Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary, 406 S. Main St.: grades Pre-K-5, 417 students in 2024-25, a C (61) state grade.
Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Sources: the school’s website; the Wake County Public School System’s enrollment and calendar pages, base school lookup and draft 2027-28 enrollment plan; Wake County property records; the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2024-25 report card data and 2025-26 school assessment workbook; the federal NCES school directory.
Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary is a Wake County Public School System magnet elementary school at 406 S. Main St., Wake Forest. In our Oct. 12 check of 1,000 homes spread across the Wake County part of Wake Forest, drawn from Wake County property records and run through the district’s base school lookup, 153 were assigned to Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary. All 153 were assigned to Wake Forest Middle. Its homepage lists an iSTEM magnet program built around science, technology, engineering and math, an innovation lab and makerspace, and Mandarin Chinese and Spanish classes. The state and the district’s school lookup still list it as Wake Forest Elementary.
Who to call
- Front office: 919-554-8655, 406 S. Main St.
- School website: wakeforestes.wcpss.net
- Enrolling a new student: WCPSS enrollment page; Student Assignment 919-431-7333
- Which school is my address zoned for? the district’s base school lookup
- Buses: WCPSS Transportation 919-805-3030
- Magnet applications: WCPSS Magnet and Early College Programs 919-533-7295
| Address | 406 S. Main St., Wake Forest, NC 27587 |
| Phone | 919-554-8655 |
| Grades | Pre-K to 5 |
| District | Wake County Public School System |
| Calendar | Traditional |
| State school code | 920584 |
Principal
Principal Chell Smith, according to the school’s website.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: an average daily membership of 417 students in the 2024-25 school year, up from 373 in 2023-24, according to the state’s report card data.
- Federal count: 391 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 35 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 11 students per teacher.
State report card
North Carolina grades every public school, charter schools included, A to F. The grade is based 80% on student achievement and 20% on academic growth, according to the state’s 2025-26 annual testing report. For this school, achievement is measured mainly by the state’s end-of-grade reading, math and science tests.
| School year | Grade and score | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | C (61) | Met |
| 2023-24 | C (63) | Met |
The 2024-25 grade is the latest in the state’s downloadable report card data. The state released 2025-26 test results in September 2026; from its 2025-26 school assessment workbook:
- At grade level or above, all state tests: 67.4% (Wake County schools: 68.2%; statewide: 59.2%)
- College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 40.8%
- Growth: met expected growth
- Reading, grades 3 to 5: 65.4% at grade level or above; math: 65.9%
The full report card, with class sizes, teacher data and school safety figures, is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site.
Attendance zone
WCPSS assigns every address a base elementary, middle and high school. Enter an address in the district’s base school lookup to see all three, or browse the base attendance area map. Zones do not follow town limits or mailing addresses. We did not find a published feeder list on the district’s enrollment pages, so the pairings above come from the lookup itself; Student Assignment, 919-431-7333, can confirm an address.
The list of proposed base area changes in the district’s draft 2027-28 enrollment plan, which the Board of Education is scheduled to vote on Nov. 17 after a public hearing Oct. 20, does not name Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary. None of the 1,000 Wake Forest homes in our check would change schools under the draft, according to the district’s proposal lookup.
Calendar and bell times
Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary follows the district’s traditional calendar. Coming dates on the 2026-27 traditional calendar (PDF):
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: teacher workday, no school for students
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day holiday
- Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving break
- Dec. 21 to Jan. 1: winter break
Bell times: 9:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., according to the bell schedule posted on the school’s website.
More
- The school’s own website and the district’s enrollment page
- Every public school in Wake Forest, with zones and report cards
- Our Wake Forest neighborhoods guide with the zoned schools for each area
- Our Wake Forest schools guide for district calendars, enrollment dates and the school board
Frequently asked questions
What grades does Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary serve?
Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
What is Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary’s school grade?
Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary earned a C, with a score of 61, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 67.4% of its state tests were at grade level or above and it met its growth target.
What time does Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary start?
The school day runs 9:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., according to the school’s website.
How do I know if my address is zoned for Wake Forest iSTEM Magnet Elementary?
Enter the address in the Wake County Public School System’s base school lookup, or call Student Assignment at 919-431-7333. Zones do not follow town limits.
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