Wake County school administrators are dialing back their recommendations to have K-12 magnet feeders as part of the new student assignment plan.

As noted in today's article, the revised draft feeder plan list posted on Monday includes a number of changes requested by parents. Those parents mounted aggressive campaigns to keep their existing feeder patterns as opposed to being put in new ones that would have them go to magnet secondary schools.

Some of the most vocal opposition came from families at Brooks, Douglas and Joyner elementary schools. They wanted to keep their historic feeder patterns that had them going to closer non-magnet secondary schools.

Here's an abbreviated recap of today's update on the Wake County student assignment plan.

Staff is proposing splitting the magnet schools into three groups with varying level of magnet and application seats. Group one schools, largely those around Southeast Raleigh, would have 55 to 60 percent magnet application seats.

Group two schools in less high-poverty areas such as Brooks, Joyner and Underwood elementary schools would have 40 to 45 percent magnet seats.

SEE THE END OF THE POST FOR THE HANDOUTS FROM THE MEETING

Should Wake beef up its foreign language instruction to offer an immersion program in one or more schools?

That's an idea being studied by the school board's student achievement committee. The issue could come up at Tuesday's committee meeting.

In a dual immersion program, students would spend a significant part of the day learning in both English and another language. They'd often be paired with native speakers in that other language.

It's will be even tougher getting a slot in some popular magnet schools this year.

As noted in today's article, plans are underway to raise the percentages of low-income students at some magnet schools. It's a two-step approach involving increasing the base by reassigning in more students and restricting the number of magnet applicants who are accepted.

So the acceptance rates should fall at Hunter, Underwood and Wiley elementary schools and Enloe High. It will also get tougher making it into Partnership Elementary, which Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney will recommend getting magnet status.

Beteena Person thinks diversity is a good idea.

But as noted in today's article, she thinks it stinks when it means reassigning her kids out of Smith Elementary School in Garner, which is six miles from her Southeast Raleigh home. They face going to Middle Creek Elementary in Apex, which is 15 miles away and on a different calendar.

"My kids are already very diverse," said Person, who adopted four children after initially taking them in as foster kids.

UPDATE

Staff is recommending dropping the Smith to Middle Creek moves.