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 financial crisis keeps claiming more victims, including the multi-year assignment plan.

As noted in today's article, school leaders say they won't be able to go forward with a multi-year plan due to all the construction projects that will now have to be delayed. This means a return to the single-year plans that have been the norm in Wake.

"Any time you can't move forward with your plans is disappointing," said Rosa Gill, chairwoman of the school board.

Wake's new comparability effort had both some successes and some failures this school year.

The school board revised the assignment policy to bring in the idea of "comparability." The goal was to make schools in an area have similar demographics, even when it meant the unpopular notion of moving affluent areas into schools that have more low-income students.

Based on recently released data, some schools did see their percentages of low-income students go up to become more comparable to their neighbors.

It looks like your kids can go trick-or-treating without having the specter of reassignment hanging over them.

School officials are now saying that early November is the target date to release the draft multi-year assignment plan for public comment. Previously, they had been saying that late October was the target date.

While the specific date isn't being mentioned by the district, David Williams said at last week's education roundtable that Nov. 7 was the release day. He's got credibility as he's one of the members of the student assignment advisory committee.

More discussion on the timetable is expected on Tuesday as the school board reviews converting schools back to a traditional calendar and the status of magnet programs at middle schools and high schools.

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 fact that Garner has taken on the school system in a very public way over the diversity policy led to one of the more heated moments of yesterday's roundtable.

As noted in today's article, Garner municipal and community leaders said they've had to take a public stand to force the school system's hand. Diana Bader, a Cary resident, suggested yesterday that the town take a different approach.

"Stop complaining about your schools," Bader said. "You need to support your schools."

Seats are still available for Wednesday's Wake Regional Education Roundtable on socioeconomic diversity.

It should be a lively discussion considering the two groups who are sponsoring the event — the Wake Education Partnership and the Garner Chamber of Commerce. Both have somewhat differing visions about diversity.

It's clear where the Partnership stands on the issue. They're going to present the position they put forward in their report, “Striking a Balance: In Support of Diversity in the Wake County Public School System.”

Sixth-grade centers are officially on the table to deal with overcrowding in some middle schools.

Chuck Dulaney, assistant superintendent for growth and planning, proposed today delaying the 2009 opening of Alston Ridge Elementary in Cary to serve as a sixth-grade center for West Cary Middle School.

He also suggested delaying the 2009 opening of Herbert Akins Road Elementary in Fuquay-Varina to serve as the sixth-grade center for Holly Ridge and Fuquay-Varina middle schools.

The school board isn't the only group in the mood to reconsider things.

County Commissioner Lindy Brown said today she's reconsidering her vote against buying an 80-acre parcel off Forestville Road north of Raleigh for a new high school. She said she'll ask commissioners to now support the deal after getting new information at today's joint meeting.

School board members and administrators made a pitch for the commissioners to reconsider last month's 4-3 vote. School leaders cited a new lower price for the land, the unsuitability of alternative sites and the impact on student assignment.

Click here for the online story.

The crowding problem at Panther Creek High School these first few weeks of school has generated a good bit of media coverage.

The combination of rapid growth around the Northwest Cary school and the inability to get 22 modular classrooms set up before classes began has slammed Panther Creek. As was noted last week, students are using the media center and the auditorium until the modulars are installed.

The situation has raised questions about the process Wake uses to install modulars. It's also pointing to how high school students will likely be reassigned in 2009.