The top reported proficiency rate is 89% in Science. The lowest is 68% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Partnership Elementary
Partnership Elementary sits in Raleigh, a capital city in the midst of major growth and investment. The school serves grades kindergarten through fifth in a small enrollment setting, with roughly a balance of white and Hispanic families and a meaningful share of Black students. About one-third of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a diverse neighborhood school in an urban core that is actively reshaping itself through mixed-use development downtown, in the Warehouse District, and at the North Hills Innovation District.
On state testing for grades three through five, Partnership's performance is mixed. In English language arts, proficiency sits in the upper sixties. Math proficiency is similar, in the high sixties. Science proficiency is notably stronger, in the mid-eighties, though the science assessment changed this year so comparison to prior years is not available for that subject. Math and English results are on the lower end compared to what many Wake County elementary schools report, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school, either to understand the school's support strategies or to consider other options in the district. The school's small tested cohort in grades three through five means these snapshots, while official, rest on modest sample sizes.
Raleigh itself is a car-dependent city where most residents rely on cars for daily travel, though downtown blocks score high on walkability and historic neighborhoods like Five Points and Oakwood offer pedestrian-friendly streets. Partnership's location on Devereux Street sits near downtown Raleigh. The broader housing market in the school's area has median home values well above the state average, with rents also elevated relative to national norms; the cost of living, whether buying or renting, is a real consideration for families in this zip code. The unemployment rate is steady and the regional economy is strong, anchored by tech firms like Red Hat, IBM, and Cisco, health systems like WakeMed, NC State University, and the wider Research Triangle Park ecosystem.
Wake County Schools has made several district-wide changes that will touch this school. All PreK through fifth-grade teachers completed Science of Reading training, and the district now evaluates all curriculum and materials through that lens. A new cellphone policy took effect this school year requiring elementary students to keep phones silenced and away all day. And the district continues to execute large reassignment plans to manage growth and fill new schools; Partnership is a small, established school in an urban area, so reassignment risk is lower here than in fast-growing suburban neighborhoods, but families should stay aware of district announcements. A major school construction bond approved by voters in November 2022 will fund five new schools and renovations across the district over the coming years, paid for via a property tax increase that directly affects homeowners.
Partnership is a neighborhood public school, not a magnet or charter, serving a mixed-income, racially diverse cohort in Raleigh's city core at a moment when the city itself is in transition. Its academic results suggest room for growth in core literacy and math, while science performance is notably stronger. For families drawn to urban living, neighborhood school integration, and walkable downtown or near-downtown Raleigh, this school fits a particular profile. For families prioritizing the highest state test performance among Wake County's many options, this school's current results warrant closer conversation with the principal or consideration of other schools in the district.
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