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."

Neil Riemann has harsh words to say about the proposal from last week's Wake County student assignment committee meeting to move thousands of Southeast Raleigh students to schools in their neighborhoods.

in a post Monday on his Wake Reassignment blog, Riemann crunched the demographics on the nodes listed and found that 76 percent of the students are black or Hispanic and 61 percent are receiving subsidized lunches. He also notes that the three community members who proposed the moves are white.

"While a few proposals address constituent desires by moving children within the representatives' school board districts, the bulk of the proposals serve to move minority children and children receiving lunch assistance out of these districts and into schools in Southeast Raleigh," Riemann writes.

The Great Schools in Wake Coalition is accusing the Wake County school board's student assignment committee of engaging in "bullying" by floating the proposed reassignment of thousands of Southeast Raleigh students.

In a press release today, GSIW charges the proposed reassignment of more than 6,000 students, many from low-income families in Southeast Raleigh, is a case of targeting families who have little sway or influence over the board "under the guise" of proximity.

GSIW contends that, at least in the case of David Williams' proposed reassignment of students out of East Garner Middle that it will actually result in the Southeast Raleigh kids going to a more distant school.

School board members Chris Malone and John Tedesco are trying put the blame on vice chairwoman Debra Goldman and the Democrats for the consequences of killing the zone plan.

As noted in today's article, Malone and Tedesco say the Southeast Raleigh moves proposed Tuesday are only logical given the Oct. 5 vote killing the zone plan. What's left they say now is implementing moves for next year based on proximity from the new assignment policy.

"We're going to turn the system into a true neighborhood system," Malone said. "By taking away the zones, they took away a lot of flexibility."

The one figure that people kept repeating out of Thursday's Wake County school board economically disadvantaged student performance task force meeting was 35 percent.

As noted in today's article, 35 percent is this year's gain in Algebra I enrollment under the new EVAAS placement guidelines compared to last year's total. There was a 26 percent increase in pre-Algebra enrollment. Overall, the gain for both courses was 30 percent.

"I know this is new for a lot of principals, but I want to really thank all of you for taking on the challenges," said school board member John Tedesco, chairman of the task force at Thursday's meeting. "Because of that we saw measurable gains. You can’t dispute that. A 35 percent increase is impressive."

UPDATE

SEE END OF POST FOR THURSDAY'S POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ON MATH PLACEMENT UPDATE

It looks like Wake was trying to steer more people into eight magnet schools this year via the second-chance letters.

For those who might not recall, this year was the first time that people whose magnet applications were rejected were sent a letter giving them a second chance to apply to another school.

You only got the offer if staff thought your departure wouldn't have a negative impact on your base school.

Some current magnet students might want to check the mail to see if they're being sent to a different magnet school next year.

Wake is revising the magnet draw areas for the International Baccalaureate elementary, middle and high schools, Academically Gifted middle schools, Gifted & Talented middle schools and Creative Arts elementary schools.

Letters are supposed to go out today to current magnet students whose schools have shifted. Everyone else will eventually be able to see their magnet options online.