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Smith Elementary

Summary:

Smith Elementary is a public magnet elementary school in Raleigh, North Carolina, serving 530 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Wake County Schools district, which is ranked 59 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Smith Elementary has a diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 23.96% White, 30.75% African American, 37.55% Hispanic, and other minority groups. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by End-of-Grade (EOG) test scores, is generally lower than the Wake County and North Carolina averages across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 3rd-grade math proficiency was 63.9%, compared to 69.3% for Wake County and 62.7% for North Carolina. Additionally, Smith Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina elementary schools, with a ranking between 845 and 1425 out of around 1500 schools over the past several years.

Compared to nearby schools, such as East Garner Elementary and Washington Elementary, Smith Elementary generally performs worse academically, with lower proficiency rates and lower school rankings. However, it has a lower student-teacher ratio, ranging from 9.6 to 12.3 over the past few years, which is lower than some of the nearby schools. Additionally, Smith Elementary has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 47.12% to 68.49% over the past few years, significantly higher than the nearby schools, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-income families.


Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-5

 1101 Maxwell Drive
       Raleigh, NC  27603

(919) 662-2458

District: Wake County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
997th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,653 Help


Students who attend Smith Elementary usually attend:

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

Student/teacher ratio:  11.4 Help
Number of students:  530

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
37.5%
African American:
30.8%
White:
24.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  68.5% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Smith Elementary ranks worse than 66.2% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 93rd 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 35.83. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Smith Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (37.5%), African American (30.8%), White (24%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 68.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Smith Elementary is 11.4, which is the 17th best among 115 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Smith Elementary employs 46.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Smith Elementary is $12,653, which is the 6th highest among 115 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Smith Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Smith Elementary 997th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Smith 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:
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 Smith Elementary.

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Rank History for Smith Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Smith Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 42.67 829th 1276 35.0%
2007 48.91 762nd 1293 41.1%
2008 21.44 1117th 1324 15.6%
2009 18.91 1177th 1354 13.1%
2010 23.27 1133rd 1363 16.9%
2011 34.45 997th 1381 27.8%
2012 34.80 1013th 1388 27.0%
2013 20.25 1184th 1403 15.6%
2014 31.79 985th 1390 29.1%
2015 33.00 1037th 1440 28.0%
2016 30.20 1071st 1425 24.8%
2017 13.89 1285th 1429 10.1%
2018 17.05 1248th 1434 13.0%
2019 29.23 1115th 1473 24.3%
2021 28.13 1053rd 1489 29.3%
2022 43.82 845th 1514 44.2%
2023 32.11 1055th 1502 29.8%
2024 35.83 997th 1505 33.8%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Smith Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.52 257th 421 39.0%
2019 46.41 239th 497 51.9%
2021 25.02 327th 385 15.1%
2022 52.14 175th 485 63.9%
2023 28.83 387th 514 24.7%
2024 30.73 411th 533 22.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Smith Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 27.68 639th 801 20.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Smith Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.59 1093rd 1332 17.9%
2019 41.94 850th 1361 37.5%
2021 45.48 683rd 1329 48.6%
2022 50.97 631st 1366 53.8%
2023 36.04 977th 1437 32.0%
2024 33.42 1051st 1450 27.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Smith Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.28 1274th 1405 9.3%
2019 23.83 1177th 1424 17.3%
2021 31.86 971st 1440 32.6%
2022 47.79 751st 1458 48.5%
2023 33.50 991st 1459 32.1%
2024 29.30 1100th 1455 24.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Smith Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 31.45 657th 878 25.2%
2022 29.48 479th 634 24.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Smith Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 47.15 511th 669 23.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Smith Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.28 1187th 1413 16.0%
2019 39.00 935th 1430 34.6%
2021 24.95 1086th 1444 24.8%
2022 40.51 889th 1464 39.3%
2023 34.01 1016th 1461 30.5%
2024 44.58 836th 1464 42.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Smith Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.85 641st 927 30.9%
2019 55.16 372nd 949 60.8%
2021 38.80 518th 896 42.2%
2022 59.62 288th 927 68.9%
2023 52.95 397th 933 57.4%
2024 59.81 290th 924 68.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Smith Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.15 766th 851 10.0%
2019 34.10 628th 865 27.4%
2021 37.08 528th 843 37.4%
2022 43.06 505th 893 43.4%
2023 27.41 720th 915 21.3%
2024 28.69 739th 951 22.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Smith Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 44.36 704th 1183 40.5%
2022 51.95 591st 1194 50.5%
2023 63.60 409th 1183 65.4%
2024 49.51 617th 1166 47.1%
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.

Smith 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: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Open Quote I have been very impressed with the magnet program a and the administration! Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Open Quote Smith has been a wonderful school for our son who has attended for last two years. Great teachers and an excellent principal. We have really enjoyed the school and our son has learned a lot. Our experience with Smith has been 100 positive. Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Open Quote This is our second year at Smith. My son is currently a 1st grader. I had a lot of initial concerns regarding test scores and reviews I read, but we've been very pleasantly surprised with how much we love it! My son is off the charts in phonics and doing so well with reading and math. He’s made a good little group of friends too. He has had 2 fantastic teachers. I think Smith is in the middle of a really great transition. The Spanish and Chinese programs are wonderful. And I love his other Specials teachers too (Music especially). We've been very happy for the past 2 years. They run a tight ship and all the teachers we've met/interacted with are great. The principal is also really involved and responsive. His kindergarten teacher had a Master's degree (plus 3 boys of her own so she was perfect for our son). I think the biggest thing you might notice is that it's a Title 1 school, meaning a significant number of the students are low income and are on free/reduced lunch. The kids and families I’ve met are amazing. They serve free breakfast for everyone so it's really cute when they all walk down and get breakfast and bring it back to their class and eat and chat together. Parents seem to really care and show up at events with their entire family. But yes, it's diverse (both racially and socioeconomically), but my husband and I love that. There are a bunch of kids in our neighborhood who go too. I wish more parents would give it a chance as oppose to going the magnet/transfer route. When comparing it to other magnet schools, it seems consistent. They just lack the PTA funding to do a lot of the "extras" which I'm hoping the more middle class families that get involved can improve that. My son rides the bus there and home and that's been great for us as well. I would encourage families to tour and give it a chance. Another really cool thing is that it's a Spanish magnet school with a good number of native speakers. My son overheard a dad talking in Spanish to his son at Heritage Night and knew exactly what he was saying. They also have something called a "hive" (their mascot is the Smith Bee) where they put them in groups with all grade levels - it's like their little school family, which my son loves because it helps them develop relationships/friendships with some of the older kids. Looking forward to 4 more years! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Smith Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 376 177 0 5 1 n/a n/a 0 559
1989 388 200 0 3 2 n/a n/a 0 593
1990 419 183 0 4 1 n/a n/a 0 607
1991 336 211 0 1 2 n/a n/a 0 550
1992 314 241 0 1 3 n/a n/a 0 559
1993 329 241 0 2 2 n/a n/a 0 574
1994 337 284 0 8 2 n/a n/a 0 631
1995 313 255 3 18 0 n/a n/a 0 589
1996 313 255 3 18 0 n/a n/a 0 589
1997 294 257 0 19 1 n/a n/a 0 571
1998 245 263 3 24 1 n/a n/a 0 536
1999 285 268 5 47 0 n/a n/a 0 605
2000 263 294 5 83 1 n/a n/a 0 646
2001 184 317 5 96 0 n/a n/a 0 602
2002 141 289 2 71 2 n/a n/a 0 505
2003 141 289 2 71 2 n/a n/a 0 505
2004 106 314 6 98 4 n/a n/a 0 528
2005 102 271 3 106 4 n/a n/a 0 486
2006 101 305 4 105 3 n/a n/a 0 518
2007 85 278 11 106 0 n/a n/a 26 506
2008 78 262 5 115 3 n/a n/a 27 490
2009 61 289 4 141 1 n/a n/a 0 496
2010 67 290 5 127 0 n/a n/a 0 489
2011 89 290 3 187 0 0 22 0 591
2012 119 259 7 229 3 0 24 0 641
2013 106 231 5 277 3 0 21 0 643
2014 108 210 13 310 1 1 19 0 662
2015 103 199 17 302 1 1 16 0 639
2016 102 200 18 293 1 1 12 0 627
2017 83 196 13 289 0 0 16 0 597
2018 69 157 12 276 0 0 14 0 528
2019 67 147 11 251 0 1 14 0 491
2020 69 144 11 225 0 0 19 0 468
2021 88 164 21 221 1 1 15 0 511
2022 94 151 22 198 1 0 20 0 486
2023 127 163 13 199 2 1 25 0 530

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 Smith Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 559 28.0 19.9 21.3
1989 593 28.0 21.1 19.4
1990 607 28.0 21.6 22.6
1991 550 36.0 15.2 24.9
1992 559 36.0 15.5 22.9
1993 574 36.0 15.9 31.5
1994 631 42.0 15.0 35.8
1995 589 36.0 16.4 36
1996 589 36.0 16.4 36
1997 571 37.0 15.4 41.3
1998 536 35.0 15.3 40.3
1999 605 41.0 14.8 44.6
2000 646 41.0 15.8 45.8
2001 602 42.0 14.3 59.6
2002 505 43.0 11.7 60.2
2003 505 43.0 11.7 60.2
2004 528 43.0 12.3 66.9
2005 486 43.0 11.3 75.9
2006 518 51.0 10.2 73.2
2007 506 n/a n/a 69
2008 490 35.4 13.8 n/a
2009 496 41.8 11.9 n/a
2010 489 39.9 12.2 68.7
2011 591 47.4 12.4 67.5
2012 641 49.4 12.9 70
2013 643 47.9 13.4 76.4
2014 662 48.4 13.6 73.6
2015 639 50.0 12.7 76.7
2016 627 50.0 12.5 76.1
2017 597 44.1 13.5 78.6
2018 528 45.0 11.7 79.9
2019 491 42.0 11.6 77
2020 468 40.5 11.5 71.4
2021 511 41.5 12.3 54.8
2022 486 50.5 9.6 47.1
2023 530 46.3 11.4 68.5

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 Smith Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 559 28.0 19.9 21.3
1989 593 28.0 21.1 19.4
1990 607 28.0 21.6 22.6
1991 550 36.0 15.2 24.9
1992 559 36.0 15.5 22.9
1993 574 36.0 15.9 31.5
1994 631 42.0 15.0 35.8
1995 589 36.0 16.4 36
1996 589 36.0 16.4 36
1997 571 37.0 15.4 41.3
1998 536 35.0 15.3 40.3
1999 605 41.0 14.8 44.6
2000 646 41.0 15.8 45.8
2001 602 42.0 14.3 59.6
2002 505 43.0 11.7 60.2
2003 505 43.0 11.7 60.2
2004 528 43.0 12.3 66.9
2005 486 43.0 11.3 75.9
2006 518 51.0 10.2 73.2
2007 506 n/a n/a 69
2008 490 35.4 13.8 n/a
2009 496 41.8 11.9 n/a
2010 489 39.9 12.2 68.7
2011 591 47.4 12.4 67.5
2012 641 49.4 12.9 70
2013 643 47.9 13.4 76.4
2014 662 48.4 13.6 73.6
2015 639 50.0 12.7 76.7
2016 627 50.0 12.5 76.1
2017 597 44.1 13.5 78.6
2018 528 45.0 11.7 79.9
2019 491 42.0 11.6 77
2020 468 40.5 11.5 71.4
2021 511 41.5 12.3 54.8
2022 486 50.5 9.6 47.1
2023 530 46.3 11.4 68.5

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 Smith Elementary

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,489 (11.8%) $11,164 (88.2%) $12,653

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Smith 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 1115th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 1055th of 1502 Elementary schools
 5.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Smith Elementary)57.340.8
 16.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)69.467.4
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Smith Elementary)45.138.2
 6.9%
   3rd Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)6658.7
 7.3%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Smith Elementary)63.543.6
 19.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6565
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Smith Elementary)47.146.8
 0.3%
   4th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)63.265.7
 2.5%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Smith Elementary)47.457.4
 10%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6665.6
 0.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Smith Elementary)24.142.6
 18.5%
   5th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)60.659.1
 1.5%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Smith Elementary)52.647.5
 5.1%
   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 Students491530
 7.9%
African American147163
 10.9%
American Indian02
Asian1113
 18.2%
Hispanic251199
 20.7%
Pacific Islander11
White67127
 89.6%
Two or More Races1425
 78.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients77%68.5%
 8.5%

Schools Near Smith Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about Smith Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 530 students attended Smith Elementary.

Students at Smith Elementary are 38% Hispanic, 31% African American, 24% White, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Smith Elementary ranks 997th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 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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