Fewer Wake County students are receiving long-tern suspensions, but the decline isn't as much as first reported to the state.

Wake school officials said today that 647 students received long-term suspensions of 11 days or more during the 2010-11 school year, a 22 percent decline from the prior year. School officials had reported last month that only 320 students had received long-term suspensions this past school year.

Superintendent Tony Tata said the district had erroneously not recorded as long-term suspensions those students who had missed 11 days or more of class before being enrolled in an alternative education program. Many of those students were enrolled in the SCORE program to take online courses.

Tata said they've streamlined procedures this school year so that students who are placed in alternative programs won't miss as much time in class.

We've got more squabbling between Republicans and Democrats about this fall's Wake County school board elections.

In the latest issue of the Elephant Express, Wake County Republican Party Chairwoman Susan Bryant responds today to the Wake County Democratic Party's blast at last week's edition. Democrats had called last week's attack by Bryant as focusing on "two year old debates regarding student assignment" instead of discussing the board majority's record.

"We will stand on our record of the past 2 years – show us yours!" Bryant fired back at Democrats today. "Also, since the Democrats are so eager to move on to other issues, let us remind you:  Not so fast - the work to change the student assignment process is still not done. Here is a lesson for all: If you want quality, you have to finish what you start."

A compromise may be found today over who should hear recommendations for long-term suspensions for Wake County students.

School board member John Tedesco said he's talked with school board attorney Ann Majestic about having retired Wake teachers volunteer to be in a pool of people to serve on hearing panels. As volunteers, they wouldn't be paid.

Additionally, Tedesco said the fact they're former Wake employees means they wouldn't have federal privacy issues with them hearing the cases.

UPDATE

It would be open to a wide range of people from administrators to teachers to guidance counselors.

The school board approved the discipline policy changes by a 6-2 vote on first reading with Carolyn Morrison and Anne McLaurin voting no.

All the dissenters had concerns that the changes didn't adequately address concerns raised by youth advocacy groups. But Tedesco was willing to approve on first reading and to work out the changes between now and second reading on July 12.

Today's Wake County school board discussion should be action packed from the work session straight through to the annual meeting and regular meeting.

The thing that will likely most generate attention on the work session agenda is Superintendent Tony Tata presenting what's expected to be a modified form of the original blue plan to the board. One key question could be whether the board balks at the lack of base assignments.

Other work session topics include:

The vote on the overhaul of Wake County's student discipline policies was delayed Tuesday over the tricky issue of who should hear recommendations for long-term suspensions.

Currently, a panel of three teachers reviews any recommendations for long-term suspensions that are made by the principal of their school. The principal appoints the panel, creating a potential conflict of interest.

A bill expected to be passed by the General Assembly would say that these panels could no longer consist of people from the child's school.

Student discipline and a potential revamp of Central Office personnel are among the items on today's Wake County school board agenda.

During the work session, the board will hear a presentation about the organizational audit done for Superintendent Tony Tata by the Broad Superintendents Academy. It's one of three free audits being done by Broad.

The word is that the report recommended a number of changes at Central Office. School officials have declined requests to turn over a copy of the report, citing the need to review it first to remove the names of employees mentioned.

UPDATE

Citing "new information," the discipline vote has been postponed to the June 21 meeting.

It looks like the Wake County school system will be in the spotlight tonight at a YWCA community forum on racism in the schools.

According to this press release, organizers say they will "take an in-depth look at how racism impacts area public schools." The press release cites the suspension rates for minority and low-income students in Wake.

"Education is intertwined with other social and economic justice issues because they share the same systemic roots with racism and classicism," said YWCA of the Greater Triangle Executive Director Folami Bandele in the press release. "We can and must do better for the futures of our youth, and we will continue to forge conversations in our community challenging these divides."

The state bill that would knock out zero tolerance requirements in schools statewide may also impact incidents at school bus stops.

As you guys may recall, Superior Court Judge Carl Fox ruled in March that the Wake County school system did not have jurisdiction to issue a long-term suspension to a Millbrook High student who punched a student at a bus stop in September 2009. He didn't consider the bus stop to be a school-sponsored or school-related activity subject to suspension.

But Ann Majestic, Wake's school board attorney, said S-648 in her view would now cover bus stops.

We've got even more proposed changes to Wake County's student discipline policies.

At today's school board work session, school board attorney Ann Majestic said a further review of the proposed overhaul resulted in some additional suggested changes. For instance:

• Elementary school students won’t be subject to a long-term suspension of more than 10 days unless the punishment is mandated by state law or in cases involving serious injury or serious threat to safety and welfare of the school.

UPDATE

Click here for the handout of the policy changes.

Redistricting won't be the only item on today's Wake County school board agenda.

During the work session that starts at 2 p.m., the board will have more discussions on the proposed revisions to the code of student conduct. It could include some of the ideas suggested at this month's ED task force meeting.

The board will also discuss at the work session how they'll handle the elimination of more than 160 clerical and secretarial positions. Most of the cuts will be at individual schools. The vote on the reduction in force, or RIF, will take place during the regular meeting that starts at 4:30 p.m.