Wake County school leaders are touting the academic gains this past year at several schools with high levels of low-income students

New results released today show that all four Renaissance Schools saw gains in their passing rates and made at least expected growth. The most dramatic gain was at Barwell Road Elementary, where the passing rate rose 9.7 percentage points to 74.1 percent. 

Wake used $9.5 million out of its $10.2 million in federal Race to the Top funding to create the Renaissance model.

With two days to go before the end of round 2, we've got two new development today in the Wake County student assignment story.

Wake announced that Jeffreys Grove Elementary will get a Spanish immersion program. Lincoln Heights Elementary, Weatherstone Elementary, East Cary Middle, and North Garner Middle will get STEM programs and Forestville Road Elementary will join the Global Schools Collaborative Network.

Also today, the Great Schools in Wake Coalition announced the start of its "Let's Find A Better Way" campaign. GSIW is calling for the development of a new student assignment plan which would essentially take the old node-based plan and address some of the more common complaints.