Summary:
The city of Wake Forest, North Carolina is home to three high schools: Wake Forest High School, Heritage High, and North Wake College and Career Academy. These schools serve students in grades 9-12 and are part of the Wake County Schools district.
Among the three high schools, North Wake College and Career Academy stands out as the top performer. The school has consistently ranked among the top 100-115 high schools in North Carolina over the past 3 school years, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. North Wake significantly outperforms the Wake County and North Carolina averages on end-of-course (EOC) exams, with proficiency rates 10-30 percentage points higher across subjects like Biology, English II, Math I, and Math III. Additionally, North Wake has a higher spending per student ($13,377) and a lower student-teacher ratio (18.3) compared to the other two schools.
In contrast, Wake Forest High School and Heritage High have more mixed performance, with some subject areas above the district and state averages, and others below. Both schools had a 87.7% four-year graduation rate in 2024-2025. While North Wake College and Career Academy serves a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students, it is still able to achieve strong academic results, highlighting the importance of factors like school funding, resources, and targeted educational approaches in supporting student success.
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