10.2
1995 715 45.0 15.9 8.7
1996 715 45.0 15.9 8.7
1997 848 54.0 15.7 9.4
1998 908 63.0 14.4 7.8
1999 895 55.0 16.3 13.4
2000 654 55.0 11.9 16.2
2001 668 43.0 15.5 15.3
2002 735 43.0 17.1 19
2003 735 43.0 17.1 19
2004 783 43.0 18.2 25.9
2005 819 51.0 16.1 25.8
2006 546 39.0 14.0 28.6
2007 572 n/a n/a 29.7
2008 639 41.0 15.6 n/a
2009 570 38.3 14.9 n/a
2010 554 36.2 15.3 33.6
2011 537 39.3 13.6 38.2
2012 550 41.5 13.2 38.4
2013 528 41.3 12.7 43
2014 541 42.0 12.8 40.1
2015 515 40.0 12.8 37.7
2016 500 36.0 13.8 39.2
2017 519 34.9 14.8 36
2018 526 35.5 14.8 35.2
2019 560 39.1 14.3 34.6
2020 619 43.5 14.2 29.2
2021 645 47.3 13.6 23.7
2022 656 48.0 13.6 20
2023 621 44.5 13.9 28.8

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 Northwoods Elementary

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $549 (5.4%) $9,666 (94.6%) $10,215

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwoods 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 361st of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 304th of 1502 Elementary schools
 4.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Northwoods Elementary)58.367
 8.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)69.467.4
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Northwoods Elementary)63.557.1
 6.4%
   3rd Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)6658.7
 7.3%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Northwoods Elementary)69.861.8
 8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6565
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Northwoods Elementary)67.464.7
 2.7%
   4th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)63.265.7
 2.5%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Northwoods Elementary)85.774.3
 11.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6665.6
 0.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Northwoods Elementary)67.964.8
 3.1%
   5th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)60.659.1
 1.5%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Northwoods Elementary)83.379
 4.3%
   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 Students560621
 10.9%
African American8087
 8.8%
American Indian11
Asian133175
 31.6%
Hispanic122104
 14.8%
Pacific Islander31
 66.7%
White204216
 5.9%
Two or More Races1737
 117.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients34.6%28.8%
 5.8%

Schools Near Northwoods Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about Northwoods Elementary

Northwoods Elementary ranks 442nd of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Northwoods Elementary are 35% White, 28% Asian, 17% Hispanic, 14% African American, 6% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 621 students attended Northwoods Elementary.


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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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