Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its North Carolina rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Underwood Elementary

Q: Is Underwood Elementary a good school?

Underwood Elementary ranks 229 th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades K-5

229^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 85% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Underwood Elementary is a K–5 public school in Raleigh’s Glenwood Avenue area that serves 405 students in Wake County Schools. The school ranks 229th out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools — the 85th percentile — with a 4-star rating. Its history is strong but uneven: it peaked at the 93rd percentile in 2021–2022 and 94th in 2015–2016, and has ranged between the 77th and 93rd percentiles over the past decade. In short, Underwood Elementary is consistently above most schools in the state, though not quite at its own best levels in recent years.

On the latest EOG tests, Underwood beats district and state averages in nearly every grade and subject: third-grade math (82.8 percent) and fourth-grade reading (78.7 percent) stand out, and fifth-grade science is solidly above district and state averages. The clear exception is fifth-grade math, where 69.6 percent proficiency trails Wake County’s 71.7 percent. The school benefits from a low 11.4:1 student–teacher ratio and above-average per-student spending. Local competition matters, though: nearby Hunter Elementary, Lacy Elementary, and Olds Elementary rank slightly higher statewide, while Joyner Elementary, Wiley Elementary, Partnership Elementary, Conn Elementary, Washington Elementary, and Root Elementary sit just below. Chronic absenteeism is 16.7 percent — better than the district’s 20.5 percent and state’s 24.2 percent — though Hunter, Olds, and Lacy all do even better.

The biggest caveat is the disparity in results among student groups. State accountability data show Underwood’s white students and gifted students rank in the top few percent statewide, with gifted students reaching the 98th percentile in 2024–2025. Results for African American, Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged students are far lower, and the African American subgroup ranking fell from the 76th percentile in 2022–2023 to the 17th in the latest year. Underwood is not alone among North Carolina schools in showing these gaps, and small student groups make interpreting swings difficult. Still, closing that gap is the most important opportunity for this well-resourced school and the best question for parents to explore.

405

Students ?

11.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

29.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1614 Glenwood Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27608

(919) 856-7663

District: Wake County Schools

Students who attend Underwood Elementary usually attend:

High:	Wake Early College of Health and Science
	Wake STEM Early College High School
	Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
	Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy

Racial breakdown:

White:

58.5%

African American:

21.0%

Hispanic:

12.3%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Underwood Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 94th percentile in 2016 → 85th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (74% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 15% of North Carolina elementary schools

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 9 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school74%

District avg70%

North Carolina avg61%

229^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 15%▼ down 9 pts since 2016

From top 6% (2016) to top 15% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

60^th of 246Wake County Schools among North Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	81.1	229 of 1492	84.7%	★★★★☆
2025	84.8	178 of 1490	88.1%	★★★★☆
2024	87.0	151 of 1505	90.0%	★★★★★
2023	84.0	182 of 1502	87.9%	★★★★☆
2022	90.5	103 of 1514	93.2%	★★★★★
2021	88.4	147 of 1489	90.1%	★★★★★
2019	73.3	340 of 1473	76.9%	★★★★☆
2018	80.4	221 of 1434	84.6%	★★★★☆
2017	77.7	266 of 1429	81.4%	★★★★☆
2016	90.1	85 of 1425	94.0%	★★★★★
2015	89.4	97 of 1440	93.3%	★★★★★
2014	91.2	91 of 1390	93.5%	★★★★★
2013	94.2	57 of 1403	95.9%	★★★★★
2012	76.1	274 of 1388	80.3%	★★★★☆
2011	63.2	564 of 1381	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	63.9	533 of 1363	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2009	59.5	619 of 1354	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	61.7	517 of 1324	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2007	61.8	514 of 1293	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2006	56.7	590 of 1276	53.8%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	26.0	746 of 903	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	55.1	341 of 918	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.8	220 of 933	76.4%	★★★★☆
2022	49.7	411 of 927	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	69.0	158 of 896	82.4%	★★★★☆
2019	36.3	640 of 949	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	15.0	877 of 927	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	44.5	288 of 634	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	79.1	86 of 897	90.4%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	81.6	206 of 1447	85.8%	★★★★☆
2025	71.9	337 of 1451	76.8%	★★★★☆
2024	78.4	232 of 1455	84.1%	★★★★☆
2023	77.4	259 of 1459	82.2%	★★★★☆
2022	91.2	83 of 1458	94.3%	★★★★★
2021	85.1	163 of 1440	88.7%	★★★★☆
2019	71.3	361 of 1424	74.6%	★★★★☆
2018	81.2	200 of 1405	85.8%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	68.5	145 of 743	80.5%	★★★★☆
2025	72.0	13 of 710	98.2%	★★★★★
2024	62.7	259 of 669	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.4	292 of 582	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.3	318 of 500	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	60.6	232 of 494	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	65.5	108 of 612	82.4%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	25.3	796 of 951	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.5	847 of 915	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	40.5	481 of 843	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	21.9	760 of 851	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	38.6	933 of 1434	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	24.1	1229 of 1437	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.7	1259 of 1450	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	29.0	1110 of 1437	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	46.2	729 of 1366	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	48.4	627 of 1329	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	17.3	1249 of 1361	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	12.6	1274 of 1332	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	76.6	276 of 1451	81.0%	★★★★☆
2025	87.9	118 of 1450	91.9%	★★★★★
2024	89.8	101 of 1464	93.1%	★★★★★
2023	86.9	130 of 1461	91.1%	★★★★★
2022	86.8	140 of 1464	90.4%	★★★★★
2021	87.2	144 of 1444	90.0%	★★★★★
2019	72.9	324 of 1430	77.3%	★★★★☆
2018	77.1	254 of 1413	82.0%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	57.2	265 of 815	67.5%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	90.1	40 of 1146	96.5%	★★★★★
2025	91.5	35 of 1172	97.0%	★★★★★
2024	93.4	19 of 1166	98.4%	★★★★★
2023	90.3	44 of 1183	96.3%	★★★★★
2022	93.3	20 of 1194	98.3%	★★★★★
2021	92.4	39 of 1172	96.7%	★★★★★
2019	78.0	204 of 1183	82.8%	★★★★☆
2018	89.1	63 of 1178	94.7%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2026)97th percentile+12 vs school

Female (2026)86th percentile~ school

Male (2026)81st percentile-4 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)80th percentile-4 vs school

Special Education (2026)67th percentile-17 vs school

Disabled (2022)55th percentile-39 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)35th percentile-50 vs school

African American (2026)17th percentile-67 vs school

Hispanic (2024)16th percentile-74 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science75%+8 vs state

Mathematics75%+11 vs state

Reading73%+17 vs state

4.5

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★1

4★1

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Underwood Elementary

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, January 8, 2018

Underwood is a dynamic school and has given my daughter the opportunity to explore her interests as well as try other areas within the arts and academic realms through the Gifted and Talented elective model with electives. The small size of the school brings a true "family" feel with dedicated teachers who know the names of all students in the school and a very involved parent population (PTA and Foundation). Underwood also has supports in place for students and their social development with Conscious Discipline. Teachers are responsive to student needs and encourage collaboration, creative, critical thinking and technology into their lessons. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, November 16, 2017

So far so good. Our daughter is in 1st grade this year. We have felt really good about her teachers so far & the PTA is great. Will def keep sending her there through 5th grade if nothing changes. Close Quote

Schools Near Underwood Elementary

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOG Mathematics (2026)						EOG Reading (2026)						EOG Science (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Underwood Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	1614 Glenwood Avenue	Raleigh	27608	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 856-7663	405	36	11.4	29.9%	237 (58.5%)	85 (21.0%)	50 (12.3%)	15 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.4%)	81.1	229^th of 1492 public elementary schools	84.7%		84.8	178^th of 1490 public elementary schools	88.1%	51	82.8	73.8	69.6				70.7	78.7	71.0				75.4		$11,726	$564	$11,163
Partnership Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	601 Devereux Street	Raleigh	27605	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 856-8200	276	27	10.2	38.8%	125 (45.3%)	63 (22.8%)	72 (26.1%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (4.0%)	68.4	452^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	69.7%		79.3	255^th of 1490 public elementary schools	82.9%	197	71.4	55.2	69.1				64.3	60.3	69.1				85.5		$12,073	$582	$11,491
Joyner Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	2300 Lowden St.	Raleigh	27608	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 856-7650	569	43	13.3	33.7%	306 (53.8%)	141 (24.8%)	77 (13.5%)	12 (2.1%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	29 (5.1%)	72.5	368^th of 1492 public elementary schools	75.3%		69.4	402^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	73.0%	34	70.6	71.4	69.6				61.2	72.7	69.6				71.7		$9,492	$422	$9,070
Wiley Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	301 St. Mary's Street	Raleigh	27605	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 856-7723	429	35	12.2	38.9%	202 (47.1%)	97 (22.6%)	91 (21.2%)	12 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (6.1%)	70.8	400^th of 1492 public elementary schools	73.2%		61.4	540^th of 1490 public elementary schools	63.8%	140	73.2	64.1	68.2				69.4	68.8	67.7				68.2		$11,295	$640	$10,655
Conn Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1220 Brookside Drive	Raleigh	27604	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 856-7637	595	39	15.1	42.5%	315 (52.9%)	188 (31.6%)	58 (9.7%)	12 (2.0%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (3.2%)	76.7	289^th of 1492 public elementary schools	80.6%		77	295^th of 1490 public elementary schools	80.2%	6	71.8	66.7	75.0				71.8	72.0	67.7				76.0		$11,819	$732	$11,087
The Exploris School	Public, Charter	K-8	401 Hillsborough St.	Raleigh	27603	Wake County	The Exploris School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(919) 715-3690	448	38	11.7		283 (63.2%)	77 (17.2%)	34 (7.6%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	47 (10.5%)	54.9	656^th of 1492 public elementary schools	56.0%		62.7	516^th of 1490 public elementary schools	65.4%	140	48.7	44.7	60.6	66.7	60.3	73.2	48.7	57.9	73.5	63.3	70.1	78.6	73.5	85.7
Root Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3202 Northampton Street	Raleigh	27609	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 881-4940	469	36	13.0	34.8%	308 (65.7%)	67 (14.3%)	81 (17.3%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.3%)	77.5	274^th of 1492 public elementary schools	81.6%		77.9	281^st of 1490 public elementary schools	81.1%	7	66.2	73.6	82.8				63.5	69.4	76.6				79.7		$10,203	$586	$9,617
Olds Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	204 Dixie Trail	Raleigh	27607	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 856-7699	244	20	12.0	32.4%	160 (65.6%)	42 (17.2%)	20 (8.2%)	17 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)	82.2	211^th of 1492 public elementary schools	85.9%		74.5	326^th of 1490 public elementary schools	78.1%	115	86.4	71.1	75.0				77.3	73.7	68.2				74.4		$11,339	$870	$10,469
Lacy Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2001 Lake Boone Trail	Raleigh	27607	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 881-4920	695	48	14.5	23.7%	506 (72.8%)	94 (13.5%)	67 (9.6%)	17 (2.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.4%)	83.7	194^th of 1492 public elementary schools	87.0%		85.7	162^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	89.1%	32	77.9	80.7	72.9				77.0	77.1	70.8				75.0		$9,968	$302	$9,666
Hunter Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1018 E Davie St	Raleigh	27601	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 856-7676	658	52	12.5	31.3%	342 (52.0%)	195 (29.6%)	44 (6.7%)	45 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (4.9%)	85	181^st of 1492 public elementary schools	87.9%		86	158^th of 1490 public elementary schools	89.4%	23	80.0	69.2	82.9				78.1	69.2	80.9				81.8		$10,234	$544	$9,690

Frequently Asked Questions about Underwood Elementary

What schools do graduates of Underwood Elementary attend?

Students who attend Underwood Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Wake Early College of Health and Science
High : Wake STEM Early College High School
High : Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
High : Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy

What is the racial makeup of Underwood Elementary?

Students at Underwood Elementary are 59% White, 21% African American, 12% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

How many students attend Underwood Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 405 students attended Underwood Elementary.

Is Underwood Elementary a good school?

Underwood Elementary ranks 229^th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Underwood Elementary in?

Wake County Schools

Rate Underwood Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina Elementary School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Raleigh, NC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Underwood Elementary!

Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesNewSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresNewSep 2, 2026

2016–17 through 2024–25 graduation ratesSep 3, 2025

2024–25 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 3, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.