Wake is now jumping into using the EVAAS program.

As noted in today's article, administrators said they're moving to get passwords into the hands of principals and other school personnel. It's a change from when a school had to request access to EVAAS to be signed up.

Wake still has a long way to go to catch up with other school districts in terms of using the program, which is free of charge to districts.

While there's been some talk about Ron Margiotta becoming the new school board chairman, it probably won't happen quite that soon.

Kevin Hill said he's planning to stay on as chairman until at least June when his term expires. He said he feels he can work with the new board members.

But what could happen is Margiotta being elected vice chairman in December when Horace Tart, who lost his reelection bid, leaves the board. The new vice chairman would sit in on board agenda meetings with Supt. Del Burns and in leadership meetings with the county commissioners.

Some churchgoers are getting a mix of religion and school board election politics.

As noted in Saturday's article by Kristin Collins, black leaders have been discussing the possible elimination of the diversity policy at churches. The latest example of the union of faith and politics took place this morning at the Community United Church of Christ in Raleigh.

School board member Anne McLaurin talked this morning at the church's Sunday Forum, which the church describes as a way "to put your faith and concern into action."

Outgoing school board members Eleanor Goettee, Patti Head and Lori Millberg are backing candidates in at least some of this fall's races.

All three board members, whose terms will expire after November, are backing Horace Tart in the District 2 school board race. Tart is the lone incumbent seeking re-election this fall.

"He's brought great service to that district," Head said of Tart. "He's brought great common sense."

The love was flowing Tuesday for Rosa Gill at her last meeting as a school board member.

Gill was bestowed with awards and words of praise. Gill received several standing ovations from the audience.

A resolution passed by the board praised Gill for being a "dedicated member of the Wake County Board of Education, committed to a thoughtful process, willing to address difficult issues by involving and listening to others and unfailingly focused on the success of every child."

It looks like Wake will have a response to the fallout over the school board's decision not to sign off on a study on the diversity policy.

Administrators are trying to draw up the framework for an evaluation of the diversity policy. The nuts and bolts of the evaluation are still being prepared.

The school board shot down a proposal today to have staff research whether students are benefitting from the diversity policy.

School board members Ron Margiotta and Horace Tart argued for having the Evaluation and Research Department track the performance of students who are assigned for diversity reasons. They said it would help show whether trying to balance the percentage of low-income students at schools is succeeding.

But other board members at today's student achievement committee meeting disagreed. Some said a study wasn't needed while others said it wouldn't be possible to do a valid study.

Five school board members are heading to Georgia today to learn about vocational programs.

Eleanor Goettee, Patti Head, Ron Margiotta, Anne McLaurin and Horace Tart will visit the Central Educational Center (CEC) in Newnan, Ga. The trip is the brainchild of Tart, who's been pushing for a vo-tech high school for Wake since he joined the board in 2005.

Tart has argued that Wake needs a stronger vocational program (now called career and technical education or CTE) to reduce the high school dropout rate.

The school district needs to make a quick decision about whether to appeal the Raleigh Planning Commission's rejection of the new parking lot at Broughton High School.

At this point, the Planning Commission's decision is scheduled to be heard at Tuesday's Raleigh City Council meeting. Mayor Charles Meeker said they'd want to know by the end of the week if the school district will appeal the vote or withdraw the application for the parking lot.

No decision has apparently been made yet about whether to appeal.