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Wakelon Elementary

Q: Is Wakelon Elementary a good school?

Wakelon Elementary ranks 485 th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

485^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 67% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Wakelon Elementary is a PreK–5 school in Zebulon, NC — a town in eastern Wake County — serving 679 students as part of Wake County Schools. The school currently ranks 485th out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools (67th percentile) with a 3-star rating, placing it in the upper third of schools statewide and well ahead of several nearby schools serving very similar populations.

What truly sets Wakelon apart is its momentum. Over the past five reported school years, it has climbed from the 16th percentile to the 67th percentile, improving every year. That progress is particularly notable given that 99.6% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Zebulon Elementary, just 1.4 miles away, ranks at the 29th percentile, while Wendell Elementary (28th) and Lake Myra Elementary (28th) also trail by substantial margins. Chronic absenteeism has fallen from 34.3% to 21.0% over four years — below the state rate of 24.2% and nearly equal to the Wake County district average.

Academically, Wakelon's 4th grade math and reading scores exceed both district and state averages, and 5th grade science proficiency jumped from 50% to 73.3% in two years. Subgroup results are strong across the board: English Language Learner students perform in the top 10% statewide, African American students in the top 11%, and special education students in the 70th percentile. The school's clearest challenge is 5th grade math and reading, which have trailed district proficiency in recent years. If Wakelon can replicate its early-grade success in the upper grades, it is well positioned to climb toward the top quarter of North Carolina elementary schools.

679

Students ?

15.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

99.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

8921 Pippin Rd
Zebulon, NC 27597

(919) 404-3844

District: Wake County Schools

Students who attend Wakelon Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Zebulon 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:

African American:

47.9%

Hispanic:

33.4%

White:

12.8%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Wakelon Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 45th percentile in 2016 → 67th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (66% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 22 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the North Carolina median (67th percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school66%

District avg70%

North Carolina avg61%

485^th of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 33%▲ up 23 pts since 2016

From bottom 45% (2016) to top 33% (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	66.3	485 of 1492	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	59.1	581 of 1490	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	47.5	791 of 1505	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	45.7	834 of 1502	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	33.9	1023 of 1514	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	17.5	1255 of 1489	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.3	1044 of 1473	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	44.0	854 of 1434	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2017	41.2	902 of 1429	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	47.3	789 of 1425	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	42.8	858 of 1440	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2014	40.6	841 of 1390	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	34.2	960 of 1403	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2012	43.6	876 of 1388	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	46.0	850 of 1381	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2010	25.7	1101 of 1363	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	17.9	1188 of 1354	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	18.5	1149 of 1324	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	48.8	767 of 1293	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2006	38.7	879 of 1276	31.1%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	81.7	100 of 903	88.9%	★★★★☆
2025	80.7	99 of 918	89.2%	★★★★☆
2024	65.7	233 of 924	74.8%	★★★★☆
2023	62.6	280 of 933	70.0%	★★★★☆
2022	50.3	402 of 927	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	33.8	597 of 896	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	48.3	470 of 949	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.5	357 of 927	61.5%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2021	32.6	449 of 646	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	26.8	728 of 878	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.3	815 of 897	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	80.0	52 of 519	90.0%	★★★★★
2025	67.5	100 of 563	82.2%	★★★★☆
2024	45.5	250 of 533	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	34.1	348 of 514	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.3	355 of 485	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.8	360 of 497	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	62.2	105 of 421	75.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	65.0	453 of 1447	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	59.8	552 of 1451	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	43.3	836 of 1455	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.8	839 of 1459	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.7	1055 of 1458	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.8	1154 of 1440	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	31.5	1051 of 1424	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	40.8	911 of 1405	35.2%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	62.2	284 of 743	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	62.9	254 of 710	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.8	253 of 669	62.2%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	73.7	179 of 981	81.8%	★★★★☆
2025	65.7	257 of 961	73.3%	★★★★☆
2024	60.4	319 of 951	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.3	203 of 915	77.8%	★★★★☆
2022	48.7	424 of 893	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	22.6	730 of 843	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	45.2	485 of 865	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	73.0	159 of 851	81.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	69.8	312 of 1434	78.2%	★★★★☆
2025	71.9	284 of 1437	80.2%	★★★★☆
2024	60.7	488 of 1450	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.7	772 of 1437	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.7	792 of 1366	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.6	973 of 1329	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	47.3	738 of 1361	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	61.5	466 of 1332	65.0%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	64.7	490 of 1451	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	56.8	602 of 1450	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.0	749 of 1464	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	49.0	767 of 1461	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.8	939 of 1464	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	16.6	1243 of 1444	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	36.5	998 of 1430	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.8	776 of 1413	45.1%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	56.7	86 of 181	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	88.7	10 of 175	94.3%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	58.9	247 of 815	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	46.8	368 of 821	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	31.7	567 of 801	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	68.5	343 of 1146	70.1%	★★★★☆
2025	58.9	466 of 1172	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.9	594 of 1166	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.9	671 of 1194	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	22.3	988 of 1172	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	58.3	490 of 1183	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	40.3	782 of 1178	33.6%	★★☆☆☆

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)

English Language Learner (2026)90th percentile+22 vs school

African American (2026)89th percentile+21 vs school

Hispanic (2026)82nd percentile+14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)78th percentile+11 vs school

White (2026)70th percentile+3 vs school

Special Education (2026)70th percentile~ school

Female (2026)69th percentile~ school

Male (2026)66th percentile~ school

Gifted and Talented (2026)62nd percentile-6 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)52nd percentile-15 vs school

Disabled (2021)30th percentile+15 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science73%+6 vs state

Mathematics68%+5 vs state

Reading63%+6 vs state

★

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Schools Near Wakelon 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
Wakelon Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8921 Pippin Rd	Zebulon	27597	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 404-3844	679	44	15.2	99.6%	87 (12.8%)	325 (47.9%)	227 (33.4%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.0%)	66.3	485^th of 1492 public elementary schools	67.5%		59.1	581^st of 1490 public elementary schools	61.0%	96	71.8	71.1	60.8				56.5	72.7	58.7				73.3		$11,185	$1,875	$9,310
Zebulon Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	700 Proctor St	Zebulon	27597	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 404-3680	693	50	13.9	99.6%	110 (15.9%)	323 (46.6%)	211 (30.4%)	7 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	39 (5.6%)	31.6	1064^th of 1492 public elementary schools	28.7%		20.2	1278^th of 1490 public elementary schools	14.2%	214	50.5	45.7	53.2				50.5	44.0	53.2				58.7		$11,502	$1,536	$9,966
Wendell Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	3355 Wendell Blvd	Wendell	27591	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(919) 365-2660	458	36	12.6	99.3%	155 (33.8%)	151 (33.0%)	109 (23.8%)	20 (4.4%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.1%)	30.8	1074^th of 1492 public elementary schools	28.0%		28.1	1116^th of 1490 public elementary schools	25.1%	42	54.4	50.7	46.8				49.4	59.2	41.6				50.6		$10,627	$638	$9,989
Carver Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	291 Liles-Dean Rd	Wendell	27591	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 365-2680	495	37	13.2	99.4%	110 (22.2%)	121 (24.4%)	223 (45.1%)	12 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.9%)	52.5	686^th of 1492 public elementary schools	54.0%		46.6	809^th of 1490 public elementary schools	45.7%	123	62.6	55.9	66.3				50.5	59.8	49.4				78.7		$11,967	$1,538	$10,428
Bunn Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	686 Bunn Elem School Road	Bunn	27508	Franklin County	Franklin County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 496-4015	600	42	14.3	98.8%	259 (43.2%)	120 (20.0%)	174 (29.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.5%)	68.7	442^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	70.4%		54.3	665^th of 1490 public elementary schools	55.4%	223	78.4	76.9	79.8				55.7	59.3	54.8				72.6		$9,785	$917	$8,868
Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls	Public, Charter	K-8	6041 Taylor Rd.	Wendell	27591	Wake County	Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls	Yes	No	No	Yes	(919) 752-8870	567	10	54.5	57.3%	146 (25.7%)	185 (32.6%)	171 (30.2%)	13 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (9.2%)	52.7	684^th of 1492 public elementary schools	54.2%		31.7	1064^th of 1490 public elementary schools	28.6%	380	82.9	47.6	59.1	46.8	43.5	45.3	74.3	49.2	54.5	63.8	50.0	64.2	57.6	66.0
Rolesville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	307 S Main St	Rolesville	27571	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 554-8686	538	36	15.0	38.8%	276 (51.3%)	120 (22.3%)	98 (18.2%)	10 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.3%)	70.5	407^th of 1492 public elementary schools	72.7%		67.4	438^th of 1490 public elementary schools	70.6%	31	75.3	64.4	79.1				67.4	56.7	61.5				78.0		$9,840	$595	$9,245
Lake Myra Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1300 Elk Falls Rd	Wendell	27591	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 365-8990	722	54	13.3	55.4%	242 (33.5%)	216 (29.9%)	207 (28.7%)	12 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (6.1%)	31.5	1067^th of 1492 public elementary schools	28.5%		42.3	875^th of 1490 public elementary schools	41.3%	192	57.6	51.2	47.8				45.5	52.0	46.0				56.1		$10,121	$996	$9,125
Middlesex Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	13081 West Hanes Avenue	Middlesex	27557	Nash County	Nash County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(252) 462-2815	333	23	14.7	99.1%	114 (34.2%)	50 (15.0%)	144 (43.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.6%)	30.1	1094^th of 1492 public elementary schools	26.7%		43.8	854^th of 1490 public elementary schools	42.7%	240	51.0	55.7	54.4				41.2	52.5	38.6				56.1		$10,998	$1,807	$9,191
Sanford Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	701 Granite Falls Blvd	Rolesville	27571	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 570-2100	599	43	13.9	34.4%	306 (51.1%)	147 (24.5%)	100 (16.7%)	13 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.5%)	72.2	373^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	75.0%		71.2	370^th of 1490 public elementary schools	75.2%	3	73.7	75.8	62.9				72.6	77.8	65.7				63.8		$9,933	$494	$9,439

Frequently Asked Questions about Wakelon Elementary

Is Wakelon Elementary a good school?

Wakelon Elementary ranks 485^th of 1492 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Wakelon Elementary attend?

Students who attend Wakelon Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Zebulon 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

How many students attend Wakelon Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 679 students attended Wakelon Elementary.

What district is Wakelon Elementary in?

Wake County Schools

What is the racial makeup of Wakelon Elementary?

Students at Wakelon Elementary are 48% African American, 33% Hispanic, 13% White, 5% Two or more races.

Rate Wakelon Elementary!

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Schools in Zebulon, NC

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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.