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Report ranks best schools in North Carolina

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Fourth grade teacher, Ms. Thomas gets to know her students during the first week of school. Alli Lindenberg/EdNC

The U.S. News & World Report released its updated lists ranking public North Carolina elementary, middle, and high schools based on components like student proficiency and performance.

Ranking for schools in kindergarten through eighth grade relies on student proficiency in reading and writing and student performance on state tests.  

For high school rankings, college readiness, college curriculum breadth, state assessment proficiency, state assessment performance, underserved student performance, and graduation rate are all factors at various weights. 

Public schools within the lists include traditional public schools, magnet schools, charter schools, early colleges, and lab schools.  

Traditional public schools are funded by the government, free to attend, and are divided into districts. 

Magnet schools are schools in districts that cater to a specific subject or skill. 

Charter schools are free to attend but require applications from students to fill limited seats. 

Lab schools, or laboratory schools, allow for testing and production of new educational models while allowing student teachers to work.

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Top 10 elementary schools 

  1. The Academy at Lincoln– Magnet School (Guilford County Schools) 
  2. Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy– Charter School (Charlotte)
  3. Rea View Elementary School– Traditional Public School (Union County Public Schools)
  4. White Oak Elementary– Traditional Public School (Wake County Public Schools)
  5. Wrightsville Beach Elementary School– Traditional Public School (New Hanover County Schools)
  6. Weddington Elementary School– Traditional Public School (Union County Public Schools)
  7. Lake Norman Charter– Charter School (Huntersville)
  8. Davis Drive Elementary-Traditional Public School (Wake County Public Schools)
  9. Highcroft Drive Elementary– Traditional Public School (Wake County Public Schools)
  10. Green Hope Elementary School– Traditional Public School (Wake County Public Schools)

Top 10 middle schools

  1. Brown Summit Middle School– Magnet School (Guilford County Schools)
  2. The Brawley School– Traditional Public School (Iredell-Statesville Schools)
  3. Endeavor Charter School– Charter School (Wake Forest, N.C.)
  4. Marvin Ridge Middle School- Traditional Public School (Union County Public Schools)
  5. Mills Park Middle School– Traditional Public School (Wake County Public Schools Schools)
  6. Weddington Middle School– Traditional Public School (Union County Public Schools)
  7. The Expedition School– Charter School (Hillsborough, N.C.)
  8. Greensboro Academy– Charter School (Greensboro, N.C.)
  9. Davis Drive Middle School– Traditional Public School (Wake County Public Schools)
  10.  Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy– Traditional Public School (Wake County Public Schools)

Top 10 high schools

  1. The Early College at Guilford– Public Early College (Guilford County Schools)
  2. STEM Early College at N.C. A&T– Public Early College (Guilford County Schools)
  3. Onslow Early College– Public Early College (Onslow County Schools)
  4. STEM Early College at N.C. A&T- Public Early College (Wake County Public Schools)
  5. Raleigh Charter High School– Charter School (Raleigh, N.C.)
  6. Phillip J Weaver Ed Center– Magnet School (Guilford County Schools)
  7. Nesbitt Discovery Academy– Traditional Public School (Buncombe County Schools)
  8. Highland School of Technology– Magnet School (Gaston County Schools)
  9. Woods Charter School– Charter School (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
  10.  Ardrey Kell High School– Traditional Public School (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)

For full lists and more information, click here for the list on elementary schools, here for the list on middle schools, and here for the list on high schools.