Wake County Superintendent Tony Tata is trying to reassure magnet school supporters worried about how the program will be affected by the new long-term student assignment plan.
As noted in today's article, Tata was effusive in his praise of the magnet program during a meeting Thursday with N&O editors and reporters He said that he recognized the importance of keeping a strong magnet school program in the new assignment models being presented Monday.
“A $13 million investment is fairly cheap for what we’ve gotten out of it and what we’ve prevented,” Tata said.
Tata said that the magnet programs roughly south of U.S. 70, basically those inside the Beltline, have helped keep those schools diverse and kept the areas from deteriorating.
Tata said the programs roughly north of U.S. 70, basically those in North Raleigh, have helped allow those schools to compete with charter schools and private schools.
He said the third set of magnet schools, such as Farmington Woods Elementary and those in Zebulon, have served academic and/or growth purposes.
To keep the magnet program viable, Tata said there will still be a need to displace some students who live near the magnet schools to free up slots for applicants.
But the devil will be in the details when the plan comes out Monday. Tata was reluctant to provide specific details ahead of time on just how the magnet schools would be impacted by either the green or blue plans.
(I've got another post coming up this morning but I'm taking today off because I'm working tomorrow. I'm going to try take a blog breather today.)
Comments
how many are magnets?
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 10:53 — AngelaWNo Child Left Behind Annual Yearly Progress Information for Wake County Public School System
May 20, 2011 - No Child Left Behind (NCLB) guidelines stipulate that Title I schools, that have not met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets for two consecutive years in the same subject, enter Title I School Improvement. The schools are required to notify parents of their option to attend a school that is not in Title I School Improvement (Choice Option) at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the next school year. Students will be able to attend the choice school until they complete 5th grade. Transportation will be provided as long as the sending school remains in Title I School Improvement.
For more information about AYP and Title I School Improvement, please follow the links below.
Based on 2009-2010 AYP results, letters have been sent to parents of students in year-round schools, currently in School Improvement (SI) or at risk of entering SI. Traditional calendar schools will send preliminary notifications toward the end of May. Final results for the 2010-2011 schools year will not be available until July 2011.
Please note parent options outlined below.
Identified Year-Round/Modified Calendar Schools:
The following year round schools may be required to offer the Choice Option for the 2011-2012 school year: Durant Road Elementary, Green Elementary, Lake Myra Elementary and Wilburn Elementary.
Parents at schools that have not met all of the targets for 3 consecutive years, are able to select the Choice Option OR Supplemental Educational Services (SES – free tutoring after school). SES is only available to students who receive free or reduced-price lunch. Parents of eligible students may select SES, only if they choose to stay at the school.
The following year round schools may be required to offer the Choice Option OR SES:
Barwell Elementary, East Garner Elementary and Hodge Road Elementary
To apply for the Choice Option, parents must go online by May 31, 2011; The website link is http://wwwgis2.wcpss.net/nclb. Please follow the directions on the website to apply for the Choice Option. After the application deadline of May 31, 2011 only new students who will enroll at the identified SI school will be eligible for the Choice Option and apply at their base school.
Identified Traditional Calendar Schools:
Schools will send preliminary notifications to schools that may be required to offer the choice option and/or SES at the end of May 2011. The school year for traditional calendar sites begins on August 25, 2011. Final results should be available in July 2011. Parents at identified traditional calendar schools will receive an additional letter at that time, notifying them of their options and timelines.
The following traditional calendar schools may be required to offer the Choice and/or SES options: Aversboro Elementary, Brentwood Elementary, Conn Elementary, Creech Road Elementary, Douglas Elementary, Fox Road Elementary, Fuquay Varina Elementary, Hilburn Elementary, Hunter Elementary, Lincoln Heights Elementary, Lynn Road Elementary, Millbrook Elementary, North Ridge Elementary, Poe Elementary, Smith Elementary, Wendell Elementary, Yates Mill Elementary and Zebulon Elementary.
To obtain achievement information for the sending and receiving schools, you may link to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) site, by following this link: http://www.ncreportcards.org
Additional facts regarding AYP and Title I School Improvement levels can be viewed at the following links: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/abcayp/facts/;
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/schoolchoice/facts/ ;
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/ses/facts/ ;
Below is a list of the Choice Options for all of the schools that may enter Title I School Improvement. (Note: These Choice Options apply to the majority of the students. Students who are attending schools in Title I School Improvement by parent requests may have alternate options.)
NCLB Choice Options 2011-2012
(Acrobat file)
-wcpss-
Wondering the same thing !
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 10:32 — shank56I've been taken back too at the lack of discussion/response on this subject. Yet well over 100 responses to the announcement of Jenman's candidacy. Very interesting..wonder what new Koolaid is being served on Wake Forest Road?
More than 24 hours later
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 10:13 — valsparMore than 24 hours later, and still no commentary posts on this subject? What? Not even from Jenman? Sideburns? No bashing from the Tea Drinkers?
Mr. Tata has been across the county, in his 90 days been in more than half the schools, added close to 10k miles on his car, and came to the overall conclusion that the magnet program serves multiple beneficial purposes for our students, our system, and our community as a whole.
Kudos, Mr. Tata.
Now, we wait to see just how you will manage to keep this program that differentiates Wake County viable.
Magnets...
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 14:23 — JanisTangoI don't have a problem with the magnet program, but I would really like to see them do a real study and make some sensible changes. I'm tired of seeing the ED kids get displaced from magnets to open up more seats for application students. We have several kids new to our school this year that have been moved so many times and many of them from magnets (Conn, Washington, Garner, etc). That is just wrong. Why does this happen...does anyone know? The shuffling of these kids is ridculous. I also like the suggestion that Jenman made...if there is a wealthy area why are they assigned to the magnet as a base. Shouldn't they have to apply just like everyone in the burbs?
I think you haven't hear a lot about this issue because Tony Tata understand the issues that others schools have suffered from because of magnets and program inequity. He is looking at some solutions for fixing the problems RIM schools are facing. They loose many kids to magnets every year because they can't offer the extras like magnets can. He is also looking at making sure there is some equity in the OTB middle schools.
Magnet schools are unfair
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 12:30 — woodstockMagnet schools are unfair and is one of the biggest contributors to program inequity. Why taxpayers are not furious about this enormous inequity is troubling. Maybe the reason there are not many posts -- yet -- is because, as Keung stated, "the devil will be in the details" and they are waiting to read the particulars.
Keung reports: "Tata said that the magnet programs roughly south of U.S. 70, basically those inside the Beltline, have helped keep those schools diverse and kept the areas from deteriorating."
This is a very troubling comment from our new superintendent. Makes you wonder where he is getting his "public comment." In all his travels, it seems he still has some work to do to get up to speed. Diverse schools without academic achievement is worthless... and that is what the magnet schools deliver for far too low income and many minority students. Until we get over the fact that diversity has some supposed intrinsic value, we will never get to where we need to go to serve all students.
Even if they use actual
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 13:47 — Andrew95Even if they use actual evidence, Woodstock is allowed a special insight into the schools that noone else seems to have access to, so obviously they are wrong. Even when someone he respects disagrees with his opinion, they obviously have a lapse in judgement.
Who's close-minded, Woodstock?
What evidence? Who is
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 14:02 — woodstockWhat evidence?
Who is close-minded? Everyone who thinks diversity leads to student achievement and continues to deny the unfairness of magnet schools, that's who.
You said it yourself; he
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 21:23 — Andrew95You said it yourself; he went to the schools and looked at the achievement rates. What kind of evidence are you looking for?
Close-minded: Somone who believes that their way is the only possible way, and won't listen to facts that say otherwise.
History has proved people of that nature to be almost always wrong. I will accept that the diversity policy might not have been the best solution, and I would be happy to see an equitable plan on the table. I will accept that this board has done good things, such as the switch to EVASS and the change in the student dicipline policies.
You won't accept anything until it pleases you and like-minded people completely. If anyone has a problem with it, they'll just have to take it or leave it, eh?
...
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 12:05 — SideburnsAre you saying I haven't been clear in how I feel about our magnet system? I can repeat it if you'd like. Just ask.
Can you please clue Tata in.
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 12:18 — woodstockCan you please clue Tata in. Damn, I thought he was listening.
Maybe no one is posting because
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 11:46 — FSandYOUmost realize they have no impact on what will happen to your precious magnets. Maybe they aren't posting because in 48 hours, maybe, we'll get to look at a ridiculous assignment situation where once again most will have no impact on which is chosen or what is altered in the final plan.
Maybe it's because they know their interests are better served getting behind someone as worthy as JenMan and posting their thoughts there.