A guide to schools in the Triangle

If you’re a parent, you understand the importance of having good schools in your neighborhood. Regardless of whether you’re sending a child to kindergarten or you’re in the final years of high school, you want to make sure your kids attend the best schools in the Triangle. After all, a good school can make a huge difference for your child’s happiness, growth, and future.

Families across the greater Triangle area have access to a wide variety of some of the top-ranked public, private, and charter schools in North Carolina. From outstanding STEM programs to arts-based academics and innovative magnet schools, there’s something for nearly every type of learning style and family need. Here’s what you should know if you’re on the hunt for the right school or schools for your kids.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and the Wake County Public School System remain highly ranked districts due to students’ exceptional academic performance and the variety of specialty programs they offer. Yet Durham Public Schools, Johnston County Public Schools, Orange County Schools, and Franklin County Schools provide excellent school options for students across the Triangle, too. The Triangle’s public schools alone serve more than 256,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

The largest, Wake County Public School System, has nearly 200 K-12 schools serving approximately 161,000 students throughout its twelve cities: Raleigh, Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell, and Zebulon. Durham and Chapel Hill-Carrboro serve individual cities. Durham serves 31,000 students across 57 schools. Chapel Hill-Carrboro serves around 12,000 students across three high schools, four middle schools, 11 elementary schools, and two additional specialized schools. Johnston County serves over 37,000 students in towns like Clayton, Selma, Smithfield, and more. Orange and Franklin Counties are smaller, serving 7,000 and 8,000 students, respectively.

Like public schools, charter schools are publicly funded and tuition-free, but they operate separately from the aforementioned public schools in the Triangle. And because they don’t have to follow the same curriculum or standards as the region’s public schools, they offer more flexibility in curriculum to emphasize different types of academics. Meanwhile, private schools statistically ensure smaller class sizes and great educational outcomes, but at a cost due to private tuition.

The Triangle has outstanding charter and private school options. For instance, the Triangle Math and Science Academy is a STEAM-based charter school that serves 5,400 students in Cary and Apex. Durham Charter School, which was the first charter school in the state, works to help students excel academically and through exceptional extracurricular activities. Meanwhile, Thales Academy and Ravenscroft are private schools that, beyond academics and extracurriculars, also focus on providing outstanding leadership opportunities for students. These types of schools are located throughout both the larger cities and smaller communities in the area.

It is possible to find a specialty education for your children without the private school price. There are numerous types of specialty and magnet school programs available across the area, and all are based within the public school system framework. From STEM and the arts, international studies, language immersion, and gifted education, there are schools in the Triangle that allow students to pursue a specific focus.

For example, the Wake County Public School System offers magnet schools for all ages. Students throughout the county and its communities can focus on a STEM education, art and design, entrepreneurship, global studies, and more. Similarly, Durham Public Schools feature Montessori, dual language immersion, humanities and the arts, and STEM programs. If your child has an opportunity to flourish in a specialty program, the Triangle has an option where they’ll excel.

If you’re looking for the right place to call home in the Triangle, finding the right schools may be a driving factor toward your decision. And to find the best schools in the Triangle for your child’s needs, there are several options to help you do the research. Schools share information about test scores and academics, but don’t forget to look into a school’s culture, the extracurricular activities they offer, and even teacher retention information.

Some of the great places to search are the North Carolina School Report Cards website, GreatSchools.org, and Niche.com. It’s also smart to tour the schools to see the culture first-hand and to talk to parents in the area about their opinions of a school. Keep in mind that schools are important to homeowners, because homes near top-rated schools are a draw, costing nearly 80 percent more than a home in a nearby county. As you search for a home, MLS data reports which public schools are within the home’s zone. Keep in mind that you may need to apply for private, magnet, and charter schools.

The wide variety of excellent schools in the Triangle means you can purchase a home anywhere in the area and trust that there’s an option that will work for you. Don’t forget to start applications and transfer paperwork early so you can ensure there’s a place for your child. If you’re looking for your next home, get in touch to work with an experienced JAG agent.