Olive Chapel Elementary

Olive Chapel Elementary is a large public elementary school in Apex, NC, serving 1,066 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Wake County Schools district. This school is a consistent academic powerhouse, ranking 31st out of 1,492 elementary schools in North Carolina and earning a 5-star rating every year since 2015–2016.

Olive Chapel’s excellence is not limited to a few strong classes; it shows up across every grade and subject. On recent state tests, average proficiency rates hit about 89%, compared to roughly 70% for the district and 61% statewide. Even the lowest score in any subject—83% in 4th-grade reading—is still far above state averages. What truly sets Olive Chapel apart, however, is how well it serves all its students. The school ranks in the top six percent in the state for academic growth and performance among African American, Hispanic, English Language Learner, special education, and low-income students. The school also has an exceptionally strong attendance culture, with a chronic absenteeism rate of just 8%—about one-third the statewide rate.

While Olive Chapel is elite, it’s part of an extraordinarily competitive cluster of schools in the Apex area. Neighboring White Oak Elementary, Scotts Ridge Elementary, and Apex Friendship Elementary also rank in the top 20 statewide. Olive Chapel stands out in this group because it posts comparable—and sometimes higher—test scores while serving a larger student body and a somewhat more economically diverse population. The main area to watch is a recent dip in its ranking for gifted students, which may be worth a question on a school tour. Even with that, Olive Chapel’s combination of high achievement, equity, and excellent attendance makes it one of the top choices in the region.