Summary:
Zip code 27529 in the Garner, North Carolina area is served by 14 public schools with roughly 11,877 students across elementary, middle, and high school levels. Eleven schools belong to Wake County Schools, ranked 60th in North Carolina, while 3 belong to Johnston County Public Schools, ranked 98th. Poverty is widespread: about 82% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, and 10 of the 14 schools exceed 98% poverty. Chronic absenteeism runs near 28.5%, above the state average of 24.2%.
The standout school is Bryan Road Elementary, ranked #133 of 1,492 elementary schools with a 5-star rating and the area's lowest poverty rate at 34%. Its 5th grade math proficiency of 88.9% is far above the state average. Several high-poverty schools are impressive too. West View Elementary ranks in the 87th percentile despite 98.5% poverty, and Polenta Elementary combines 98% poverty with the best attendance in the area at 13.4% chronic absenteeism. Rand Road Elementary also stands out with strong 3rd grade scores and just 52.5% poverty. Cleveland Middle is the strongest middle school, ranked in the 72nd percentile while serving a student body where 99.7% qualify for free/reduced lunch. Its 8th grade math proficiency of 68.9% far exceeds the roughly 38% rates at East Garner Middle and North Garner Middle.
Yet this zip code is deeply divided academically. Six schools hold 1-star ratings, and outcomes differ enormously between nearby schools. Aversboro Elementary sits in the 11th percentile while Bryan Road Elementary sits in the 91st. The high schools also face serious challenges: South Garner High and Garner High both exceed 37% chronic absenteeism, and their graduation rates of 85.5% and 86.0% trail the state's 88.8%. Garner High posts just 20.3% Math I proficiency versus the 42.1% state average. Attendance is the clearest dividing line: every 4- or 5-star school has chronic absenteeism at or below 19.3%, while every 1- or 2-star school exceeds 22.3%.
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