Raleigh Oak Charter in Raleigh | Military Town Advisor

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	4/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 North Carolina End-of-Course Tests data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and using 2025 North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Student Growth	5/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2024 Student growth data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Posted: July 16, 2026

This was the worst decision I made as a parent. The amount of guilt I carry from sending my child here is heavy. They do not care about students whatsoever. It is not a safe environment physically. They didnt even take gun threats seriously. My child was bullied consistently. Academics are non-existent. You cant get an ounce of communication from anyone at that school. They take children out in 105 degree heat. They let anyone and everyone inside the school without identification. Carpool is a NIGHTMARE. There is no art on the walls. This place is like a prison. It should be shut down.

Posted: July 16, 2026

Posted: July 8, 2026

I never thought I could be so disappointed in a school.

Raleigh Oak Charter has a great pitch selling the idea that they offer the kind of experience everyone wants for their kids with child-centered hands-on learning taking place in a compassionate, accepting environment. That they are some kind of "best kept secret" that has moved into a brand new facility.

The reality could not be more different. This is a school in crisis. Overwhelmed teachers do not have the tools or administrative support to keep the children safe, let alone learning. Parent concerns are ignored, even about basic student safety around bullying and violent threats against the school. Communications are inconsistent, often riddled with errors that require multiple reschedules for events with little notice.

From what I hear, ROCS' Board has made some grave errors in judgement in the two years leading up to the move to this location in areas like budget management and hiring for key roles. It shows. The resources are razor-thin, the administration is unprepared to lead, and the teachers seem burned out before lunchtime every day.

My child will not be returning to Raleigh Oak Charter School. We barely hung on until the end of the school year. I would strongly caution any parent against sending their child to ROCS. It's just not a safe place to learn, physically or psychologically.

Posted: July 8, 2026

Posted: July 4, 2026

Our family has been at ROCS for five years, with our child in elementary grades, and it remains the right choice for us. Whats kept us here isnt just the public Waldorf curriculum, its the community. This is a school full of families who genuinely show up for each other and their kids.

Like any school, ROCS has had real challenges, and I wont pretend otherwise. Youll likely come across strong, emotionally charged opinions from a small number of former families online, amplified well beyond what a handful of voices would normally carry. Weigh that against the fact that the overwhelming majority of us, current families here day to day, have had a completely different experience.

Dont take my word for it either. Visit, ask direct questions, talk to current families yourselves before letting anyone elses unresolved feelings make the decision for you. Our five years here have been real community, genuine teacher care, and a school worth staying invested in.

Posted: July 4, 2026

Posted: June 22, 2026

Admin for the 25-26 school year lack competency. We have been with the school for many years and Im sad to say its going downhill fast. Parents are unheard. Students with severe behaviors get a break then return to class to be disruptive again. The teachers who are of high quality are let go without reason. Admin team keeps hiring family. Not a good environment.

Posted: June 22, 2026

Posted: June 16, 2026

I cannot speak to all grades, but I am profoundly disappointed in the quality of teaching and communication my child has experienced this year in sixth grade. Throughout the year, his teacher has frequently failed to respond to parent messages, and communication has been inconsistent at best. One teacher regularly tells students that they are not learning because of their own behavior rather than taking responsibility for improving instruction, creating an environment that feels discouraging rather than supportive. Both teachers seem to be absent at least 25% of the time. Parents have repeatedly rearranged work schedules to attend the class play, only to have it rescheduled at the last minute multiple times. Perhaps most frustrating of all, concerns raised by families have been largely ignored by school administration, and some parents have even been made to feel guilty for voicing legitimate concerns. Our children deserve better, and families deserve to be treated as valued partners rather than inconveniences.

Posted: June 16, 2026

Posted: June 9, 2026

We were drawn to Raleigh Oak because of how the school describes itself: a community-centered, Public Waldorf-inspired school focused on nurturing the whole child across emotional, social, intellectual, and physical development. That is the environment we thought we were choosing.

That has not been our experience.

When concerns came up around peer conflict, supervision, physical behavior, communication, and student safety, the response often felt unclear and inconsistent. There was a lot of reassuring language, but not enough concrete follow-through. As parents, we found ourselves repeatedly having to ask what was actually being done, how things were being monitored, and what the plan was moving forward.

I do not believe these concerns are limited to one classroom or one grade level. Based on conversations with other parents across the school, the broader issues seem to be school-wide: communication gaps, inconsistent follow-through, weak responses to bullying, and a disconnect between the schools stated values and families actual experiences when concerns arise. There does not appear to be meaningful accountability for students who repeatedly behave poorly or bully others. Instead, serious patterns are often reframed as peer conflict or friendship dynamics, leaving the students being targeted to manage the consequences of behavior they did not create.

I do believe restorative practices can be helpful, but they cannot replace clear boundaries, accountability, and consistent communication with families. A school can say all the right things and still leave parents feeling unsure whether the issue is truly being addressed.

There are caring people at Raleigh Oak, and I want to be fair about that. But individual kindness does not make up for broader issues with communication, leadership, and follow-through.

I would caution families who are considering Raleigh Oak because they are looking for a nurturing, emotionally supportive school environment. That is exactly what Raleigh Oak presents itself to be, and it is what we believed we were choosing. Unfortunately, our experience was that students who are kind, cooperative, and not disruptive can be overlooked, while repeated disruptive behavior is managed rather than meaningfully addressed. When the same patterns continue impacting other children, there does not appear to be enough consistent adult intervention, accountability, or follow-through to protect the classroom environment.

Posted: June 9, 2026

Posted: June 3, 2026

My grandson has been attending this place ever since he has been in school. I love it here. The teacher student ratio is balanced. I love how his teachers have taken a genuine concern for him and his progress. The teacher parent communication is top notch. The students all seem to care for one another. I know that it is a good place for my grandson and I would have him no where else, that is why I keep enrolling year-after-year.

Posted: June 3, 2026

Posted: May 15, 2026

The concept of this school is great but the way it's being executed is problematic. We were with the school last year when the environment was warm and welcoming and teachers seemed happy. At that time a great group of parent volunteers supported the school, too. This year parents are being targeted and told they aren't welcome on campus for routine school functions. A number of firings have happened for seemingly petty reasons. The accounts if school incidents put in school wide messages directly contradicts the accounts of older students. Most parents I talk to either want to pull their kids or have done so, with an alarming number just not planning to attend the last month of school.

Posted: May 2, 2026

My children enjoyed this school last year. Unfortunately it has gone downhill fast. They have an all new admin team that completely ignores parent concerns and covers up incidents. They also lie during tours about teacher retention among other things. The middle school is especially chaotic the teachers are checked out and the children arent learning. I cannot recommend this school.

Posted: April 28, 2026

Sadly ROCS has changed in the past year for the worse- new location, new principle, new admin team, new guidance and new teachers. They tend to put staff into teaching positions when they don't have enough teachers. Our experience last year was excellent- strong principle (did not put up with bullying), amazing teachers, strong community. My kids loved it and didn't want to stop for summer vacation. The situation at the new location this year is very different- a teacher who minimized bullying in class- which just led to more bullying, no help from admin or guidance and an overall feeling of overwhelm which has been way too stressful. Academically ROCS is not strong in reading and math- testing shows this. Some teachers are very strong academically and others are not- luck of the draw. My kids did like handiwork and naturalist class but other electives were not faves. Overall we were there for the social connections more than the academics but when bullying started and was not addressed at all- that was it.

Posted: April 28, 2026

Posted: July 18, 2025

We love Raleigh Oak Charter because our kids are getting the education they need without the pressure to be such high performers which is also why they are happier and more well rounded (and doing well academically too because they are more interested and eager to learn. The teachers here genuinely care for all students and theres a strong sense of community. I highly recommend Raleigh Oak Charter to any and all families who want their children to have a great education without the pressure of fitting into a box.

Posted: July 18, 2025

Posted: May 30, 2025

They favor kids that been there longer then other kids which is completely wrong and should stop like my son did something out of retaliation and got in trouble but the other kid didnt get in trouble ,also some kid threatened the school and did get expelled just cause a teacher had him last year.

Posted: May 30, 2025

Posted: March 16, 2025

We have been here just about two years. Our last school was bigger and getting out of hand. My daughters feel safe, respected, and encouraged here. The curriculum is creative, artistic, and appropriately challenging for them.

Posted: March 16, 2025

Posted: January 21, 2025

We will be back next year. I wish they would provide alternative transportation like buses to those parents who can not meet school hours because of their work schedule. This would be really helpful in the near future.

Posted: January 21, 2025

I am a teacher at Raleigh Oak and absolutely love it. I love that we deliver the Waldorf Curriculum through creative and mindful lessons that are aligned with the depth of North Carolina State Standards. We are not just a school but a community! We problem solve together and we celebrate together!

Posted: January 13, 2025

My child has been at ROCS for 6 years. Early on, it faced its challenges, as all charter schools do (funding, finding its way pedagogically, hiring quality staff members, etc.) but it has become a really wonderful place in the last couple of years under Dr. Johnsons leadership and as the original staff members were given more responsibilities around the school. Were happy to have a middle school option where bullying is actually unacceptable, where kids dont do drugs or vape in the bathrooms, and where the point of going to school is to learn who you are and how you can improve the worldso many schools seem to be growing employees instead.

Posted: January 13, 2025

Posted: November 8, 2024

We have a 1st grader at the school and have loved the warm and inviting feel of the entire staff. ROCS is a very grass roots, still a very young school, which means that it is very agile and able to run with new, great ideas with ease. The teachers are very knowledgeable and focus on a child first approach to learning. Since the school is inspired by Waldorf principles (but also being a charter school means we are required to follow NC State standard course of study), we have a many students and parents that are eco conscience, interested in giving back to our community, and we have a diverse community.

Posted: November 8, 2024

Posted: August 14, 2024

We owe a debt of gratitude to Raleigh Oak for the years of amazing education we had there for my children. We were one of the first families there and my older son went there for six years, starting in 3rd grade. His prior school had been heavily reliant on screens to keep the kids interested and they often cancelled recess. He didn't do well in that environment and his teachers had complained that he couldn't pay attention. When we switched to Raleigh Oak my husband and I were amazed when at our first parent-teacher conference, his teacher told us he had no problem paying attention. I think what helped was the hands-on experiential learning, two recesses a day, and the focus on creativity. His teachers led by example with their kindness and unlike at his prior school, bullying was not tolerated and the kids were respectful to each other. I also loved that there was very little reliance on screens to keep the kids engaged. Like any school a lot depends on which teacher you get, and we were lucky that my kids' teachers hit it out of the park. The Waldorf philosophy focuses on the magic of childhood and the uniqueness of each child. It is hard to explain the vibe but if you are considering the school you might want to take a tour there to see what I mean. The last thing I want to mention is that a lot of kids left after fifth grade because their parents wanted them to go have a typical junior high experience, so the classes became small in the middle school years, which ended up being amazing for us. It was the the middle school experience I wish I had as a kid: small, personal classes with a nice group of kids and a lot of individual attention from amazing teachers. Some people pay a lot of money for private schools so that they can have those things, and we got it for free, so we feel very lucky that we could give our son that experience.

Posted: August 14, 2024

Posted: May 13, 2024

This school is very poorly run and isn't following the Waldorf plan well. The teachers try but recieve little support from administration. The EC program is a complete joke. They refuse to acknowledge diagnosed disabilities and put the blame on parents. There is a reason they have such low test scores across the board. Their 2022-2023 3rd grade EOG had 15 of 36 students fail. When barely 50% of your students are passing the EOG, you've got a serious problem. PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN HERE.

Posted: May 13, 2024

Posted: February 2, 2024

This school is poorly run and disorganized. Leadership chances didnt help. My children received better support for social and emotional learning, and less punitive punishments in the public school. We returned to our base school and are so glad we did.

Posted: February 2, 2024

Posted: January 2, 2024

Raleigh Oak Charter School offers an unparalleled educational experience, combining academic excellence with a nurturing environment. Its dedicated faculty fosters a passion for learning, ensuring students thrive both intellectually and socially. The school's innovative curriculum incorporates real-world applications, nature inspired projects and helps prepare students for a dynamic future. ROCS prioritizes holistic development, encouraging extracurricular engagement and fostering leadership skills. The strong sense of community is evident through collaborative projects and a supportive network. With a commitment to diversity and inclusion, ROCS truly stands out. I'm so glad my children attend ROCS. They have a chicken coop, a garden and a brand new eco school built just for their unique needs.

Posted: December 2, 2023

This has been an amazing option for my two children. We've had many ups and downs and have experienced hardships like short staffing due to the pandemic and the school moving farther away but the truth is this has been a stellar set of teachers and staff who have helped both kids thrive. The school does all the standards assessments when it comes to reading and math. (So nothing is "missing.") It's not the school for those who like everything polished and all the rough edges sanded, there's many schools in the area like that. This is a warm and engaging *fun* school with plenty of heart!

Posted: December 2, 2023

Posted: November 21, 2023

All of my children (who are all very different in their needs, interests and personalities) have thrived at Raleigh Oak. My EC student has made enormous progress and has amazing support not only from their EC teachers and resource, but also from their classroom teachers and admin. My children have attended this school from kindergarten and have all become engaged, smart and creative kids who have long-standing positive connections with their peers and teachers. The community here is KIND and encouraging, even within the upper grade and middle school, in a way that I just dont see at other schools. I hope they continue to grow and succeed for decades to come!

Posted: November 21, 2023

Posted: November 2, 2023

We chose Raleigh Oak Charter School for my son when he was starting Kindergarten in 2018, right as the school was opening its doors on Forum Drive, following in the footsteps of many new charter schools before it. This school was the perfect fit for our family, as my son was on the younger side for K and the Kinder experience at ROCS is incredibly unique in its approach to helping children transition to the classroom. While the school has gone through many of the growing pains expected for any community-initiated startup, ROCS has always been far more than just an educational institution; it's a place where our son - and later our daughter - truly flourished. The teachers consistently made magic from the limited green space at Forum, and created a dynamic learning environment that sparked intellectual curiosity and early problem-solving skills through play. The emphasis on hands-on learning and outdoor-in-all-weather activities kept our children engaged and active. Raleigh Oak Charter School nurtures every aspect of a child's potential.

Posted: November 2, 2023

Posted: February 28, 2023

This schools Exceptional Childrens department is poorly run. They take on students that they are unable to handle and then push the blame to the teachers. I would not recommend sending your student here if they have an IEP and especially if they have complex needs as the school is unable to handle these needs,

Posted: February 28, 2023

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Hedingham	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Raleigh	NC	5 mi
2	Eagle Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Raleigh	NC	15 mi
3	Winston Pointe	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Clayton	NC	15.8 mi
4	Forest Oaks	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bunnlevel	NC	44.3 mi
5	Anderson Creek Club	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Spring Lake	NC	45.6 mi
6	The Summit	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Sanford	NC	46 mi
7	Sunset Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Sanford	NC	46.3 mi
8	Jacobs Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Goldsboro	NC	47 mi
9	Ellerslie Subdivision	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	47.2 mi
10	Overhills Creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Spring Lake	NC	47.3 mi
11	The Village	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Goldsboro	NC	47.4 mi
12	Castlebrooke	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Linden	NC	47.4 mi
13	Carolina Seasons	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Cameron	NC	49 mi
14	Mimosa Park West	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Goldsboro	NC	49.5 mi
15	Forest Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Cameron	NC	49.7 mi

#	Name	City	State	Overall Rating	Distance
1	Princeton	Princeton	NC		37 mi
2	North Ramsey Road	Fayetteville	NC		48.7 mi

Raleigh Oak Charter

Raleigh, NC 27615

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