Summary:
Wendell, North Carolina and the surrounding area are served by 8 schools spanning elementary through high school, mostly from Wake County Schools and Johnston County Public Schools, plus one charter school, with total enrollment near 8,200 students. The two Johnston County schools — Corinth Holders High and Archer Lodge Middle — are the strongest schools in the area, even though they serve populations with very high poverty rates and have lower per-pupil spending than most Wake County schools.
Archer Lodge Middle ranks in the 72nd percentile statewide and exceeds North Carolina averages on every EOG test. Corinth Holders High ranks at the 60th percentile, graduates 93.4% of its students, and beats state averages on all EOC subjects, even with 99% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Among elementary schools, Carver Elementary and Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls are the top performers, both around the 54th percentile; Carver Elementary posts a standout 5th grade science proficiency, while Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls improved dramatically from the 29th to 54th percentile in one year. On the other end, East Wake High ranks at only the 15th percentile and has the highest chronic absenteeism rate, and Wendell Elementary has remained near the 28th percentile for three years.
Looking across schools, high poverty does not automatically mean low performance — Corinth Holders High, Archer Lodge Middle, and Carver Elementary all serve 99%+ low-income students yet outperform many of their peers. Meanwhile, the Wake County schools in Wendell generally trail district and state averages, and Math I proficiency is a particular weak spot at both high schools. Reading proficiency at the elementary level is also below state averages in several schools. Parents should be cautious about large year-to-year swings in rankings and test scores, as these can reflect changing cohorts rather than real shifts in school quality.
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