Wake County school officials announced today that 14 magnet schools have received national awards.

Combs, Douglas, Joyner, Washington and Wiley elementary schools and Southeast Raleigh High School received the School of Excellence Award from Magnet Schools of America, a trade organization. Those six schools are now in the running to win the Simpson Distinguished Merit Award, which goes to the top magnet school in the nation.

In addition, Conn, Farmington Woods, Hunter, Millbrook and Underwood elementary schools; Carnage and Ligon middle schools and Millbrook High School received the School of Distinction award.

"We're proud of all of the schools that Magnet Schools of America recognized this year," said Wake Superintendent Tony Tata in a statement. "Our magnet schools are a thriving, dynamic part of our school system, and their success is due to the hard work of students, teachers, and our supportive community."

Wake County Superintendent Tony Tata is trying to reassure magnet school supporters worried about how the program will be affected by the new long-term student assignment plan.

As noted in today's article, Tata was effusive in his praise of the magnet program during a meeting Thursday with N&O editors and reporters He said that he recognized the importance of keeping a strong magnet school program in the new assignment models being presented Monday.

“A $13 million investment is fairly cheap for what we’ve gotten out of it and what we’ve prevented,” Tata said.

A Wake County school has been named the top magnet elementary school in the nation.

Wake school officials announced today that Farmington Woods Elementary School in Cary received the Elementary School of Excellence Award from Magnet Schools of America, a trade organization.

The award comes with a $2,500 cash prize for the school. Farmington Woods operates the International Baccalaureate Primary Year magnet program.

The trend of more Wake County families getting into magnet schools since the end of the old diversity policy is continuing.

School officials say 4,720 out of 8,476 applicants, or 55.7 percent, were accepted into magnet schools for the 2011-12 school year. Last year, 4,450 out of 8,732 applicants were accepted, or 51 percent.

A small part of this year's increase can be attributed to the opening of the new Wake NC State STEM Early College. But that's only 56 kids.

Next year's Wake County student reassignment plan is a work in progress with everything approved by the old school board under review with new suggestions coming in all the time.

During Tuesday's work session, Laura Evans, senior director of growth and planning, laid out to the board an explanation of the assignments being considered and the direction they're leaning toward. It will help to have your copy of the handout present.

The ensuing discussion showed how the thinking has changed to reflect the new student assignment policy. Multiple times, Evans talked about bringing students home, having them attend their neighborhood schools and moving the least number possible for stability.

There was an audible gasp from the crowd today as Wake County school administrators indicated they're considering moves for next year that would send more students to schools near where they live in Southeast Raleigh.

Laura Evans, senior director of growth and planning, said some items are on the table now that they're considering proximity and not dealing with diversity.

The gasp came when Evans said they might relieve overcrowding at Leesville Road Middle School in North Raleigh by reassigning some students who are coming from Southeast Raleigh. Since the nodes in question happen to live near the Walnut Creek Elementary, those kids could help fill that school as well.

SEE END OF POST FOR HANDOUT FROM TODAY'S MEETING

The actual student reassignment changes recommended on Thursday were small in number, but they show the difference in thinking with the new Wake County school board majority.

As noted in today's article, the board's student assignment committee recommended seven changes for this fall’s student assignment plan and left on the table for further review a dozen other changes. All were based on parental requests to have their children attend schools closer to home.

“We’re not talking about socioeconomic status anymore,” said school board member John Tedesco, chairman of the student assignment committee, after the meeting. “Once we pass the resolution, we won’t be talking about it again.”

(For those who are looking for the changes discussed Thursday, click the read more button to find the link later in the post.)

New Wake County principals were announced tonight at Wakefield High, Farmington Woods Elementary and Durant Road Middle.

Tripp Crayton will go from being principal of Wakefield Middle to principal of Wakefield High in North Raleigh. Before moving to Wakefield Middle in 2007, he had been an assistant principal at Wakefield High.

Crayton will receive a salary of $96,487. (He replaces Mark Savage, who is now principal of the new Heritage High.)

BIO SHEETS NOW AT END OF POST