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.
A newly tweaked address lookup feature for the Wake County 2013-14 draft student assignmetn plan is now online.
Click here to plug in your address to see your proposed base, calendar and magnet options for next school year. It also lists what level of busing you're slated to receive.
Click here to view the plan. Click here to provide online comment. Click here for online registration to speak at one of the three public hearings on the plan.
Comments
someone correct my understanding of things
Fri, 11/16/2012 - 19:29 — snordone1. Parents voted against instability and forced busing.
2. A choice plan was implemented and parents chose to leave some schools causing an increase in the number of high poverty schools in some areas.
3. The BOE became concerned with the increase in high poverty schools and decided to go back to the previous assignment plan, thereby forcing families back into schools they chose to leave.
One observation: Nothing has changed at the schools that parents chose to leave. Nothing. No increase in programming, no increase in enrichment. Nothing.
Questions:
If parents chose to leave the first time why would they agree to go back?
Why did the BOE not take a step back, evaluate the difference between the schools that parents left and those they chose to go to, and make decision to address the issues that lead them to leave? Assuming that maybe racism accounts for 10% of the problem, that leaves a lot of room for actionable issues.
...
Fri, 11/16/2012 - 21:35 — SideburnsYou know the answer. Consider who benefits from this plan and who doesn't.
All Susan Evans could ask about at the last work session was how this new plan affected magnet parents and friends returning from private school. She ranted on for months about doing her best to keep her Mills Park "cohorts" together under the Choice plan yet doesn't say a peep about Mills Park being fully capped under this plan.
Send an email to Susan
Fri, 11/16/2012 - 13:05 — Apexcitizen1Have you contacted Susan yet? From my experience and other neighbors when we've had concerns she's been very responsive. It's worth bringing the issues to her attention.
Once again, certain areas of
Thu, 11/15/2012 - 21:14 — ApexterOnce again, certain areas of the Baucom (traditional calendar) Elementary assignment area are assigned to Lufkin (year round) Middle School. Meanwhile, I presume that students from nearby Olive Chapel (year round) Elementary are assigned to Apex Middle (traditional).
Chuck Dulaney's abusive assignment plan is still in place.
So does the "Stay where you
Thu, 11/15/2012 - 12:43 — ecumomSo does the "Stay where you start" theory include magnet seats? We got into Farmington Woods IB elementary during the choice process due to proximity however Farmington Woods isn't even listed as a magnet option for us under the new plan. How will this affect rising-K siblings?
You'll be assumed to be
Thu, 11/15/2012 - 13:10 — KeungHui (author)You'll be assumed to be staying at Farmington Woods for next year. If you've got a younger child starting in kindergarten that you also want at Farmington Woods, you will need to file a request during the early transfer period between Feb. 18-March 1. It's supposed to be guaranteed approval.
why are 2 high schools listed for base HS?
Thu, 11/15/2012 - 09:29 — ncstahls413Do you know why two high schools are listed twice for our address. Each high school is listed twice also. One of the two high schools is the new Rolesville High School. Thank you!
So...
Thu, 11/15/2012 - 13:34 — Bob_SconceWCPSS usually opens high schools with just 9th & 10th grade. You likely have two schools listsed because older students would go to a different high school.
so what does it mean if your magnet options change?
Wed, 11/14/2012 - 23:21 — deboblomWe had Underwood as a magnet option 2012-2013 and my son (finally) got into a magnet. But Underwood isn't listed for our address in the 2013-2014 plan. Will we have to return to our base school?
You can stay where you
Wed, 11/14/2012 - 23:47 — jenmanYou can stay where you start. Did you apply as proximity or magnet?
Stay where you start
Wed, 11/14/2012 - 23:27 — realisticYou stay where you start under this plan, is my understanding.
Bizarre
Wed, 11/14/2012 - 17:59 — Bob_SconceI live within an easy walk of the Wakefield Schools. Yet, my kids are going to get "neighborhood busing."
...
Wed, 11/14/2012 - 21:32 — SideburnsFunny. Some of the kids in downtown Raleigh get "neighborhood busing" to Green Hope ES and Davis Drive MS 18 miles away.