The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in Math. The lowest is 65% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Apex Elementary
Apex Elementary is a regular public elementary school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Apex, a fast-growing Raleigh suburb in southwestern Wake County. The school draws from a residential community that has expanded rapidly around a preserved downtown historic district and is now anchored by the massive Veridea mixed-use development project, which will add apartments, a Wake Tech campus, and the future NC Children's Hospital within the next few years.
The school enrolls a moderate number of students, with the largest cohorts in grades three through five, reflecting both the town's growth and the grade band it serves. The student body is roughly evenly split between white students and students of color, with meaningful representation of Hispanic, Black, and Asian families. About one-third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, positioning the school in a middle-income community rather than an affluent or low-income one.
On state testing, Apex Elementary's math proficiency sits in the mid-range, with about three-quarters of students in grades three and above meeting proficiency. English language arts proficiency is lower, at around two-thirds of students, a gap worth noting as reading is the foundation for all later learning. Science proficiency sits between the two. The school reports these results for end-of-grade tests; science testing underwent a format and cut-score change this year, which makes comparison to past performance difficult. Testing data was available for grades three through five; younger grades are not assessed at the state level.
Wake County Schools adopted the Science of Reading approach district-wide, with all prekindergarten through fifth-grade teachers required to complete LETRS training. This is a fundamental shift in how early literacy instruction happens, grounded in phonics and decoding rather than other models. All elementary schools in the district, including Apex, are now evaluated through this lens for curriculum and materials. The district also implemented a new cellphone policy for the current school year requiring elementary and middle students to keep devices silenced and stored away all day, a change that affects the daily school environment.
The town itself is experiencing extraordinary growth. Apex more than doubled in population over the past decade and continues expanding rapidly. The Veridea development, a master-planned community of several thousand units plus commercial and institutional anchors, is breaking ground now on its first residential phase. This growth means the school may face enrollment pressure and possible reassignment in the coming years. Wake County's Board approved a construction bond in 2022 that includes funding for a new elementary school in Apex, signaling the district's recognition of demand. Growth also shapes housing: home values in the area are substantial and climbing, and rental prices reflect Apex's appeal as a bedroom community for the Research Triangle.
The immediate community offers walkable downtown amenities, parks, and greenway trails (the Beaver Creek Trail and American Tobacco Trail), though the school itself and many residential neighborhoods sit on separated suburban campuses. The Eva Perry Regional Library is a commonly used civic anchor for young people, and the town's Parks and Recreation department manages skate parks, sports programs, and cultural events.
The school's position within Wake County puts it in a district undergoing significant change: the Science of Reading adoption is district-wide policy, the cellphone rules are uniform, and reassignment waves are ongoing to manage growth and fill new school capacity. A parent may want to look into with the school whether any reassignment plan affecting Apex is anticipated for the next few years and which school calendar (traditional or year-round) the school currently operates under, as these are major practical factors in the student experience.
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