Basic Facts
The Wake County Public School System is one comprehensive school district serving the entire county including Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Wendell, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Knightdale, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, Morrisville and Zebulon.
The system was formed in 1976 with the merger of the former City of Raleigh and Wake County school systems. The system and its school board are committed to providing the highest possible quality of education to Wake County students, while maintaining fiscal responsibility and accountability.
Enrollment: 134,002 students on the 20th day of school 2007-2008; largest system in the state; 19th largest in the nation
Schools: 153 including 96 elementary, 30 middle, 23 high, and 4 special/optional schools (2007-2008).
Student Racial Composition: 53.8 percent white, 26.8 percent African-American, 10.2 percent Hispanic, 5.0 percent Asian, 3.9 percent Multi-racial, 0.3 percent American Indian (2006-07)
Teacher/Student Ratio: Grades K, 1:21.5; Grades 1-3, 1:23; Grades 4-5, 1:25.5 (only classroom teachers); Grades 6-8, 1:22.5 (based on average daily membership allotments); Grades 9-12, 1:24 (based on average daily membership allotments)
Teacher Salaries: $32,288 (bachelor's and first year of teaching) to $71,661 (master's, national board certified and 29+ years).
Number of Teachers: 9,703 (based on October 2007 report).
Number of Employees: 16,755 (based on October 2007 report).
Budget (2006-07): $1,143,948,933 operating budget with 82% going to salaries and benefits, 10% to purchased services, 6% to supplies and materials, 1% to transfers to charter schools and 1% to indirect costs, capital outlay, insurance, dues, license and title fees.
School Buses: 874 yellow school buses travel more than 4,000 bus routes carrying more than 70,000 children daily during the 2007-08 school year
Mobile Classrooms: About 1,100 total.
Area: 864 square miles in Wake County
Number of Graduates in 2007: 7,200
Graduates Pursuing Higher Education: 91% of Year 2007 graduates planned to pursue some form of higher education - 65% to four-year colleges or universities and 26% to two-year colleges