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.
While some critics question the school district's commitment to the process, the multi-year plan is something that Superintendent Del Burns has been trumpeting all year.
School leaders heavily stressed how the multi-year process would provide families with more assignment stability.
One result of this change, according to Chuck Dulaney, assistant superintendent for growth and planning, is that fewer community engagement meetings will be needed now. Wake had planned to sharply increase the number of meetings due to the scope of the three-year plan.
The meetings will still be held after the draft plan is released in early November. Previously, the CEM meetings were held before the plan was posted.
Comments
Hoo rah!
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 23:08 — Sick of it! (not verified)Glad they are stuck, instead of sticking it to the tax payers as they like to do! We need a new regime, and it needs to start with the Wake County Board of Education and the Commissioners as well. Wake County is a little over 1.4 Billion in debt. They are having to borrow 300 Million to pay for projects they already have going, and are still spending. Look at the land they just purchased for another high school on Forestville Rd. 4.8 Million just for the land and an estimate of 3 million to remove rock off of it and 70 million to build the school, and don't leave off the 8 million to get the land ready to build...and with what money? but, they went ahead and bought it anyway. Do you know that there is a 100 million dollar high school under construction two miles down that same road, that hasn't even opened yet? who the heck is in charge of this ridiculous spending? we need better leadership! Betty lou Ward needs to go! and Harold Webb and Ken Gardner, they throw our money out to anyone that wants it...ever heard them vote 'No' on any project that came across the table? and Joe Bryan is getting just as bad! We need better..and we need to get Rosa Gill out too! she is a disappointment all the way around!
Wake up, Wake County!
You're double-counting
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 18:10 — Bob_SconceI believe the budget for that school is $73M, including the prep costs (which includes rock removal). And, 10% of that is for furnishings and equipment, not for the school itself. I'd be interested of the source of your figures -- mine came from the WCPSS web site.
Heritage High School, the"other school" you're referring to isn't $100M. It's $63M.
No doubt high schools are expensive. But, your apparent solution--just not building them--isn't exactly practical.
I'm with you on Rosa Gill, though....
oops
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 22:21 — Sick of It! (not verified)Ok, maybe 100 mil for Heritage is to high, but the last meeting I sat in on for this new site was, 70 mil for the school, the excavating wasn't included it was estimated at 8 mil, and the rock was extra, the actual estimate for that was 2.1 mil and the land wasn't included, which ended up being 4.8 mil. That came from Betty Parker herself at the Commissioners meeting in August..(well, the land was a little higher then, they just got it reduced 400k). I haven't seen the Heritage bills actually or heard what they were...thanks for the info..this new school is closer to 88 mil..it is over budget from the get go...got those figures from the horses mouth herself! They do need another school, but they need someone in there that can actually do a better job at spacing them, and doing it on time. The people in charge are two years behind on their work. I don't know about you...but, most people would have been looking for a job by now if they couldn't meet a two year deadline for a high school. Pretty poor planning on the School Boards part, and their employees are absolutely terrible...sad shape it is...
Go figure..you can't believe what comes out of their mouths anyway...so...that is why I say...
Wake Up, Wake County! I Am Sick of It!
AMEN BROTHER!
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 13:52 — g88ky07"Their inability to sell bonds might just be one of the best things that has happened to taxpayers in this county in the past decade."
AMEN!
They wouldn't have been able to deal with a 3 yr. "gather up your children and let's move again peoplez" plan IF they had wanted to!
Elections at large, belt AND seat removing of these NO LEADING school board mouth pieces MIGHT get us on a path to recovery!
Just curious, but....
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 11:36 — WuptdoIs the issue that they can't sell the bonds, or they don't want to pay the higher interest rates. Did they use bonds in the 80's when interest rates were 10% plus? As a rule of thumb, when the Stock Market goes down, the bond market goes up. Then there is the issue of where is all the money going to come from. I have been saying for years that Wake County/Cary (and Raleigh) have way too much debt as it is. And what about the debt load imposed by the State; folks seem to be ignoring the fact that the State's Dems imposed $600 million dollars of "illegal" (not voter approved) Bonds on the NC taxpayer. That alone should be the cry to "throw the bums out!"
Just say NO to the "Status-Quo Seven"
Try Belt-Tightening for a change
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 09:24 — kmisegadesI suggest that the County Commissioners make a small investment and buy each one of the Wake BOE members (Ron Margiotta excluded) a new belt, then teach them how to tighten it. Their inability to sell bonds might just be one of the best things that has happened to taxpayers in this county in the past decade.
Hey Ken......
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 11:17 — WuptdoHey Ken -- they need your education reasoning over at Cary Politics. Too many of the moonbats over there are having a field day about vouchers and public education.
http://carypolitics.org/forums/showthread.php?p=47547#post47547
Thanks.
But Wup does a pretty good
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 15:07 — joeciullaBut Wup does a pretty good job of keeping 'em on the straight and narrow!!!