Public schools in Winston Salem, NC
66 open public schools with an address in Winston Salem, operated by 7 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
66
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
37,207
65 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13.7:1
North Carolina median 15.4:1
Charter schools
5
19 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Winston Salem public schools
The federal directory lists 66 public schools in Winston Salem, NC: 36 elementary, 12 middle, 14 high, 4 combined or other. The 65 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 37,207 students, an average of 572 per school. The largest campus is R J Reynolds High (1,759 students), and the largest elementary school is Meadowlark Elementary (827).
Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools operates the most schools here (56), and 2 regular districts have at least one Winston Salem campus, plus 5 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 13.7:1, lower 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 5 charter schools, 19 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 17 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 9 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 11 of 17 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 88% 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 Winston Salem
Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools
Public school district
56 schools in Winston Salem · 80 total
Davidson County Schools
Public school district
5 schools in Winston Salem · 35 total
Anderson Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Winston Salem
Arts Based School
Independent charter agency
1 school in Winston Salem
Carter G Woodson School
Independent charter agency
1 school in Winston Salem
Forsyth Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Winston Salem
Quality Education Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Winston Salem
Elementary schools in Winston Salem
36| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Academy Anderson Academy · Charter | KG–04 | — | — | |
| Ashley Academy Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 348 | 11.6:1 | |
| Bolton Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 380 | 12:1 | |
| Brunson Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 355 | 12.4:1 | |
| Childrens Center Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Special Education School | PK–05 | 83 | 6.2:1 | |
| Cook Literacy Model School Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 228 | 11.5:1 | |
| Diggs-Latham Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 385 | 10.4:1 | |
| Easton Elementary School Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 504 | 11.5:1 | |
| Forest Park Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 522 | 11.4:1 | |
| Forsyth Academy Forsyth Academy · Charter | KG–08 | 729 | 20:1 | |
| Friedberg Elementary Davidson County Schools | PK–05 | 468 | 16.3:1 | |
| Friendship Elementary Davidson County Schools | PK–05 | 470 | 16.3:1 | |
| Gibson Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 589 | 12.4:1 | |
| Griffith Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 621 | 14.1:1 | |
| Hall-Woodward Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 532 | 10:1 | |
| Ibraham Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 357 | 13.1:1 | |
| Jefferson Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 560 | 13.7:1 | |
| Kimberley Park Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 332 | 11.4:1 | |
| Kimmel Farm Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 760 | 15.1:1 | |
| Konnoak Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 600 | 13.4:1 | |
| Meadowlark Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 827 | 15:1 | |
| Mineral Springs Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 545 | 11.8:1 | |
| Moore Magnet Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 450 | 13.3:1 | |
| North Hills Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 453 | 14.6:1 | |
| Old Town Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 617 | 13.9:1 | |
| Petree Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 519 | 13.7:1 | |
| Sherwood Forest Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 670 | 15.2:1 | |
| Smith Farm Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 440 | 12.1:1 | |
| South Fork Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 503 | 12.4:1 | |
| Speas Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 793 | 15.4:1 | |
| The Arts Based School Arts Based School · Charter | KG–08 | 663 | 13.5:1 | |
| The Downtown School Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | PK–08 | 453 | 13:1 | |
| The Special Children's School Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Special Education School | PK–05 | 98 | 7.7:1 | |
| Wallburg Elementary Davidson County Schools | KG–05 | 717 | 17.8:1 | |
| Ward Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 489 | 13.2:1 | |
| Whitaker Elementary Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | PK–05 | 490 | 15.2:1 |
Middle schools in Winston Salem
12| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clemmons Middle School Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | 06–08 | 1,092 | 18.1:1 | |
| Flat Rock Middle Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | 06–08 | 674 | 13.6:1 | |
| Hanes Magnet School Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | 06–08 | 967 | 16.3:1 | |
| Konnoak Middle School Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | 06–08 | 363 | 10.3:1 | |
| Lowrance Middle Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Special Education School | 06–10 | 129 | 6.1:1 | |
| Meadowlark Middle Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | 06–08 | 857 | 17:1 | |
| Mineral Springs Middle Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | 06–08 | 702 | 13:1 | |
| Northwest Middle Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | 06–08 | 702 | 14.5:1 | |
| Oak Grove Middle Davidson County Schools | 06–08 | 727 | 18.4:1 | |
| Paisley Magnet School Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | 06–10 | 553 | 12.9:1 | |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | 06–08 | 808 | 17.1:1 | |
| Wiley Magnet Middle Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | 06–08 | 754 | 15.6:1 |
High schools in Winston Salem
14| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atkins Academic & Tech High Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,187 | 17.5:1 | |
| Career Center Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Carter High School Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Special Education School | 11–12 | 123 | 8.2:1 | |
| Carver High Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | 09–12 | 728 | 14.9:1 | |
| Early College of Forsyth Co Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | 09–12 | 306 | 21.4:1 | |
| J F Kennedy High Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 332 | 14.1:1 | |
| Main Street Academy Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Alternative School | 06–12 | 63 | 3.6:1 | |
| Middle College of Forsyth Cnty Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | 11–12 | 121 | 25.9:1 | |
| Mount Tabor High School Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | 09–12 | 1,426 | 17.6:1 | |
| North Forsyth Magnet High Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,084 | 15.9:1 | |
| Oak Grove High Davidson County Schools | 09–12 | 992 | 18.8:1 | |
| Parkland High Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,569 | 14.9:1 | |
| R J Reynolds High Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,759 | 17.7:1 | |
| Winston-Salem Preparatory Acad Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Magnet | 06–12 | 369 | 10.6:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Winston Salem
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter G. Woodson School Carter G Woodson School · Charter | KG–12 | 485 | 21.8:1 | |
| Hospital/Homebound Education Center Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools | KG–12 | 0 | — | |
| Kingswood School Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · Alternative School | PK–12 | 9 | 0.8:1 | |
| Quality Education Academy Quality Education Academy · Charter | KG–12 | 776 | 22.1:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White26.2%
- Hispanic32.3%
- Black33.6%
- Asian2.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial5.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 63 Winston Salem schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (37,207 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Winston Salem
How many public schools are in Winston Salem, NC?
The current NCES directory lists 66 open public schools with a location address in Winston Salem: 36 elementary, 12 middle, 14 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 37,207 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Winston Salem?
Schools with an address in Winston Salem belong to 7 education agencies, led by Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools (56 schools), Davidson County Schools (5 schools), Anderson Academy (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 Winston Salem?
R J Reynolds High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Winston Salem, with 1,759 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Winston Salem?
Yes. 5 of the 66 public schools in Winston Salem are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Anderson Academy, Carter G. Woodson School, Forsyth Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Winston Salem schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Winston Salem public schools is 13.7:1, lower 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 Winston Salem 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