Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools formed in 1963 with the merger of the Winston-Salem and Forsyth County school systems. It is the fourth-largest system in North Carolina and the 81st largest in the nation. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools serves about 55,000 students with the goal of providing a quality education for each child. The school system has 42 elementary schools, 14 middle schools and 15 high schools. Nine special schools bring the system-wide total to 80.