The WakeEd blog is devoted to discussing and answering questions about the major issues facing the Wake County school system. How much will the new Democratic majority on the school board do to undo the changes made by Republicans since 2009? Will the new student assignment plan be a hybrid of the last two models or primarily be a return to the use of busing for diversity? Who will replace Tony Tata as the new superintendent of the state's largest district? How will voters react to a likely request in 2013 to borrow potentially more than $1 billion to build and renovate schools?
WakeEd is maintained by The News & Observer's Wake schools reporter, T. Keung Hui. While Keung posts information and analysis on the issues, keep us posted on your suggestions, questions, tips and what you're doing to cope with the changes in Wake's schools.
It's pretty much official now that the Wake County school board won't adopt the new student assignment plan until after next month's election.
Superintendent Tony Tata said today he wants to hold a work session with the board on the new plan on Oct. 4. With the election the following Tuesday on Oct. 11, a final vote likely wouldn't come until later in October or possibly November.
How the timing of the plan's adoption affects the election remains to be seen.
Comments
Mnordberg, like you I too am alarmed...
Tue, 09/06/2011 - 20:33 — paulastam...at how "last minute" the public meetings re student assignment were announced and at a very busy time of the school year - especially for traditional calendar parents I suspect (open houses, meet the teacher, buying school supplies, etc). Seems the General and/or GOP controlled school board were not terribly interested in providing ample warning to ensure folks could actually plan to attend. Just like Tata's appointment - very rushed and WCPSS' parents and local taxpayers had NO opportunity to meet or quiz General Tata prior to his appointment.
Paula, "Independent, Fair & Speaking Up for MY Kids."
Oh the traditional calendar delimma
Tue, 09/06/2011 - 22:04 — FSandYOUOh the traditional calendar delimma, what to do. Open houses, endless supply shopping, meeting teachers all hours of the night, man, that just sounds terribly time consuming. And just think, those poor MYR parents had half as much time as you to get all that done. Heck some only had a week or so.
FS, "Still an Indy, A State Fair Lover and Absolutely Laughing MAO at that comment above."
more hurry up and wait
Tue, 09/06/2011 - 17:08 — mnordbergI hope Tata has a plan on why he is pushing it off. He seems to be playing the school board and the community well against each other so far but the longer it takes for the full plan with all the financial, educational, and changes detailed out, the more fed up people are becoming with the process. (especially the lack of transparency) I think his timelines to start off were a bit too ambitious and he didn't understand the complexitites involved in a fair assignment plan taking into account proximity, parent choice, bussing, magnets, calendars, crowding, high performing schools (or the latest politically correct name), and the politics of getting all the "majority" of the BoE on one page. I suspect there is a lot of churn going on right now on the fundamentals of choice between Tata and the chairman.
Now the real question again, why the rush to announce public hearings last week with only a few days notice?
Why would he have a plan on that?
Tue, 09/06/2011 - 20:33 — FSandYOUIt is what it is, the eternal process. Heck, if some have their way why they'll dump the entire thing and start all over. Again! That could give us what, 2, 3 more years to hurry up and wait? Yeah, that'd make a lot of sense.