Original Research by School Decision on Carter High School
Carter High School is a special education school serving grades eleven and twelve (with minimal grade ten enrollment) in Winston-Salem. It is a small school, with a student population concentrated in the upper grades. Nearly all students in the school qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the families served.
The student body is racially diverse. Black and White students each represent a substantial share of enrollment, with Hispanic students also present in meaningful numbers. A small number of Asian students are enrolled, and a few students identify as multiracial. The school serves students with individualized education programs, though the specific count and rate of IEP enrollment are not publicly available.
State assessment results and graduation rate data are not reported for this school, which is typical for special education schools. These schools often operate outside the standard testing and accountability frameworks because their student populations follow individualized education plans rather than grade-level standards. A parent should speak directly with Carter High about what academic and transition assessments are used, how progress is measured, and what kinds of outcomes the school tracks. The school's website would be a first place to look for that information; if it is not there, the school's enrollment or special education office can explain the assessment and accountability model.
Carter High sits in Winston-Salem, a mid-sized North Carolina city that has reversed decades of population decline and now combines a well-preserved historic downtown with an expanding Innovation Quarter built on former tobacco warehouses. The city is anchored by major healthcare employers, Wake Forest University and Wake Forest School of Medicine, and Winston-Salem State University. Housing values in the area are moderate, and rent is stable, making the city relatively affordable compared to national benchmarks.
The school is part of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, a large urban district. The district has faced some capital constraints in recent years. In 2022 the school board postponed three major bond projects due to construction cost escalation. The county later provided additional funding to preserve the remaining renovations, and commissioners signaled potential future bond capacity in 2028 without a rate increase. The district has also shifted to a modified academic calendar with an earlier August start, a change that is now locked in for 2026-27 and relevant to families planning childcare and summer programs.
For families considering Carter High, the key next steps are to understand the school's specific special education mission, how it assesses and supports student progress, what transition and post-secondary services it offers, and how it approaches student placement and ongoing IEP planning. The small enrollment in grade ten suggests that most students are entering at grade eleven; understanding the recruitment, enrollment, and support structure for that entry point would also be useful.
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