Original Research by School Decision on The Special Children's School
The Special Children's School serves students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in a small, specialized setting within Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. The school's enrollment is small, with the majority of students in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten; only a handful of students are enrolled in first through fifth grade. This composition reflects the school's role as a specialized facility rather than a traditional neighborhood elementary.
The student body is economically disadvantaged: the vast majority of enrolled students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating very high poverty concentration. Racially, the enrollment is roughly evenly split between white and Black students, with additional representation from Hispanic and multiracial families and one Asian student. The school serves no students identified as American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.
The Special Children's School, as a special education school, operates outside the framework of state academic testing. State assessment results in proficiency and growth metrics are not applicable to this setting, and the school has no graduation rate to report. The comparison metrics against other Forsyth County districts—overall proficiency, graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism—do not apply to a specialized, non-traditional school serving early childhood through early elementary grades with a special education mission. A parent considering this school should understand that it is purpose-built for students with specific learning, developmental, or behavioral needs, and the school's success is measured through individual student progress plans and specialized services rather than standardized academic benchmarks.
Winston-Salem itself is a mid-sized North Carolina city experiencing sustained growth and economic transition. Once built on tobacco and textiles, the city has diversified into healthcare and research, with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Wake Forest University as major anchors, alongside an adaptive-reuse Innovation Quarter carved from former tobacco warehouses. Downtown is compact and walkable, though pedestrian access beyond the core remains limited. Housing in the area where the school is located (zip code 27106) is modestly valued and affordable relative to national benchmarks; median rent is moderate and within reach of many families, though home ownership requires significant mortgage commitment given current rates.
The district that operates The Special Children's School, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, has faced infrastructure and funding pressures. In 2022 the board postponed three major bond projects due to construction-cost escalation, deferring new and expanded capacity at several elementary and middle schools. The county provided supplemental funding in 2023 to preserve other renovation projects. The district has also adopted a modified academic calendar beginning classes in early August rather than after Labor Day—a logistical shift relevant to families arranging childcare and summer programs.
For families whose children have been identified as needing specialized instruction, assessment, or behavioral support, The Special Children's School offers a contained, staffed environment focused on individualized progress rather than grade-level promotion. Parents should verify directly with the school what disabilities, age ranges, or service needs the school addresses, as that mission defines fit and enrollment eligibility. The school's small enrollment and the concentration of economic need suggest a tight, resource-conscious operation; a parent may want to look into the school's current staffing, waitlist status, and parent involvement structure to understand day-to-day operations and communication.
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