Leesville Road Elementary vs Stough Elementary

Stough Elementary ranks #72 of 2,648 North Carolina schools while Leesville Road Elementary ranks #127 of 2,648 — both land in the top 5% statewide, but Stough holds a clear 55-position edge. That translates to an overall rating gap of 0.2 points, with Stough at 9.1/10 versus Leesville Road's 8.9/10. For a family drawing a hard line on composite rank, Stough's position is the stronger number, though both schools sit well above the state median.

The academic and growth scores split differently from the overall ratings, and that gap is worth attention. Leesville Road Elementary scores 9.5/10 in academics — a full point higher than Stough Elementary's 8.5/10 — meaning its students are demonstrating higher proficiency on state assessments. Stough flips the advantage on growth, scoring 9.5/10 versus Leesville Road's 9.0/10, indicating Stough students gain more per year relative to their starting points. Parents prioritizing demonstrated grade-level mastery will read the academic delta in Leesville Road's favor; parents who weight year-over-year momentum will favor Stough.

The two schools are nearly identical in enrollment — both serve exactly 540 students — and their economic profiles are nearly indistinguishable, with Leesville Road at 32% free and reduced-price lunch versus Stough's 31%. The student-teacher ratio offers a modest structural edge to Stough Elementary at 12.6:1 compared to Leesville Road Elementary's 13.5:1, a difference of roughly one additional student per classroom that can matter at the elementary level for individualized attention.

One concrete structural difference separates the schools on grade range: Stough Elementary serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, while Leesville Road Elementary begins at kindergarten. Families with a pre-K-aged child gain an earlier entry point and continuity of placement at Stough. Both schools serve the same upper elementary grades, and at 3.9 miles apart, geography is a practical tie-breaker for many Raleigh families more than any single data point here.