Schools in Zip Code 27591

ZIP code 27591 (Wendell, NC) contains eight schools — four elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools — serving about 8,172 students across Wake County Schools, Johnston County Public Schools, and Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls as its own charter district. There is no single Wendell school profile: half of the ZIP's schools rank above the 50th percentile statewide, and half rank below it. A striking trend, though, is district-driven — the Johnston County Public Schools in the ZIP, Corinth Holders High and Archer Lodge Middle, generally outperform their Wake County Schools counterparts, even though the Wake district holds a higher overall state rating.

Archer Lodge Middle is the area's strongest school: a four-star school at the 72nd percentile that beats district and state averages in nearly every tested EOG subject while keeping chronic absenteeism (19.1%) below the state average. Corinth Holders High is the ZIP's top high school, graduating 93.4% of students and exceeding state proficiency in Biology, English II, and Math III despite a very high free/reduced-lunch rate. Among traditional elementary schools, Carver Elementary stands out for its 5th-grade science performance (78.7% proficient), while Cardinal Charter Academy at Wendell Falls jumped from the 29th to the 54th percentile on the strength of exceptional 3rd-grade reading and math scores — although its math proficiency weakens from 4th through 8th grade.

The biggest concern is East Wake High, which has fallen from the 41st to the 15th percentile in three years and posts a 37.2% chronic absenteeism rate and 21.1% Math I proficiency. Math is the area's broadest weakness, even at otherwise strong schools like Corinth Holders High, whose Math I results run well below its other EOC scores. Poverty alone does not explain outcomes: Corinth Holders High and Archer Lodge Middle serve roughly 99% free/reduced-lunch students yet lead the ZIP, while Lake Myra Elementary has the lowest poverty rate and lowest chronic absenteeism (13.9%) but still ranks in the bottom third, alongside Wendell Middle and Wendell Elementary. For parents, the most important takeaway is that school quality in 27591 depends heavily on district and school assignment, not just on the ZIP code.