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Laurel Park Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

102^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 93% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Laurel Park Elementary is a PK–5 elementary school in Apex, NC, serving 694 students as part of the Wake County Schools system. In the latest 2025–2026 state ranking, Laurel Park placed 102nd out of 1,492 North Carolina elementary schools, putting it in the 93rd percentile with a 5-star rating. The school has ranked in the 85th percentile or higher every year since 2021–2022, peaking at 94th statewide in 2023–2024. Among its closest competitors, only Davis Drive Elementary and Peak Charter Academy rank higher, while Baucom Elementary and Turner Creek Elementary trail just behind.

Students at Laurel Park score well above district and state averages on end-of-grade tests. Proficiency rates run roughly 9 to 14 percentage points higher than Wake County averages and 16 to 25 points higher than state averages across every grade and subject. Science and 5th-grade math stand out, with proficiency at 87% and 84.7%, respectively. Attendance is another differentiator: only 7.9% of students were chronically absent in 2024–2025, the lowest among nearby elementary schools and dramatically below the 20.5% district and 24.2% statewide averages. Interestingly, school proximity does not guarantee similar results — Salem Elementary, just 1.35 miles away, ranked 242nd statewide.

Laurel Park also achieves strong results for groups that commonly face additional academic barriers. Its English Language Learner students rank at the 94th percentile statewide, special education students at the 95th percentile, and low-income students at the 79th percentile. While the school does not reach the heights of Davis Drive Elementary — 5th-grade math proficiency is 84.7% at Laurel Park versus 94.9% at Davis Drive — it outperforms most schools within a few miles. And it does so without outsized spending: per-pupil spending is $9,351, less than several neighboring schools, which makes Laurel Park one of the most effective traditional public elementary options in the Apex/Cary area.

694

Students ?

14.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

12.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2450 Laura Duncan Rd
Apex, NC 27523

(919) 290-2333

District: Wake County Schools

Students who attend Laurel Park Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Salem 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:

64.0%

Asian:

13.8%

Hispanic:

9.7%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Laurel Park Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 86th percentile in 2016 → 93rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (82% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 7% of North Carolina elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 7 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school82%

District avg70%

North Carolina avg61%

102^nd of 1,492

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 7%▲ up 7 pts since 2016

From top 14% (2016) to top 7% (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	90.8	102 of 1492	93.2%	★★★★★
2025	87.5	143 of 1490	90.4%	★★★★★
2024	91.6	94 of 1505	93.8%	★★★★★
2023	80.8	218 of 1502	85.5%	★★★★☆
2022	85.6	169 of 1514	88.8%	★★★★☆
2021	86.0	175 of 1489	88.2%	★★★★☆
2019	78.7	250 of 1473	83.0%	★★★★☆
2018	81.0	208 of 1434	85.5%	★★★★☆
2017	86.1	135 of 1429	90.6%	★★★★★
2016	81.9	198 of 1425	86.1%	★★★★☆
2015	87.8	125 of 1440	91.3%	★★★★★
2014	93.2	65 of 1390	95.3%	★★★★★
2013	94.2	58 of 1403	95.9%	★★★★★
2012	79.4	224 of 1388	83.9%	★★★★☆
2011	83.6	143 of 1381	89.6%	★★★★☆
2010	77.5	247 of 1363	81.9%	★★★★☆
2009	76.5	268 of 1354	80.2%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	22.0	805 of 933	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	61.9	227 of 896	74.7%	★★★★☆
2019	37.8	623 of 949	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.0	458 of 927	50.6%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	46.5	92 of 134	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	42.7	98 of 131	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	54.9	82 of 130	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	40.6	82 of 114	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	33.9	79 of 107	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	44.2	70 of 95	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	65.8	45 of 106	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.5	56 of 99	43.4%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	63.1	141 of 634	77.8%	★★★★☆
2019	46.5	423 of 878	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	73.0	128 of 897	85.7%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	89.9	33 of 519	93.6%	★★★★★
2025	76.7	70 of 563	87.6%	★★★★☆
2023	75.3	70 of 514	86.4%	★★★★☆
2019	72.3	75 of 497	84.9%	★★★★☆
2018	86.5	25 of 421	94.1%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	91.8	70 of 1447	95.2%	★★★★★
2025	86.3	137 of 1451	90.6%	★★★★★
2024	91.1	83 of 1455	94.3%	★★★★★
2023	81.8	187 of 1459	87.2%	★★★★☆
2022	84.2	164 of 1458	88.8%	★★★★☆
2021	84.7	166 of 1440	88.5%	★★★★☆
2019	78.5	234 of 1424	83.6%	★★★★☆
2018	80.3	221 of 1405	84.3%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	57.6	388 of 743	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.3	585 of 710	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	44.4	540 of 669	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	40.0	504 of 582	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.1	428 of 500	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	56.5	273 of 494	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	61.7	276 of 612	54.9%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	79.6	122 of 981	87.6%	★★★★☆
2025	57.1	364 of 961	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	68.1	225 of 951	76.3%	★★★★☆
2023	67.2	216 of 915	76.4%	★★★★☆
2022	74.4	157 of 893	82.4%	★★★★☆
2021	71.2	161 of 843	80.9%	★★★★☆
2019	64.8	247 of 865	71.4%	★★★★☆
2018	71.1	184 of 851	78.4%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	71.0	298 of 1434	79.2%	★★★★☆
2025	54.1	604 of 1437	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.3	409 of 1450	71.8%	★★★★☆
2023	21.5	1247 of 1437	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.5	1244 of 1366	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	53.7	521 of 1329	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	16.0	1264 of 1361	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	36.5	919 of 1332	31.0%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	86.5	140 of 1451	90.4%	★★★★★
2025	85.8	153 of 1450	89.4%	★★★★☆
2024	89.3	107 of 1464	92.7%	★★★★★
2023	76.2	279 of 1461	80.9%	★★★★☆
2022	84.5	175 of 1464	88.0%	★★★★☆
2021	83.6	189 of 1444	86.9%	★★★★☆
2019	76.4	268 of 1430	81.3%	★★★★☆
2018	80.2	210 of 1413	85.1%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	89.4	14 of 181	92.3%	★★★★★
2025	76.2	36 of 175	79.4%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	86.9	41 of 815	95.0%	★★★★★
2025	88.4	37 of 821	95.5%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	80.5	178 of 1146	84.5%	★★★★☆
2025	76.6	229 of 1172	80.5%	★★★★☆
2024	84.4	128 of 1166	89.0%	★★★★☆
2023	72.5	292 of 1183	75.3%	★★★★☆
2022	77.2	232 of 1194	80.6%	★★★★☆
2021	75.1	248 of 1172	78.8%	★★★★☆
2019	70.7	309 of 1183	73.9%	★★★★☆
2018	76.0	252 of 1178	78.6%	★★★★☆

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)

Female (2026)95th percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)95th percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2026)94th percentile~ school

Multi-racial (2026)92nd percentile~ school

Male (2026)90th percentile-3 vs school

Hispanic (2026)88th percentile-6 vs school

White (2026)84th percentile-9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)79th percentile-14 vs school

Disabled (2022)78th percentile-11 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)48th percentile-45 vs school

Asian (2026)31st percentile-62 vs school

African American (2023)14th percentile-72 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science87%+19 vs state

Mathematics82%+19 vs state

Reading79%+23 vs state

5.0

3 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★3

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, November 30, 2016

This elementary school is by far one of the best schools in Wake County. I am proud to have my child attend classes here. Close Quote

by a parent on FaceBook
Thursday, August 11, 2011

We are new to the school and so far I have found the school to be well organized and run efficiently. The office staff is very helpful. My child is in 2nd grade and she is kept quite busy with school work. Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, July 10, 2011

Wonderful school! Very positive and dedicated staff and our children love the amazing opportunities they receive. We're very happy to be Penguins!!! Close Quote

Schools Near Laurel Park 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
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
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
Davis Drive Elementary	Public	K-5	2151 Davis Drive	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 387-2130	794	53	14.8	9.2%	324 (40.8%)	24 (3.0%)	54 (6.8%)	376 (47.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	14 (1.8%)	96.9	16^th of 1492 public elementary schools	98.9%		97.1	20^th of 1490 public elementary schools	98.7%	4	92.7	561.0	94.9				80.8	94.3	88.0				93.7		$9,368	$407	$8,961
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
Peak Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	1601 Orchard Villas Ave	Apex	27502	Wake County	Peak Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(919) 377-1552	651	35	18.4	14.9%	209 (32.1%)	55 (8.4%)	55 (8.4%)	281 (43.2%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (7.2%)	95.2	36^th of 1492 public elementary schools	97.6%		92	82^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	94.5%	46	90.4	84.1	88.1	86.9	76.5	71.2	81.9	84.1	83.3	89.3	79.0	84.6	92.9	92.3
Weatherstone Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 Olde Weatherstone Way	Cary	27513	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 380-6988	730	48	15.1	31.1%	294 (40.3%)	47 (6.4%)	184 (25.2%)	170 (23.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (4.7%)	83.5	199^th of 1492 public elementary schools	86.7%		79	263^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	82.3%	64	70.0	88.8	91.3				59.1	76.0	72.8				86.4		$8,983	$480	$8,503
Turner Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6801 Turner Creek Road	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 363-1391	638	51	12.6	22.6%	280 (43.9%)	66 (10.3%)	100 (15.7%)	155 (24.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	34 (5.3%)	88.4	143^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	90.4%		79.8	247^th of 1490 public elementary schools	83.4%	104	74.2	79.8	90.1				70.1	78.2	79.2				90.1		$9,601	$458	$9,143
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
Cary Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	400 Kildaire Farm Road	Cary	27511	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 460-3455	477	32	14.7	42.6%	269 (56.4%)	52 (10.9%)	112 (23.5%)	19 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (5.0%)	80.7	236^th of 1492 public elementary schools	84.2%		79.9	246^th of 1490 public elementary schools	83.5%	10	71.6	80.0	71.3				74.3	81.3	73.8				72.5		$10,015	$629	$9,386

Frequently Asked Questions about Laurel Park Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Laurel Park Elementary?

Students at Laurel Park Elementary are 64% White, 14% Asian, 10% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 5% African American.

How many students attend Laurel Park Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 694 students attended Laurel Park Elementary.

What district is Laurel Park Elementary in?

Wake County Schools

Is Laurel Park Elementary a good school?

Yes. Laurel Park Elementary ranks in the top 6.8% of North Carolina elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Laurel Park Elementary attend?

Students who attend Laurel Park Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Salem 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

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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.