Lists: Top-ranked schools in North Carolina revealed

The articles highlight exceptional schools in North Carolina and explain what sets them apart in state and national rankings. They focus on high achievement, school growth, unique honors, and support for improvement.

Wake County schools have seen enrollment growth, returning to pre-pandemic levels and bucking a statewide decline. Several middle and elementary schools in the Triangle and Charlotte regions have landed top spots on national lists for academic performance. Willow Springs Elementary in Wake County earned National Blue Ribbon School status for its academic results. Other schools in Durham, Greenville, Asheville, Marion, and Wilson also received this honor.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools has a plan to address a $5.2 million shortfall by freezing positions, letting others lapse and moving employees to new assignments. By Getty Images | Royalty Free

NO. 1: THIS WAKE COUNTY ELEMENTARY NAMED ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. ‘DEEPLY HONORED’

A private school in Durham also made the list. | Published September 24, 2024 | Read Full Story by Josh Shaffer

Margaret Brown teachers her class at Providence Spring Elementary in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. By Khadejeh Nikouyeh

NO. 2: THESE ARE NORTH CAROLINA’S TOP MIDDLE AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN 2025 US NEWS RANKINGS

Wake, Union and Mecklenburg counties were heavily represented in the list of best public schools. | Published November 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by T. Keung Hui

Wake County will use a federal grant to pay teachers at 24 “high-needs schools” performance bonuses of up to $2,000 a year based on the state test scores of their students. By Chuck Berman

NO. 3: NATION’S REPORT CARD RESULTS ARE IN AND THEY’RE ‘NOT GOOD.’ HOW ARE NC STUDENTS DOING?

National reading and math test results show widening achievement gaps and a decline in reading skills among students. | Published January 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by T. Keung Hui

NO. 4: ENROLLMENT AT WAKE SCHOOLS IS GROWING AGAIN. HERE’S WHAT THAT COULD MEAN FOR FAMILIES

Planners project the district will exceed pre-pandemic student levels next fall. But could continued growth in charter schools and private schools affect that? | Published February 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by T. Keung Hui

Police block an entrance at Southeast Raleigh High School during a Code Red lockdown Monday, Nov. 27, 2023. The school is on lockdown after a person was stabbed on campus. By Travis Long

NO. 5: SCHOOL CRIME DROPS, ASSAULTS ON PERSONNEL RISE IN NC AFTER SURGE. WHAT ABOUT SUSPENSIONS?

State leaders point out that 77% of schools had five or fewer school crimes last school year. | Published February 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by T. Keung Hui

NO. 6: HOW SAFE IS YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL? SEE THE LATEST NC CRIME AND SUSPENSION NUMBERS.

Statewide, the number of school crimes and short-term suspensions was down last school year. Use this searchable database to find data about each school. | Published February 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by T. Keung Hui and David Raynor

NO. 7: HERE ARE NC’S BEST ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN 2025, NICHE SAYS. DID YOURS MAKE THE LIST?

Most of them are private schools, though there are a few charter and public schools. See which ones made the list. | Published February 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

NO. 8: 2 WAKE SCHOOLS WITH ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE FOCUS NAMED TOP US MAGNET SCHOOLS

Both schools offer environmental-themed classes that study topics such as weather and climate. | Published April 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by T. Keung Hui

Ariel Spencer, left, tutors a group of students at Joseph W. Grier Academy in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday, March 9, 2023. By Khadejeh Nikouyeh

NO. 9: WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO HELP NC SCHOOLS RECOVER FROM PANDEMIC? HERE ARE SOME IDEAS.

Reducing North Carolina’s high student absenteeism rate is considered to be a key to helping improve school performance. | Published May 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by T. Keung Hui

NO. 10: WHAT ARE RALEIGH’S AND DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL’S TOP HIGH SCHOOLS? THE 2025 US NEWS LIST

Five Triangle schools have cracked the top 500 public high schools nationally in the newest rankings by U.S. | Published August 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by T. Keung Hui

NO. 11: SEE HOW WAKE AND EVERY OTHER NC PUBLIC SCHOOL FARED IN 2024-25 TEST RESULTS

State test results are now out showing how every North Carolina public school fared during the 2024-25 school year. | Published September 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by T. Keung Hui, David Raynor

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.