The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Math. The lowest is 37% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Smith Elementary
Smith Elementary serves pre-K through fifth grade in Raleigh, part of Wake County Schools. The school sits in a city experiencing sustained growth: Raleigh blends a dense, walkable downtown with car-oriented residential neighborhoods, and the region is in the midst of major development, with new mixed-use districts, office campuses, and residential construction reshaping the landscape. Wake County itself is one of North Carolina's largest districts and continues to grow, with voter-approved school bonds funding new buildings and a multi-year construction cycle that reshapes where families send their children.
Smith Elementary draws a diverse student body. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating economic need across most of the enrollment. The student population is roughly split between Hispanic students (largest group), Black students, and White students, with a small Asian presence and very small numbers of American Indian, Pacific Islander, and multiracial students.
The school's current academic performance shows students below proficiency on North Carolina's state assessments. In math, roughly four in ten students scored at proficiency or above. In English language arts, the rate was about one in three. In science, the proficiency rate was around four in ten, though science is tested in fewer grades at the elementary level than math and ELA. These results point to significant instruction challenges. A parent may want to look further into what supports and interventions the school has in place and what student growth the school is seeing year to year, since single-year snapshots do not always show the full picture of where students are headed. Data on year-to-year trends were not available.
Smith runs a traditional schedule serving about a mid-sized elementary enrollment across all pre-K through fifth-grade classes. The school is not a charter, magnet, or Title I designated school (Title I status information was not provided in available data). Enrollment numbers show growth across grade bands.
Within Wake County Schools, the district has undertaken substantial curriculum and instructional changes that affect all elementary schools. Starting in the 2022-23 school year, Wake pivoted K-5 reading instruction to the Science of Reading model, with all pre-K through fifth-grade teachers required to complete LETRS training, a multi-year professional development that finished for the core cohort in spring 2024. This shift touches every student's early literacy pathway and shapes how Smith's reading instruction is organized.
Raleigh's housing market is moderately priced for its region, with home values above the state average but somewhat below the national benchmark. Rental costs are significant but broadly in line with mortgage payments when adjusting for income. The area's economy centers on technology, healthcare, higher education, and professional services. Major employers include WakeMed, Duke Raleigh Hospital, NC State University, IBM, Cisco, Red Hat, and organizations in nearby Research Triangle Park. The unemployment rate is near four percent and median household income is solidly middle-to-upper-middle class.
One operational reality parents in Wake should be aware of: the district manages continuous large-scale reassignments to accommodate growth and open new schools. In November 2024, an estimated several hundred students moved across about two dozen schools to fill four new elementary buildings. Another reassignment affecting three dozen schools is underway for 2026-27. These shifts disrupt established communities and routines, though most affected families receive options including stability transfers to remain in place. For families considering the Maxwell Drive area where Smith sits, understanding the reassignment timeline and whether this school or your assigned area is stable in the near term is worth discussing with the district directly.
See more original research from School Decision →