Four New Schools Open as Wake County Faces Growth and Growing Pains
RALEIGH, N.C. — Wake County Public Schools welcomed students to four newly built schools this week, a reflection of the district’s rapid expansion but also a reminder of the financial strain that comes with growth.
The schools — Rex Road Elementary in Holly Springs, Pleasant Plains Elementary in Apex, Bowling Road Elementary in Fuquay-Varina, and Felton Grove High School in Apex — are all located in the southern part of the county, where development has surged in recent years. Felton Grove is now the district’s largest high school.
Balancing Expansion With Costs
Wake County School Board Chair Chris Heagarty acknowledged that while new schools help reduce overcrowding, they also add significant financial pressures.
“What we found is, it’s not just expensive to build the schools. It’s expensive to operate those schools. And so that puts a real crunch on the district,” Heagarty said.
He explained that leaders are often forced to make tough choices between filling essential staff positions like teachers, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers, or cutting back on maintenance and utilities to balance budgets. State funding, he added, has not kept pace with enrollment growth.
Community Growth Driving Demand
The need for new schools is being fueled by explosive population growth, particularly in Apex. In 2010, the town had just over 37,000 residents. By 2023, that number had nearly doubled to more than 72,000, and it has continued to climb.
Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert said he frequently hears from parents struggling with the challenges of crowded schools. “Having Felton Grove High School here does help,” Gilbert said, noting that more capacity is critical to keeping up with growth.
Enrollment on the Rise
According to the Wake County Public School System, average daily attendance across the district was around 153,000 students in 2013. By 2025, enrollment had risen to about 162,000 and is projected to reach 170,000 by 2030.
Parents say the pace of construction still struggles to match the rising demand. Shane Taylor, whose son was reassigned to Felton Grove, said, “It’s great to see the growth. I sometimes wish that we could get out ahead of it a little bit, you know, just a little more long-term planning.”
Planning for the Future
With a higher share of children under 18 than the state or national average, Wake County’s school-age population is expected to continue growing. The district uses a seven-year planning model to prepare for expansion, but Heagarty said the county often has to step in financially to cover costs the state does not.
“Every new school we build, we’re having to go back to the county to pay for more of those operating expenses because we don’t get enough from the state to cover the cost of the salaries we need to pay in Wake County to keep our school staffed,” Heagarty said.
What do you think Wake County should prioritize — building more schools to ease crowding or securing more funding for teachers and support staff? Share your views at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
