Wake Forest High, 420 W. Stadium Drive: grades 9-12, 1,973 students in 2024-25, a B (75) state grade.
Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Sources: the school’s website; the Wake County Public School System’s enrollment and calendar pages, base school lookup and draft 2027-28 enrollment plan; Wake County property records; the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2024-25 report card data and 2025-26 school assessment workbook; the federal NCES school directory; and the NCHSAA’s 2025-29 realignment.
Wake Forest High is a Wake County Public School System high school at 420 W. Stadium Drive, Wake Forest. The campus is in Wake Forest, outside Raleigh city limits, but its attendance zone takes in homes in northeast Raleigh. In our Oct. 12 check of 1,010 homes spread across Raleigh city limits, drawn from Wake County property records and run through the district’s base school lookup, 2 were assigned to Wake Forest High, in ZIP code 27616.
Who to call
- Front office: 919-554-8611, 420 W. Stadium Drive
- School website: wakeforesths.wcpss.net
- Enrolling a new student: WCPSS enrollment page; Student Assignment 919-431-7333
- Which school is my address zoned for? the district’s base school lookup
- Buses: WCPSS Transportation 919-805-3030
| Address | 420 W. Stadium Drive, Wake Forest, NC 27587 |
| Phone | 919-554-8611 |
| Grades | 9 to 12 |
| District | Wake County Public School System |
| Mascot | Cougars |
| Calendar | Traditional |
| State school code | 920588 |
Principal
Principal Melissa Thomas, according to the school’s website.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: an average daily membership of 1,973 students in the 2024-25 school year, down from 2,018 in 2023-24, according to the state’s report card data.
- Federal count: 2,075 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 110 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 19 students per teacher.
State report card
North Carolina grades every public school A to F. The grade is based 80% on student achievement and 20% on academic growth, according to the state’s 2025-26 annual testing report. For a high school, achievement includes end-of-course tests, the ACT or WorkKeys, NC Math 3 and the four-year graduation rate.
| School year | Grade and score | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | B (75) | Met |
| 2023-24 | B (77) | Met |
The 2024-25 grade is the latest in the state’s downloadable report card data. The state released 2025-26 test results in September 2026; from its 2025-26 school assessment workbook:
- At grade level or above, all end-of-course tests: 66.5% (statewide: 59.6%)
- College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 45.8%
- Growth: exceeded expected growth
- ACT composite of 17 or higher, 11th graders: 67.6% (statewide: 54.5%)
- ACT or WorkKeys benchmark, 12th graders: 74.3%
- Four-year graduation rate: 92.6% (statewide: 89%)
The full report card, with class sizes, teacher data and school safety figures, is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site.
Attendance zone
WCPSS assigns every address a base elementary, middle and high school. Enter an address in the district’s base school lookup to see all three, or browse the base attendance area map. Zones do not follow city limits or mailing addresses. We did not find a published feeder list on the district’s enrollment pages, so we do not name feeder schools here; Student Assignment, 919-431-7333, can confirm an address.
The list of proposed base area changes in the district’s draft 2027-28 enrollment plan, which the Board of Education is scheduled to vote on Nov. 17, does not name Wake Forest High. Check an address with the proposal lookup.
Calendar and bell times
Wake Forest High follows the district’s traditional calendar. Coming dates on the 2026-27 traditional calendar (PDF):
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: teacher workday, no school for students
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day holiday
- Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving break
- Dec. 21 to Jan. 1: winter break
Bell times: 7:20 a.m. to 2:13 p.m., according to the bell schedule posted on the school’s website.
Sports and activities
Wake Forest is a 7A school in the NCHSAA’s 6A/7A Conference C for the 2025-29 alignment, with East Wake, Heritage, Knightdale, Franklinton and Vance County, according to the approved realignment.
The Cougars’ athletics website lists these teams:
- Boys: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and wrestling
- Girls: basketball, cross country, flag football, golf, gymnastics, indoor track, lacrosse, soccer, softball, stunt, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball and wrestling
- Coed: competitive cheerleading, swimming and track
Fall schedules and results are in our Friday night football guide and on our scoreboard.
More
- The school’s own website and the district’s enrollment page
- Every public school in Raleigh, with zones and report cards
- Our Raleigh schools guide for district calendars, enrollment dates and the school board
Frequently asked questions
What grades does Wake Forest High serve?
Wake Forest High serves ninth grade through 12th grade.
What is Wake Forest High’s school grade?
Wake Forest High earned a B, with a score of 75, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 66.5% of its state tests were at grade level or above and it exceeded its growth target.
What time does Wake Forest High start?
The school day runs 7:20 a.m. to 2:13 p.m., according to the school’s website.
What conference is Wake Forest High in?
Wake Forest is a 7A school in the NCHSAA’s 6A/7A Conference C for the 2025-29 alignment, with East Wake, Heritage, Knightdale, Franklinton and Vance County.
How do I know if my address is zoned for Wake Forest High?
Enter the address in the Wake County Public School System’s base school lookup, or call Student Assignment at 919-431-7333. Zones do not follow city limits.
Have your say