Raleigh is served by the Wake County Public School System, 161,461 students. No school Monday, Oct. 12. Magnet applications open Oct. 15. Info: 919-431-7400.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Updated each school year and when the district changes a date. Facts on this page come from the Wake County Public School System.
Every public school in Raleigh, with its zone and report card: Raleigh public schools.
Every public school in Raleigh is part of the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), which runs schools across all of Wake County. The district projects 161,461 students for 2026-27, according to its facts and figures page. Each family is assigned a base school by home address, and families can apply to magnet, year-round and early college schools.
Who to call
- WCPSS customer service: 919-431-7400 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays)
- Student assignment (which school is mine?): 919-431-7333
- Magnet programs: 919-533-7295
- Transportation and buses: 919-805-3030
- Interpreting help: 919-852-3303
- District office: 5625 Dillard Drive, Cary; bring a photo ID
Key dates this school year
From the district’s 2026-27 traditional calendar. Year-round and modified-calendar schools have their own calendars on the same page.
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| Monday, Oct. 12 | Teacher workday, no school for students |
| Tuesday, Oct. 27 | End of first quarter |
| Tuesday, Nov. 3 | Teacher workday (Election Day), no school |
| Wednesday, Nov. 11 | Veterans Day holiday |
| Nov. 25-27 | Thanksgiving break |
| Dec. 21 to Jan. 1, 2027 | Winter break |
| Monday, Jan. 18, 2027 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday |
| Monday, Feb. 15, 2027 | Teacher workday |
| March 26 to April 2, 2027 | Holiday, then spring break |
| Monday, May 31, 2027 | Memorial Day holiday |
| June 9, 2027 | Last day of classes |
Oct. 12, Feb. 15 and April 5 are the first make-up days if snow or ice closes schools, along with six banked days and five remote learning days.
Enrolling, and finding your school
New students enroll online through the district’s enrollment page. Use the district’s base school finder, linked there, to see which elementary, middle and high school serve your address. If you move within Wake County, report the new address to the district.
Dates for the 2027-28 school year:
- Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026: kindergarten and pre-K pre-registration opens.
- Oct. 15 to Dec. 11: applications for early college high schools and Crossroads FLEX High School.
- Oct. 15 to Jan. 21, 2027: applications for magnet and year-round schools.
- Feb. 18, 2027: results for all application windows.
- March 1-12, 2027: second-round magnet applications and the transfer window.
The district holds magnet fairs this fall, including at Millbrook Magnet High School, 2201 Spring Forest Road, and Brooks Museums Magnet Elementary, 700 Northbrook Drive.
How the schools are rated
North Carolina gives every public school an A to F School Performance Grade. Look up any Raleigh school on the state’s N.C. School Report Cards, which also show class sizes, teacher data and safety figures.
For 2025-26, the district reported:
| Measure | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Students proficient on state tests | 64.4% | 68.2% |
| Schools meeting or exceeding expected growth | 73.5% | 79.4% |
| Schools designated low-performing | 30 | 17 |
| Four-year graduation rate | 90.7% | 91.3% |
In 2026, 118 schools, or 60%, earned an A or B, the most since the state started letter grades, and no WCPSS school received an F. In Raleigh, Southeast Raleigh Magnet High’s proficiency rate rose 17.4 percentage points to 44.8%. The district’s own school progress reports add a page for each school.
The school board and the Nov. 3 bond
The Wake County Board of Education has nine members, each elected by voters in one district. The board sets policy, hires the superintendent and adopts the budget request; it cannot set taxes. Find your member, sign up to speak and watch meetings from the school board page. Agendas are on Simbli.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, Wake County voters decide a $680 million school bond. If it passes, the county would issue the bonds and add $152.3 million in cash, mostly for renovating or replacing aging schools, new schools and repairs, according to the district’s bond page. See our voting guide.
What this means for you
- No school Monday, Oct. 12, on the traditional calendar.
- Want a magnet or year-round seat for 2027-28? Apply between Oct. 15 and Jan. 21.
- Starting kindergarten next fall? Pre-registration opens Oct. 15.
Raleigh also has charter and private schools, which set their own calendars. School sports scores are on our scoreboard.
Which schools serve each part of the city: our Raleigh neighborhoods guide.
Frequently asked questions
What school district is Raleigh in?
Raleigh’s public schools are run by the Wake County Public School System, which serves the whole county with about 161,461 students projected for 2026-27. Every address is assigned a base school.
When is the last day of school for Wake County in 2027?
On the 2026-27 traditional calendar, the last day of classes is June 9, 2027. Year-round schools follow their own track calendars.
When is winter break for Wake County schools?
On the traditional calendar, winter break runs from Monday, Dec. 21, 2026, through Friday, Jan. 1, 2027. Thanksgiving break is Nov. 25-27.
When do Wake County magnet applications open?
Applications for magnet and year-round schools open Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, and close Jan. 21, 2027. Results are sent Feb. 18, 2027.
How are Raleigh schools rated?
The state issues every school an A to F School Performance Grade on the N.C. School Report Cards site. In 2025-26, 60% of Wake County schools earned an A or B and none earned an F.
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