Public schools in Wake Forest, NC
15 open public schools with an address in Wake Forest, operated by 7 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
15
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
15,492
15 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
16.2:1
North Carolina median 15.4:1
Charter schools
6
0 virtual
An overview of Wake Forest public schools
The federal directory lists 15 public schools in Wake Forest, NC: 8 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high, 2 combined or other. The 15 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 15,492 students, an average of 1,033 per school. The largest campus is Wake Preparatory Academy (2,617 students), and the largest elementary school is Endeavor Charter School (799).
Wake County Schools operates the most schools here (9), plus 6 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 16.2:1, higher than the statewide school median of 15.4:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 6 charter schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 32% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Wake Forest
Wake County Schools
Public school district
9 schools in Wake Forest · 202 total
Casa Esperanza Montessori
Independent charter agency
1 school in Wake Forest
Endeavor Charter
Independent charter agency
1 school in Wake Forest
Envision Science Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Wake Forest
Franklin Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Wake Forest
Wake Forest Charter Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Wake Forest
Wake Preparatory Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Wake Forest
Elementary schools in Wake Forest
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casa Esperanza Montessori Charter School Casa Esperanza Montessori · Charter | PK–08 | 752 | 18.8:1 | |
| Endeavor Charter School Endeavor Charter · Charter | KG–08 | 799 | 15.5:1 | |
| Envision Science Academy Envision Science Academy · Charter | KG–08 | 759 | 13.3:1 | |
| Heritage Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 634 | 15.5:1 | |
| Jones Dairy Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 627 | 16.6:1 | |
| Richland Creek Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 558 | 15.6:1 | |
| Wake Forest Charter Academy Wake Forest Charter Academy · Charter | KG–08 | 650 | 18.9:1 | |
| Wake Forest Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 444 | 11.8:1 |
Middle schools in Wake Forest
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage Middle Wake County Schools | 06–08 | 947 | 16.2:1 | |
| Wake Forest Middle School Wake County Schools | 06–08 | 878 | 16:1 |
High schools in Wake Forest
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage High Wake County Schools | 09–12 | 1,778 | 18.3:1 | |
| North Wake College and Career Academy Wake County Schools | 09–13 | 346 | 17.9:1 | |
| Wake Forest High School Wake County Schools | 09–12 | 2,043 | 18.8:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Wake Forest
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Academy Franklin Academy · Charter | KG–12 | 1,660 | 13.3:1 | |
| Wake Preparatory Academy Wake Preparatory Academy · Charter | KG–12 | 2,617 | 21.5:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White53.8%
- Hispanic16.8%
- Black18.2%
- Asian5.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial5.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 15 Wake Forest schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (15,492 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Wake Forest
How many public schools are in Wake Forest, NC?
The current NCES directory lists 15 open public schools with a location address in Wake Forest: 8 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 15,492 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Wake Forest?
Schools with an address in Wake Forest belong to 7 education agencies, led by Wake County Schools (9 schools), Casa Esperanza Montessori (1 school), Endeavor Charter (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Wake Forest?
Wake Forest High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Wake Forest, with 2,043 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Wake Forest?
Yes. 6 of the 15 public schools in Wake Forest are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Casa Esperanza Montessori Charter School, Endeavor Charter School, Envision Science Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Wake Forest schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Wake Forest public schools is 16.2:1, higher than the North Carolina school median of 15.4:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Wake Forest guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby North Carolina cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All North Carolina cities