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Penny Road Elementary

Q: Is Penny Road Elementary a good school?

Penny Road Elementary ranks 422 nd of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

422^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 72% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Penny Road Elementary is a K-5 public school in Cary, NC, serving 509 students in the Wake County Schools district, which is itself ranked in the top quartile of districts statewide.

Parents should know that Penny Road is a solidly mid-range school showing a recent uptick in performance, currently ranking in the 72nd percentile for North Carolina elementary schools with a 4-star rating. However, its overall numbers mask a very uneven experience for students. On one hand, the school serves its White and female students exceptionally well, and its gifted students perform above average. On the other hand, results for African American, Hispanic, English Learner, and low-income students rank in the bottom single digits statewide, a glaring equity gap that merits serious attention. While neighbors like Laurel Park Elementary, Baucom Elementary, and Salem Elementary outperform Penny Road in math and science by 10-15 points, the closer comparison to Oak Grove Elementary, which serves a nearly identical student body just under a mile away, shows that these outcome gaps aren't inevitable. Because Penny Road had a long decline from a top-10% school a decade ago before its current recovery, it is worth asking what the school is doing differently for its highest- and lowest-performing student groups.

A few operational trends stand out. The school has a chronic absenteeism rate of 19.2%, which beats the district average but is higher than most local schools except Oak Grove. More specifically, reading results reveal a pattern where 3rd graders exceed district averages, but that momentum is lost by 4th and 5th grade, pointing to a possible weak link in upper-grade literacy instruction. While the school remains a popular choice, these trends suggest that parents of high-achieving students will likely find plenty to love, but parents of students who need extra support will want to ask pointed questions about interventions, reading support, and the school's equity plan before enrolling.

509

Students ?

13.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

36.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

10900 Penny Rd
Cary, NC 27518

(919) 387-2136

District: Wake County Schools

Students who attend Penny Road Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Dillard Drive Middle
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:

56.2%

Hispanic:

21.0%

African American:

14.3%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Penny Road Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 91st percentile in 2016 → 72nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (68% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Above the North Carolina median (72nd percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 19 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school68%

District avg70%

North Carolina avg61%

422^nd of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 28%▼ down 19 pts since 2016

From top 9% (2016) to top 28% (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	69.8	422 of 1492	71.7%	★★★★☆
2025	66.5	461 of 1490	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.0	542 of 1505	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.1	441 of 1502	70.6%	★★★★☆
2022	74.8	329 of 1514	78.3%	★★★★☆
2021	76.7	294 of 1489	80.3%	★★★★☆
2019	83.6	185 of 1473	87.4%	★★★★☆
2018	84.5	167 of 1434	88.4%	★★★★☆
2017	80.8	209 of 1429	85.4%	★★★★☆
2016	86.4	135 of 1425	90.5%	★★★★★
2015	88.0	119 of 1440	91.7%	★★★★★
2014	87.7	131 of 1390	90.6%	★★★★★
2013	90.1	106 of 1403	92.4%	★★★★★
2012	73.5	334 of 1388	75.9%	★★★★☆
2011	71.6	373 of 1381	73.0%	★★★★☆
2010	73.8	317 of 1363	76.7%	★★★★☆
2009	58.8	638 of 1354	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2008	79.7	187 of 1324	85.9%	★★★★☆
2007	73.5	288 of 1293	77.7%	★★★★☆
2006	74.5	262 of 1276	79.5%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	14.7	842 of 903	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	35.2	632 of 918	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.1	529 of 924	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.1	633 of 933	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.7	595 of 927	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	57.8	337 of 949	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	65.6	247 of 927	73.4%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	54.2	213 of 634	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	46.6	422 of 897	53.0%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	15.3	542 of 563	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	26.8	444 of 533	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	68.5	386 of 1447	73.3%	★★★★☆
2025	75.1	284 of 1451	80.4%	★★★★☆
2024	64.5	462 of 1455	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.7	440 of 1459	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	67.3	422 of 1458	71.1%	★★★★☆
2021	69.5	374 of 1440	74.0%	★★★★☆
2019	81.3	190 of 1424	86.7%	★★★★☆
2018	80.4	218 of 1405	84.5%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	62.2	285 of 743	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	54.0	443 of 710	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	62.8	258 of 669	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	67.3	151 of 582	74.1%	★★★★☆
2022	65.2	157 of 500	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	58.1	261 of 494	47.2%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	12.9	948 of 981	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	19.3	866 of 961	9.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	25.2	800 of 951	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	36.3	606 of 915	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	33.0	657 of 893	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.1	567 of 865	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	57.1	313 of 851	63.2%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	14.9	1349 of 1434	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	13.3	1371 of 1437	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	11.2	1398 of 1450	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	16.2	1322 of 1437	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	19.4	1227 of 1366	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.3	1219 of 1329	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	39.6	885 of 1361	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.0	809 of 1332	39.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	67.5	438 of 1451	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	55.4	621 of 1450	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.2	627 of 1464	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.3	443 of 1461	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	78.6	253 of 1464	82.7%	★★★★☆
2021	79.7	242 of 1444	83.2%	★★★★☆
2019	83.1	178 of 1430	87.6%	★★★★☆
2018	86.2	144 of 1413	89.8%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	27.8	650 of 815	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	32.6	580 of 821	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	48.9	331 of 801	58.7%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	85.6	107 of 1146	90.7%	★★★★★
2025	80.1	182 of 1172	84.5%	★★★★☆
2024	72.1	294 of 1166	74.8%	★★★★☆
2023	80.3	178 of 1183	85.0%	★★★★☆
2022	88.0	75 of 1194	93.7%	★★★★★
2021	85.1	122 of 1172	89.6%	★★★★☆
2019	91.1	40 of 1183	96.6%	★★★★★
2018	90.3	49 of 1178	95.8%	★★★★★

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)91st percentile+19 vs school

Female (2026)73rd percentile~ school

Male (2026)70th percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)66th percentile-12 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)62nd percentile-10 vs school

Special Education (2026)20th percentile-51 vs school

African American (2026)7th percentile-65 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)6th percentile-66 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)4th percentile-65 vs school

Hispanic (2026)3rd percentile-68 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science71%+4 vs state

Mathematics70%+6 vs state

Reading65%+9 vs state

1.5

2 ratings · 1 written review

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1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, August 7, 2014

This school looks ok from the outside but after several years at this school I have experienced very dysfunctional behavior from the principal and vice principal. If you have a child that likes bullying or disrupting the class you are in the right school. Punishment might be a missed recess or a visit to the office but that is about it. If they have a good day they get a reward. Great children who never do anything wrong do not get rewards and be aware that if they are ever caught doing something minor wrong they will be made an example of and punished severely. This principal has no idea how to run a school, knows nothing about the volunteers who spent a good time of their day in the school. She knows nothing about the kids and turns a blind eye if you have a complaint about a teacher.I am glad to be out of there!!!!!!!!!!!! Close Quote

Schools Near Penny Road Elementary

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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
Penny Road Elementary	Public	K-5	10900 Penny Rd	Cary	27518	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 387-2136	509	38	13.4	36.9%	286 (56.2%)	73 (14.3%)	107 (21.0%)	21 (4.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.1%)	69.8	422^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	71.7%		66.5	461^st of 1490 public elementary schools	69.1%	39	69.3	69.1	71.3				68.2	60.5	66.0				71.3		$9,556	$424	$9,132
Oak Grove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10401 Penny Road	Raleigh	27606	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 387-4490	553	42	13.1	33.1%	293 (53.0%)	91 (16.5%)	114 (20.6%)	39 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.9%)	71.9	380^th of 1492 public elementary schools	74.5%		67.8	430^th of 1490 public elementary schools	71.1%	50	71.7	67.8	72.8				65.2	65.5	66.3				72.8		$10,384	$768	$9,616
Farmington Woods Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1413 Hampton Valley Rd	Cary	27511	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(919) 460-3469	648	47	13.8	31.0%	305 (47.1%)	63 (9.7%)	140 (21.6%)	102 (15.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (5.6%)	81	230^th of 1492 public elementary schools	84.6%		88.4	133^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	91.1%	97	76.0	78.5	74.7				69.0	71.0	73.7				75.8		$9,948	$469	$9,479
Laurel Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2450 Laura Duncan Rd	Apex	27523	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 290-2333	694	47	14.7	12.7%	444 (64.0%)	35 (5.0%)	67 (9.7%)	96 (13.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (7.2%)	90.8	102^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	93.2%		87.5	143^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	90.4%	41	82.4	79.1	84.7				78.4	79.1	80.3				87.0		$9,351	$452	$8,899
Apex Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	700 Tingen Road	Apex	27502	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 387-2150	550	39	14.0	34.2%	303 (55.1%)	49 (8.9%)	127 (23.1%)	43 (7.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (4.9%)	76.4	297^th of 1492 public elementary schools	80.1%		76.2	304^th of 1490 public elementary schools	79.6%	7	72.5	77.5	75.6				61.5	67.6	70.7				74.0		$9,307	$377	$8,931
Pine Springs Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	220 Rosewood Centre Dr	Holly Springs	27540	Wake County	Pine Springs Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	No	(919) 439-9448	1,258	83	15.1		905 (71.9%)	54 (4.3%)	93 (7.4%)	124 (9.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	80 (6.4%)	89.1	130^th of 1492 public elementary schools	91.3%		90.7	101^st of 1490 public elementary schools	93.2%	29	77.4	71.0	87.0	79.5	77.1	65.3	75.8	75.0	80.5	81.9	74.9	78.0	91.9	82.7
Baucom Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	400 Hunter St	Apex	27502	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 387-2168	675	49	13.8	21.2%	297 (44.0%)	61 (9.0%)	94 (13.9%)	192 (28.4%)	3 (0.4%)	4 (0.6%)	24 (3.6%)	89.4	124^th of 1492 public elementary schools	91.7%		89.2	119^th of 1490 public elementary schools	92.0%	5	82.8	83.2	80.4				75.9	81.2	78.3				82.6		$9,174	$659	$8,515
Briarcliff Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1220 Pond St	Cary	27511	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 460-3443	486	32	15.0	43.0%	275 (56.6%)	39 (8.0%)	117 (24.1%)	40 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.1%)	55.8	644^th of 1492 public elementary schools	56.8%		55.4	645^th of 1490 public elementary schools	56.7%	1	64.4	67.1	59.5				63.2	61.8	57.6				58.8		$10,299	$630	$9,670
Middle Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	110 Middle Creek Park Avenue	Apex	27539	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 773-9555	636	48	13.2	34.3%	390 (61.3%)	72 (11.3%)	126 (19.8%)	24 (3.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (3.5%)	75.6	311^th of 1492 public elementary schools	79.2%		77.6	284^th of 1490 public elementary schools	80.9%	27	67.3	69.2	82.1				67.9	66.7	70.2				75.2		$9,925	$510	$9,416
Salem Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6116 Old Jenks Road	Apex	27523	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 363-2865	776	57	13.6	25.4%	383 (49.4%)	48 (6.2%)	127 (16.4%)	197 (25.4%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	17 (2.2%)	80	242^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	83.8%		79.9	245^th of 1490 public elementary schools	83.6%	3	76.1	68.7	84.3				69.9	62.6	77.8				83.3		$10,097	$801	$9,296

Frequently Asked Questions about Penny Road Elementary

What schools do graduates of Penny Road Elementary attend?

Students who attend Penny Road Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Dillard Drive Middle
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

Is Penny Road Elementary a good school?

Penny Road Elementary ranks 422^nd of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Penny Road Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 509 students attended Penny Road Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Penny Road Elementary?

Students at Penny Road Elementary are 56% White, 21% Hispanic, 14% African American, 4% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

What district is Penny Road Elementary in?

Wake County Schools

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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.