Broughton High School is keeping its magnet program.

The school board unanimously voted today to keep Broughton as an International Baccalaureate magnet school. The vote came after intense lobbying by Broughton parents, which board members acknowledged, to save the magnet program.

Board members stressed the strong academic quality of Broughton's IB program.

UPDATE

The school board has also voted to keep the IB program at Enloe High School. While Enloe's magnet status was never in danger, Lori Millberg questioned whether it needed to be both a GT and IB school.

This could either be a very good day or bad day for Broughton High School.

In a pair of separate meetings this afternoon, Broughton will find out whether it keeps its magnet program and if it will get its request approved for more parking on the front lawn.

Staff isn't recommending demagnetizing Broughton, but then again that didn't help Daniels Middle School when the school board pulled the plug earlier this month.

UPDATE

Click here for an op-ed piece in today's paper supporting keeping the school's magnet program. 

The school board has some major decisions to make on Tuesday that could impact even a one-year reassignment plan.

A lot rides on which new schools and renovation projects stay on track or are delayed due to the borrowing crunch. More changes could occur depending on the review of the magnet secondary schools.

One big question is whether the school board should go ahead with the $62.8 million renovation project at Wake Forest-Rolesville High School. While delaying the project would save a lot of money, it could create other problems.

The Broughton High School community is sweating out the possibility that the school will lose its magnet program.

As noted in today's Midtown Raleigh News article, fears have been heightened since the school board voted last week to demagnetize Daniels Middle School. Parents have been lobbying school board members to not target Broughton as well next week.

“It worries me that will trickle over to Broughton,” said Caryll Poole, who has children at Broughton and Daniels, in the article. “That’s the next short step.”

Wake is pulling the plug on the magnet program at Daniels Middle School.

The school board voted 5-3 to phase out Daniels' magnet program, but no timetable was announced today. Board members said they feel that Daniels, located off Oberlin Road near Cameron Village, will be in good shape even without a magnet program.

The board ran out of time before it could discuss the magnet high schools or any of the other magnet middle schools. They'll resume the issue at the Oct. 21 meeting.

Will the school board pull the plug on Broughton High School's magnet program today?

As noted in today's article, Broughton will get some scrutiny when the board reviews the magnet middle and high schools. On the district's magnet reviews, Broughton has a low ranking when it comes to accomplishing the magnet goals of reducing high concentrations of poverty and promoting student diversity.

But options other than demagnetization are also expected to be discussed.

Middle school and high school magnet programs will be on the school board's agenda on Tuesday.

The board has already gone through elementary schools by demagnetizing four schools and giving tentative approval for two new ones. Now the board is trying to come to some resolution with secondary schools.

Rosa Gill, chairwoman of the school board, said they want to make some decisions soon because of the upcoming release of the multi-year assignment plan. This includes whether to add any new programs or take away existing ones.

The magnet discussion will be part of the work session that begins tomorrow at 9 a.m. in the board conference room, 3600 Wake Forest Road in Raleigh.

The democratization of Ligon Middle School is moving forward.

As noted in today's North Raleigh/Midtown Raleigh News article, Ligon eliminated the practice of having sixth-grade teams of only academically gifted students or only regular students. The teams were mixed this year.

Ligon also modified its AG Basics magnet program so that fewer AG sixth-graders are taking core courses with just gifted kids. More of these gifted students are in mixed classes, just like other non AG Basics schools, where they're supposed to receive differentiated instruction.

It looks like the Wake County school board will move forward and add two new magnet programs next year at Smith and Brentwood elementary schools.

As noted in today's article, both schools have F&R populations that far exceed the district's goal of having no more than 40 percent of a school's population receiving free and reduced priced lunch.

At Thursday's worksession, Chuck Dulaney, Wake schools' assistant superintendent for growth and planning, said making Smith and Brentwood magnets would not affect other nearby magnet schools.

Wake is reviewing magnets on a yearly basis to determine if magnet schools still meet the goals of reducing poverty and supporting diversity, maximizing school facilities and providing more educational opportunities.

Parents have long said Wake needs more magnet schools.

David Ansbacher, Wake schools' senior director of magnet programs, said because Smith and Brentwood are under capacity, there would be room for new students and base students attending those schools.

The board will receive information on themes for Smith and Brentwood in October, when a final vote is expected.