Could the development of feeder patterns be more of a hold-up on the new Wake County student assignment plan than coming to an agreement on achievement-choice schools?

As noted in today's article, staff's update on the student assignment plan included discussion on achievement schools and a presentation on sample feeder patterns. During the meeting, board members said zilch on the achievement schools but went into detail on the feeder patterns.

"We know this is contentious," Superintendent Tony Tata said to board members in response to the feeder pattern concerns. "This is high stakes. We want your feedback to make this right."

Did you know that you could bypass the normal paperwork and procedure for getting a student transfer in Wake County by appealing directly to the superintendent?

As noted in today's article, that's evidently what school board vice chairwoman Debra Goldman's family did to get their daughter transferred, with bus service provided. She's one of only 15 students in all of Wake County who are attending their current school based on an "administrative transfer" approved by the superintendent.

Michael Evans, Wake's chief communications officer, said that then-interim Superintendent Donna Hargens had approved in January a verbal request from the parent at Goldman's address in Cary to transfer to Davis Drive Middle School. (He worded it that way without saying Goldman's name due to privacy rules.)

The Wake County student reassignment plan has been reduced to 3,935 students, 768 students fewer than when the board started this week.

On Thursday, the board agreed to several changes, including reversing Tuesday's decision to consider adding the Woods of Tiffany subdivision subdivision to the plan. Only one new node was added.

Click here to view the revised list of nodes in the plan. Wake hasn't updated the plan on its website.

UPDATE/CORRECTION

In addition, the start of the magnet application period has been pushed back a week. It will now start Feb. 21 and end March 7.

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.

Ever thought of reassignment as being a terrorist act?

You might want to read this e-mail message that was sent to the school board. It's written by a Preston resident who is upset about the proposed reassignment of students from Green Hope High to Cary High and from West Cary Middle to East Cary Middle.

Headline:  PRESTON COMMUNITY ROCKED BY MAJOR "BLAST"