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The Wake County Public School System Continues to Grow!

The Wake County School System (WCPSS) has been growing steadily over the past two decades. Student population has doubled since 1993 and another 40,000 students are projected by year 2020. The WCPSS is currently the largest school district in the North Carolina and the 16th in the United States.

The 2011-12 enrollment was 146,687 students, with an annual increase of 3,398 students and 2.37 percent student growth. Enrollment of about 150,000 is estimated for the upcoming 2012-13 school year.

Two new schools opened in 2011-12, bringing the total number of WCPSS schools to 165. There are 104 elementary, 32 middle, 25 high and 4 special/optional schools (maps).

The Board of Education is legally obligated to redraw its election districts every 10 years, after the completion of the US Census. Click here to view an updated Board districts map and the Board members information.
Two New Schools Opened Five Year-Round Schools Changed Calendar Eight Existing Schools Joined STEM and GLOBAL School Networks Four Schools Supported by WCPSS Renaissance Model
trends MEMBERSHIP TRENDS

 
Membership, Month 1 (PMR Report)
Annual Increase
Level
Elementary
67,508
67,790*
69,140
70,564

1,828
282*
1,350
1,424
Middle
30,921
31,584
32,742
33,750
946
663
1,158
1,008
High
39,277
40,225
41,407
42,373
930
948
1,182
966
WCPSS Total
137,706
139,599
143,289
146,687

3,704

1,893

3,690

3,398
Percent
       
2.76%
1.37%
2.64%
2.37%
Note 1: 2009-10 Kindergarten enrollment was lower than prior years because of a one-year impact from the change in the age cut-off for kindergarten enrollment (from October 15 to August 31, 2009).
a RACE AND ETHNICITY, 2011-12
District Membership
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian    
Black or African American
 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Two or More Races
White
146,687
548
9,178
36,225
21,960
 153
6,326
72,297
Percent
0.4%
6.3%
24.7%
15.0%
 0.1%
4.3%
49.3%
Note 2: WCPSS is reporting race-ethnicity data following the Census Bureau-driven changes and the US Department of Education new standards for data collection and reporting. For example, Multi-Racial students can now identify the different parts of their heritage, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is now treated separately from racial background, and the former "Asian or Pacific Islander" category has been split into two categories to distinguish students of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander race. See New- Old Race-Ethnicity Categories, 2010-11.
a SPECIAL PROGRAMS, 2011-12
District Membership
Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program (FRPL)
(as of 10-25-11)
Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
(as of 10-25-11)
 English as a Second Language (ESL)
(as of 10-25-11)
Special Education Services
(as of 12-1-11)
146,687
48,881
11,040
5,913
19,587
Percent
33.3%
7.5%
4.0%
13.4%

schools10-an

Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) has been growing steadily over the past two decades. There were 3,690 more students enrolled on the 20th day in 2010-2011 than on the 20th day in 2009-2010.

With the 2010-11 enrollment of 143,289, WCPSS remains the largest school district in the state, and the 18th largest school district in the nation.

Download Annual Report: WCPSS School Statistics and Maps, 2010-11, April 6, 2011 (Full Report - 196 Pages) PDF
Four new schools opened in 2010-11, bringing the total number of WCPSS schools to 163 (map).There are 103 elementary, 32 middle, 24 high and 4 special/optional schools. For the first time this year, minority students now account for 50.5 percent of the school district’s 143,289 students.
trends DOWNLOAD SCHOOL DATA, 2010 -11, 20th Day
Free and/or Reduced Price Lunch (PDF), Free and/or Reduced Price Lunch (Excel)
Limited English Proficiency (PDF), Limited English Proficiency (Excel)
Annual Report (PDF), Full Report-196 Pages School Information (Excel)
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