Fact or Fiction - The Straight Story Opens on WCPSS Website

An interactive quiz, Fact or Fiction - The Straight Story, opened on www.wcpss.net today to test one's knowledge of issues surrounding the school system's upcoming building program, Blueprint for Excellence 2006. There is a lot of misinformation circulating in the community, and this quiz allows the Wake County Public School System the opportunity to set the record straight and ensure people have the facts.

Test-takers simply read a statement, click Fact or Fiction, and then read the supporting facts. The school system will expand the quiz as WCPSS hears of additional rumors or "fiction."

WCPSS has 128,070 students for the 2006-07 school year, based on preliminary 20th day enrollment figures released earlier today. This is 7,566 more students than the 120,504 who attended on the 20th day last year. The school system is entering a six-year period in which the district is projected to grow by between 7,000 and 9,400 students each year, with enrollment surpassing 160,000 students by the year 2010.

The Blueprint for Excellence 2006 is the school system's plan to ease crowding in schools and provide classrooms for the thousands of additional children moving into Wake County by 2010. It covers four main areas: new construction and crowding solutions, land banking, renovations, and technology. The Blueprint would mainly be financed through a $970 million bond referendum on November 7, in which voters will decide whether to invest in the future of Wake County's children, schools and community.

The bond will help:

• Build 17 new schools (11 elementary, 4 middle and 2 high) to open in 2008-2011;


• Transition 19 elementary schools to the multi-track year-round calendar to gain approximately 3,000 seats in 2007-08;


• Transition 3 middle schools to the multi-track year-round calendar and add mobile/modular classrooms to gain 2,000 middle school seats in 2007-08;


• Acquire land and proceed with design startup for 13 future schools to open in 2011-2013;


• Cover major renovations at 13 existing schools (8 elementary, 2 middle and 3 high);


• Address repair and maintenance projects (roofs, air conditioning systems, boilers, etc.) at nearly 100 campuses; and


• Replace old, outdated computers in schools.

For additional information, visit the Blueprint for Excellence 2006 website.

Posted by Kristin Flenniken at 03:42 PM on October 02, 2006 | Leave Feedback

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