The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in Science. The lowest is 37% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Wildwood Forest Elementary
Wildwood Forest Elementary serves PreK through fifth grade in a suburban part of Raleigh within Wake County Schools. The school enrolls a diverse student body with substantial economic need. The largest share of enrollment is Black students, followed by a meaningful Hispanic population, with smaller shares of Asian and white students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which indicates a community with lower household income than the county and state averages. The school is situated in a zip code where housing values have recently declined modestly and remain below the state average, though rents are stable and modest. This is a school serving a working-class or lower-income neighborhood.
For students in grades three through five, the most recent state assessment data shows proficiency in math and English language arts both in the low to mid-range. Roughly four in ten students in tested grades score at proficient or above in each of these subjects, which means that for a large share of the school's upper-elementary population, grade-level skills in reading and mathematics remain a gap. Science results, measured only in grade five, are stronger, with about half the grade meeting proficiency. No trend data is available to show whether results are improving or declining. The comparison universe for this school is limited—because it serves only elementary grades, state graduation data, chronic absenteeism rates, and other secondary-level metrics do not apply, and proficiency comparisons across the county's full range of districts cannot be meaningfully computed.
Wildwood Forest sits within Wake County Schools, a large district that has been undergoing substantial change. The district adopted Science of Reading instruction in PreK through fifth grade, with all teachers in those grades completing state-mandated training by 2024; curriculum and materials purchases now reflect that literacy approach. A major construction bond approved by voters in 2022 is funding five new schools elsewhere in the county plus renovations at existing schools, paid for through a property tax increase. In the 2025–26 school year, the district rolled out a district-wide cellphone policy requiring elementary and middle school students to keep devices off and stored away all day. The district has also executed large-scale reassignments in 2024 and 2025 to manage growth and fill newly opened schools. Families choosing a Wake County neighborhood face ongoing risk of reassignment, particularly as the county grows and new schools open in other areas.
Wildwood Forest itself did not appear in the reassignment announcements available, though families should verify the school's status with the district directly, as reassignment plans have become frequent. Special populations data—rates of students with IEPs and English learners—was not reported for the school, so a parent may want to look into the school's current capacity and supports for these populations directly. Staffing, attendance, and discipline data were also not available in public reporting.
The school is in Raleigh proper, a city in active growth with downtown revitalization, major mixed-use development projects, and strong employment anchors in healthcare, technology, and government. Raleigh is primarily car-dependent outside the downtown core, though neighborhoods like Five Points and Mordecai offer some walkability, and an extensive greenway network connects schools and parks. The location offers access to Wake County Public Libraries and a bus system, though transit service to school may depend on the specific neighborhood route.
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