The three-year reassignment plan that the school board is scheduled to vote on this afternoon is looking like a multi-year plan in name only.
County staffers told county commissioners at this weekend's retreat that the money isn't there to fund all the new construction projects unless taxes are raised. So, barring a tax increase, some school or other capital projects could be delayed.
Any delays to the renovations at Wake Forest-Rolesville High or the construction of H6 would cause major changes to the reassignment plan. Both projects are among the biggest items needing cash this year from the county.
Then we've got the year-round lawsuit hanging over everyone's heads.
A ruling could be issued by the state Supreme Court as early as Friday.
Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney told board members during the work session that a victory for the district means a lot more families are going to be forced to attend year-round schools. He said the non-consent families who don't submit an application for a traditional-calendar seat will have to go to their base year-round school.
Even for families that apply, Dulaney said there won't be a guarantee that they'll be approved.
If the district loses, Dulaney said they'll have to revise the second and third years of the plan. He said they may need to consider outright elimination of the year-round program, as opposed to just reducing the number of schools.
Dulaney said the board may not be able to leave in place an all-voluntary year-round program if it results in those schools having a very small low-income percentage compared to traditional-calendar schools.
Comments
Unbelievable
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 15:10 — srhudson06Only Wake County could take a successful and popular voluntary program and threaten to stop it just because they might lose a court case. This board never ceases to amaze and disgust me.How much longer can these people stay in charge? Really, till there is no one left but those who can't afford to leave? That will help those test scores.
The tide can be turned in
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 21:15 — Big_PictureThe tide can be turned in October if everyone doesn't get lazy and complacent.
Come out, come out, wherever you are
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 14:58 — SideburnsWhere are all those nay-sayers who never believed MYR was all about diversity? Dulaney's comments say it all.
The voluntary YR program never supported the right mix of students. Not enough F&R applied to be in the program. WCPSS must have total control of all schools. They would rather get rid of the voluntary YR program (even though thousands of families choose it and like it) than lose control.
They would rather get
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 15:57 — NWRaleighMomI guess, the most important question is whether WCPSS will have enough seats if it converts all schools to traditional.
When did WCPSS care about families' choice?
I don't think it is up to
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 15:17 — Eric_BI don't think it is up to Chuck Dulaney to decide what the board can and cannot do with the voluntary year-round program.
The board tells Chuck what to do (at least theoretically if not in practice), not vice versa.
Eric, I agree this is the
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 16:12 — CaryCurmudgeonEric,
I agree this is the way it should work. I just wish I had some confidence in their not getting snowed by Chuck on the issue.
Eric_B please tell me you
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 16:11 — AngelaWEric_B please tell me you are being facetious! After all this and all those facts and figures YOU yourself uncovered, you cannot possibly believe that jaw-droppingly naive statement???????
The BoE leaves it all up to Chuck, Bev's latest "re-look" at Lacy was the first real "sign" of questioning and uh, look how it turned out in the end!
The BoE(eR) tends to like to "reap the benefits" of working for the "19th largest school system" it goes over big at cocktail parties, right Patti?
Maybe I am being naive, but
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 17:38 — Eric_BMaybe I am being naive, but I don't think Chuck can just come to the board and say that they need to get rid of all voluntary year-round schools. Why? They have total control over who gets accepted as YR applicants. Is that still not enough control? Is there simply no way to make YR schools diverse enough for Chuck's liking without forcing low-income students to attend YR against their wishes? If that is how unpopular YR really is, all I can say is WOW!!
In Chuck Delaney's world,
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 19:34 — SouthEastWakeMomIn Chuck Delaney's world, social engineering (aka diversity) trumps all including education and sound, logical decision-making.
Yup
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 17:50 — SideburnsEric,
Sorry to say but...you're naive. WCPSS may have total control over who gets accepted but they don't have control over who applies (maybe that's their next move). It's not that YR is unpopular - it's just not popular with the F&R families for whatever reason. That is also evident in the % of opt-outs who are F&R.
and then we all know they
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 17:58 — AngelaWand then we all know they will say, "it's all because of WakeCARES" thus trying to divert their ideals, goals and ineptness onto the.....you guessed it.....parents!!
At Least Dulaney's control/influence is limited...
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:54 — BlawgDawg..to Wake County. What if he were to be in charge of part of the state's education system, or Heaven forbid, hired by the new administration to go to Washington?!?!? I say we are doing the rest of the country a favor by limiting the scope of his influence. I just wish we had sufficient representation on the WCSB to limit it even more.
well....
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 12:07 — SDR256At the risk of sounding very 'fringe' I will offer that Chuck's hero - Bill Ayers - IS in a very influential position. He is the VP of the largest educational organization in the US - AERA - which decide K-12 curriculum. Chuck has written award winning papers for that organization about the 'success' of our diversity busing solution. We have been offered up on a silver platter.
As we all know, Ayers was a fundraiser and neighbor (and friend?) of Barack Obama's - would not be a stretch to think he's still very connected. AND Ayers is also a friend and colleaugue of our new Secretary of Education - Arne Duncan, from Chicago. People have complained that Mr. Duncan is a bit of a no-op. But if you wanted to be the great and powerful Oz behind the screen - what else would you want?
So, I'm trying not to be an alarmist, I'm trying to convince myself I'm just having bad daydreams, but my imagination is just good enough to suggest that our own Chuckie is just a protege. And we are his sandbox.
funding
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:43 — bedfordmomI've lost track of the votes that are happening this week. Today the BOE votes on this "three year plan" - which is a joke as far as the NE high school assignments are concerned- right? When does the Board of Commissioners decide whether or not H-6 will be funded? Where are they planning to put all these students if it is not built? And then the Supreme Court could possibly rule on the year round issue as early as this Friday, right?
County commissioners
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 12:22 — KeungHui (author)County commissioners approved $6 million on Monday for H6. But Wake has broken up the funding for H6 into several small packages with the delay of any having major implications. The next H6 package and the funding for Wake Forest-Rolesville High's renovations will go to the commisisoners either later this month or in March.
The state Supreme Court could rule on Friday.
Just the facts ma'am
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:00 — g88ky07I'm on a fact gathering mission today and could use some help. How about that! I know, hold your applause.
Can someone please tell me what school is H6?
Can someone please tell me what is known about the status of Holly Grove Middle? an actual address, or way to find one or a boe code word maybe?
Is HG middle funded and has construction been started and/or how might it be impacted by the county budget crisis?
A transportation question,
does the system have to provide transportation for all that opt out, as it stands right now, or for only those who do as they're told and go where Mr. Utopia wants them to go?
I have more, but will try not to over do it.
THANKS!
H6 is....
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:11 — J8307200H6 is a high school to be built in the NE part of the county off of Forrestville Rd. The land has been purchased but I do not believe the funding for the contstruction has been procured. According to the reassignment plan H6 is supposed to open in 2010 for 9th and 10th graders only at the new Heritage High School site with their 9th and 10th graders. There is supposed to be two separate schools there with their own administrators, teachers, staff, etc...The next year 2011-2012 they would move to their school which should be built be then. Our family is caught up in this wait and see game for this scenario because we have a rising 9th grader this year who is supposed to be assigned to the new Heritage High School in 2010. But due to many issues (WFRHS not being completely renovated because of delays in funding, etc..) no one is sure about anything...Great way to develop a 3 year plan, eh? The other questions who have I cannot answer because I am not familiar with that area......
Click here for Holly Grove
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:10 — KeungHui (author)Click here for Holly Grove Middle info. Funding has been appropraated and work is underway so it's less likely to be impacted by the funding crunch.
H6, located on Forestville Road between Wake Forest and Raleigh, is in much bigger danger. Construction hasn't begun yet and a big chunk is needed this year to get the school open by 2011.
Wake provides transportation to those who opt out. But it controls it by limiting where you can apply. Choose something else and, if you get it, you provide your own trasnportation.
Thank you!
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:19 — g88ky07Thanks!
Mr. Hui
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:13 — Voice_of_Reason_Did anyone in Wake County ask for federal stimulus money for schools? If not, why?
Reassignment is not about seats.
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:12 — KnightdaleParent"Dulaney said the board may not be able to leave in place an all-voluntary year-round program if it results in those schools having a very small low-income percentage compared to traditional-calendar schools"
If it was truly about increasing the number of seats LI would not be an issue. It has long been suggested that the system could increase the number of YR schools if they let all who applied have a seat.
Sycamore Creek Question
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:16 — JanisTangoKeung,
Do you know why Sycamore Creek ES isn't even listed on the three plan? If the goal is to fill schools effieciently then I would assume that school would be at the top of the list. There are 475+ seats available and it looks like there is no plan to fill them anytime soon. Any insight would be appreciated?
Heh... Funny you asked. I
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:36 — Eric_BHeh... Funny you asked. I just asked Chuck Dulaney and he said that he's saving those seats for Brier Creek for when Brier Creek Elementary fills up because no new elementary school is planned in the Glenwood/Leesville Rd. area for the next 5-7 years!
This despite the fact that Brier Creek Elementary has 248 open seats right now and enrollment shrank from 659 to 632 students between 07-08 and 08-09 according to the data in the reassignment proposal. Brier Creek ES can hold 880 students.
If you ask me, the true aim is to make Leesville Elementary look as crowded as possible to continue to justify the MYR conversion. Only 75% of the students are attending Leesville ES as their base school. The remaining 25% are application students that Growth & Planning put there to fill up the school despite the 475 open seats at Sycamore Creek!
Eric Remember the stat you
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 16:11 — vsheehanEric
Some of both. Here are
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 17:44 — Eric_BSome of both. Here are the scores:
2001-02
WCPSS: ED - 61.4, NED - 90.6, LEP - 53.0;
CMS: ED - 51.4, NED - 86.0, LEP - 44.2
State: ED - 59.3, NED - 84.9, LEP - 46.2
2004-05
WCPSS: ED - 68.8, NED - 93.3, LEP - 56.2;
CMS: ED - 64.2, NED - 90.5, LEP - 46.9;
State: ED - 68.3, NED - 89.9, LEP - 49.7
2007-08
WCPSS: ED - 31.3, NED - 74.5, LEP - 22.7;
CMS: ED - 31.1, NED - 70.3, LEP - 21.5;
State: ED - 33.3, NED - 66.9, LEP - 19.8
WCPSS went from a 10.0% lead over CMS and a 2.1% lead over state average for ED students in 2001-02 to a 0.2% lead over CMS and 2.0% below state average in 2007-08.
WCPSS dropped relative to state average while CMS improved relative to state average.
thank you Eric
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 18:20 — vsheehanthank you Eric
Thank you Eric B. I have a
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 13:30 — Big_PictureThank you Eric B. I have a summary put together by Lisa B that says Brier Creek's Principal was receiving an additional modular even though she was nowhere near capacity. How soon do they expect Brier Creek Elem. to fill? This is getting out of hand. Lisa B are you there?
The cohort growth model
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 13:48 — Eric_BThe cohort growth model shows Brier Creek growing to 823 students by 2011-12, but who knows if that is accurate:
http://ap2008.wcpss.net/assignment-proposal//schools/342.html?view=profile1
I don't understand why the description of the cohort growth says this:
---
The cohort growth model uses the change in enrollment from 2007 to 2008
by grade level within each node to project how that node will grow in
the future.
---
Yet from 2007 to 2008 Brier Creek shrank in enrollment, but is still showing phenomenal growth of almost 200 students from 2008-09 to 2011-12.
The projections must be wrong from the very description of the model! If enrollment shrinks from 2007 to 2008, the cohort growth model should project further shrinkage, right??
Look at East Cary MS..
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 17:23 — local23I too would like to know how this school will go from 500+ students to 1200 in 3 year?
Where are these projections and models coming from..so new math calculation?
With all due respect
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 09:19 — choice4allMr. Hui, This thread is very different from todays story in the section where most people will read and get their info. I find it disturbing, however accurate, that these statements were eliminated from the news article.
"Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney told board members during the work session that a victory for the district means a lot more families are going to be forced to attend year-round schools"
One would think that this would be reported so that every parent-student-teacher can see the threat of being assigned to Year Round is around the corner and not just mentioned buried on a blog.
It was mentioned, months
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 09:55 — KeungHui (author)It was mentioned, months ago, when the plan first came out in November. It's not exactly a shocker as he's talking about the families who've not given consent in the past and those who are new to the area. It will be mentioned again in a story when the board adopts the plan.
I agree, with respect,
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:01 — g88ky07Fair enough then. We don't mind if you quote that comment often, as it certainly says it all as far as I'm concerned.
Unbelieveable
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 08:55 — nctechmomSince moving here 5 yrs ago, I have never seen such a back(fill in the blank)wards way of handling schools. They'd like us to believe its a $ issue, but it isn't - it's just POOR management. The kids and taxpayers are the ones suffering. FORCED year round schools, crazy non sensical rubrics (whatever happened to A,B,C,D and F - you know like the rest of the country uses) and the NEW Math that doesn't teach crap (forget teaching multiplication - instead teach kids to estimate the answer - what is that??). Welcome to supposedly the best school system in NC. IF this is it, I really hate to see the others....
This is NOT indicative of NC schools
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 16:53 — ApexParentofTwoNC schools in general may have problems like all other public school systems, but WCPSS has a wonderful PR dept. that proclaims it is the best, when in fact, nearly all the surrounding county systems, the other metro systems and even most of the rural systems run far more efficiently and spend funds on students not on bloated bureaucrats. WCPSS is an anomaly all on its own. My nephews and neices (both spouse and I are natives) attend schools in at least four other NC counties, some rural, some not. Our family is constantly shocked and amazed at the stories we tell out of WCPSS, which many people do not know on the outside. All they see is the positive PR and the so-called "test scores."
"in fact, nearly all the
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 19:01 — user1234"in fact, nearly all the surrounding county systems, the other metro systems and even most of the rural systems run far more efficiently"
Using the latest State report cards, Wake gets mediocre local and total funding yet has the highest % passing. So, taxpayers are getting the most %passing per dollar spent. So, I don't think your statement is correct. .
County Local Total Ed% NED%
Orange 3679 9796 32.4 67.9
Chatham 3399 9768 33.5 66.9
Durham 3176 9699 20.8 55.5
State 2075 8521 33.3 66.9
Franklin 1600 8137 31.9 62.9
Wake 2440 8117 31.3 74.5
Granville 1611 7961 30.9 59.2
Harnett 1450 7903 30.9 59.9
Johnston 1785 7900 37.3 69.3
So...
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 08:48 — gunfam...now they are threatening to get rid of the voluntary program if they can't keep MYR?? That should agitate a whole new group of people. Maybe they should ask the F&R families why they don't like yr...oh wait...they did and never told us! Guess they didn't like what they heard.
Its all about what they want, not what families want.
Pfft....
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 08:43 — Bob_SconceThe diversity policy strikes again. The district CAN keep some of the converted year round schools because there are enough families who prefer year-round. At least on paper, that provides a cost savings while allowing families to stay on the schedule they prefer. Sounds like a win-win, right?
But, Dr. Delaney is saying that the diversity policy trumps that. He prefers to spend more money and not allow families to have their schedule of choice. Brilliant.
Wow, what a surprise!
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 08:17 — midtownmomWho would have ever thunk it??
chuck and this BoE always
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 08:09 — AngelaWchuck and this BoE always deal in threats...."if you don't...then we will have to", "if the courts....then we will have to"....
if they would ONLY remember (the BoE) that they were elected (wrongly in most cases), then WE wouldn't have to FIGHT so hard for good education. Period.
King Charles
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 11:56 — SDR256I think Chuck was hired, wasn't he? I think the 'employer' (taxpayers) have been LOUDLY proclaiming that he has received a bad review - incorrect data, no proof of results, and unreasonable sacrifices made for his own personal agenda - again, with NO PROOF that it has been for any good.
How do we get this 20 person Growth Management cancer removed and save the tax payers close to three million dollars? The commissioners are deciding what to cut from the budgets now - how can we get Growth Management earmarked for the AX?
SDR, You should check out
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 14:44 — SideburnsSDR,
You should check out their PR department. I hear it's grand!
send them a note - their
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 13:13 — loriacsend them a note - their email addresses are on the Wake County gov website, but here they are for quick reference:
joe.bryan@co.wake.nc.us,
Tony.Gurley@co.wake.nc.us,
Harold.Webb@co.wake.nc.us,
lindy.brown@co.wake.nc.us,
paul.coble@co.wake.nc.us,
Stan.Norwalk@co.wake.nc.us
Well, duh.
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 08:02 — SideburnsThere are two huge unanswered variables in this plan.
1. Funding
2. The ability to assign to YR
This has never been a 3-year plan. Even the board members agree. From yesterday's article...
It is a deceptive plan.
Or
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 13:36 — SDR256Or a planned deception?
It is a deceptive plan
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 08:05 — AngelaWbased on deceptive numbers and ideals.
WCPSS has already lost this
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 07:38 — CaryCurmudgeonWCPSS has already lost this lawsuit, regardless of the decision. If the judges find for WakeCARES, it will confirm that the school board has succeeded in wasting money not just on a failed experiment, but on a failed and expensive lawsuit. If the judges find for WCPSS, then citizens just lost their last hope of preserving family schedule integrity through opt-out. Oh, and you can bet that Chucky will empty out the traditional schools if he has to to fill out every MYR track.
Oh, and Beverly Clark can finally say "these people need to go where they're supposed to go."
Time-out
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 07:17 — Dadof3Can't we put Dulaney in a multi-year time out?
oh
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 08:06 — AngelaWif only...
Anyone smell the threats?
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 06:59 — g88ky07"a victory for the district means a lot more families are going to be forced to attend year-round schools."
A LOT more who will be alienated and out for revenge come elections and bond time!
"Even for families that apply, Dulaney said there won't be a guarantee that they'll be approved."
Sounds like another threat to me!
Here's a threat I can live with, how about you guys?
"If the district loses, He said they may need to consider outright elimination of the year-round program,"
Everyone should rub their lucky beads, crystal ball, bald head or what ever you have because IF the State Supreme Court ever rules on this case, in parents favor, it could all be over! At that point reality has to set in for Chuck, he can't create his Utopia after all!!
Wouldn't that be a tragedy!!!