General Questions
1. Why did some of the new neighborhoods on Pinecrest Road get assigned to Leesville Elementary when it was already full and other nearby neighborhoods were not allowed to be assigned to Leesville just the year before because it was "too full"?
When a new development comes to us, we evaluate the capacity and available seats at the time. When there are seats available, the new development can be assigned to the school. If not, the students are generally assigned to another school. The available seats can change over time. We would generally "reassign back" students who had been sent to another school. The crowding in some areas of the county are such that each decision is made based on what is happening at that exact time.
2. How can we find out what schools are planned five (5) years from now, ie new high schools? How can we have input to that so we can plan our children's education?
Plan 2004, (2004-2008), will provide funding for two new high schools, plus the infrastructure site construction for the high school site in Wake Forest's Heritage Area. The initial needs list presented by the Board of Education to the Wake County Commissioners included construction funds for the Heritage area high school plus another new high school that has yet to be sited. The next round of capital construction should contain funds for these projects.
The school system relies on input from PTAs, other community groups, local governments, outside consultants and other citizens in developing building plans. If you would like to provide input or suggestions, write the Facilities Department, 1551 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh, NC 27610.
3. Will there be a discussion about assignment to 9th grade centers due to insufficient space at high schools? Where? Impact to new/existing schools? Temporary?
There are two 9th grade centers scheduled for 2004-2006. One will be at the East Cary Middle site and one will be at the Carpenter Elementary site. These will serve the 9th grade students from Cary High and Green Hope High. At this time, there are no other 9th grade centers scheduled
4. Will consideration be given for siblings that would be attending two different high schools at the same time (when a new school opens)?
Families assigned to a new high school may have children in more than one high school depending on the grades. There are no general rules for allowing rising 9th and 10th graders to remain at the first school because an older sibling is going to remain under the grandfathering provision.
5. Is it a priority to have all of the students in a subdivision attend one school?
It is certainly desirable. The size of some subdivisions precludes this from happening. As we attempt to keep all schools healthy, some subdivisions are divided to avoid concentrations of high needs or low needs children.
6. Are you going to take into consideration neighborhoods when reassigning?
If an entire neighborhood is in a node, it would all be reassigned together. Some "neighborhoods" are larger than a node and would not necessarily be assigned to the same schools. Some "neighborhoods" are larger than a single school can serve.
7. Why are no new schools being developed in northwest Raleigh to relieve the growing population?
The availability, cost and approval of land sites in northwest Raleigh has made development very difficult. The school system built Baileywick Elementary through a joint purchase of land with the City of Raleigh. Brier Creek Elementary's site is under similar arrangements. Only through the concerted efforts of both public bodies were these sites made available. WCPSS could not locate sufficient land for the new high school site in the area; therefore, we have expanded the Leesville High campus to accommodate additional students. The Falls Lake watershed restrictions are very prohibitive toward the commercial development, which includes schools, within the extreme northwest area of the County even though residential development can flourish.
8. There are a number of reassignment factors/conditions. What is the priority given to each of these? Who determines the priority?
The staff reviews all of the priority factors and makes a recommendation to the school board who has the final voice in changes. The importance of individual factors can vary depending on the circumstances surrounding the needs of the schools involved as well as the needs of the school district.
9. You mentioned that having only one student going from a school to the middle school wasn't a good feeder pattern. What constitutes an acceptable feeder pattern, specifically the number of children, consistency of same nodes or some pattern from elementary to middle to high?
Ideally, there would be several nodes from an existing elementary or middle school going to the next level. While it would probably be desirable for the entire school to move to the next level together, that is not always possible.
10. What are we doing to prepare WCPSS for the NCLB legislation as it affects assignment?
Staff is meeting regularly to plan for any changes that would need to be made as well as to evaluate data from the testing that has already occurred.
11. Some students seem to be reassigned every time this process comes around, and on the other hand, others don't. Why is this?
It is very unusual for students living in the same residence to be assigned more often than every three years as long as they are in the same grade configuration.
12. Next year our five year old will enter the system assigned to a school that is 35-50 minutes away. There are six elementary schools closer than her base school. How do we get the assignment changed?
You can begin by making a written request to the Office of Growth Management. Please outline your concerns and offer possible alternatives. That should be written and submitted during this Community Engagement Period.
13. What direct action is WCPSS taking to get back to a "community-based" school?
The majority of our students -- 82 percent -- are assigned to one of the three closest schools to them. About 27,000 students are enrolled in our magnet program. We are committed to ensuring that all schools in all communities in Wake County are strong, safe, health and effective places for our children to learn.
14. What actions are being taken to better predict population changes?
Population changes have been predicted correctly for some time. We are always looking for additional support from other sources to verify what we are predicting. The most difficult predictions are specific schools where populations can change even though there is no construction-taking place. It is also difficult to predict how many students will take advantage of the grandfathering option that is available when reassignment occurs. The results generated by the computer model used by staff that involves aging forward and applying growth percentages was 0.09% below the actual 20th day number. A demographer has also been employed to assist the Office of Growth Management.
15. Why are fulltime nurses not assigned to schools?
Funding for those positions is not adequate to provide fulltime nurses in all schools.
16. How many WCPSS employees' children have been involuntarily reassigned out of their schools?
WCPSS employees' children are not exempt from reassignment. Teachers are allowed to bring their children to the school where they teach.
17. Will Wake County ever consider letting children go to elementary school within a certain radius of the school where they live?
There are only a very few exceptions where students who live in the very immediate area of a traditional school are not assigned to that school. This does not apply if the school is a year round or magnet school. Currently there are no specific plans to guarantee that a certain radius would automatically give an assignment to a specific school.
18. When will you make available a year-by-year strategic plan going out at least 5 years?
A specific plan as to reassignment is currently done on a yearly basis. Long range planning is a point of discussion in the Community Engagement model. Staff does take into account when new schools will open in the future to prevent repeated reassignment when they open.
19. Given the tremendous, unprecedented growth in the Spanish speaking population in Wake County, what specific efforts are you making to communicate school reassignments effectively?
Many of the current publications and forms are now printed in Spanish and English.
20. How can find out if our high school (Athens) will face reassignment next year?
Athens Drive is not being considered for reassignment for the next school year. It is anticipated that few high school changes will be made until the new high schools open in 2006.
21. What is the capacity percentage at Middle Creek High now with 3 grade levels?
Middle Creek had 1219 students on the 20th day. This would put them at 69% for the three grades.
22. Of the growth in 2003-04 what is the actual number and percentage of children by race and ethnic group (1990-2010)?
That information will not be official until we have the approved 20th day numbers.
23. Why is it that you are more likely to be allowed to stay at a school even if you move out of its assigned area than if you don't move, but are reassigned, and even offer to provide your own transportation?
Students who move from a school into another school zone are allowed to complete the year. Transfer students have been allowed to remain. (With reassignment, there will now be a strong look at allowing transfer students to remain when other students are forced to move).
24. Do you try not to split neighborhoods for high school? High school students are generally very involved after school.
We try not to split neighborhoods for high schools. If there is one, please let us know and we will look at it when we make the next high school changes.
25. How can I determine the profile of my spot node and will it be considered for a change in the near future?
All spot nodes are reviewed each year for changes. The profile of the node will be available from the Office of Growth Management in several weeks.
26. Why do you not allow children special exceptions or grandfathering who are being relocated to a traditional school from a magnet school where they have been a base student to avoid the child being lost (starting over) in the assignment process?
This would negate any benefit to the affected schools from reassigning the students. They are given the opportunity to apply back as magnet students.
27. Currently the public is only introduced to assignment plans months in advance of the school year impacted. Are there plans to publish assignment plans multiple years in advance for community input and family planning? If so, how many years and how would this be accessed by the public?
At present, there is no plan to publish assignment plans for multiple years in advance.
28. Is there an average size for each node?
The size of the nodes varies according to size and density of students and other demographic considerations. A review is held periodically to see if a node should be divided and if that is possible (depending on how many times it has been divided previously)
29. Are nodes moved in total or can nodes be split up?
When the school board reassigns a node, it can do it as originally configured or it can be split into parts with any or all parts reassigned.
30. If you are in a spot node, how do you begin the process of reassignment into a school of closer proximity that you know is below capacity?
You can submit your request to our office via e-mail.
31. How do we know if we are in a "spot node"?
If your node is number 525.0 or higher, it is a spot node.
32. Is there any coordination between WCPSS, local government, and developers in land us development? It seems that developments are built without consideration for infrastructure. Do developers pay any fees toward the school system?
Yes, WCPSS works very closely with county and city and/or town governments when searching for suitable sites and during the planning and design of schools. Availability of infrastructure, such as water and sewer mains and roads are important factors in site selection.
33. Are you monitoring the increased number of children being moved to private schools and why? Which base schools?
We are monitoring that for private, parochial, home, etc. There is no direct connection such as names, etc. because these schools (except charter) are not required to give us the names of their students. Therefore, we do not always know what schools they are leaving until the school receives a request for records.
34. Are the number of grade level students in node profiles or just the number of students enrolled in Wake County School
The numbers listed in the node profiles are the numbers of students enrolled at that particular school.
35. There are several schools with base assignment areas scattered all over the place including small islands of assignments. Will this reassignment be used as an opportunity to realign some of the non-contiguous nodes and ascertain that feeder patterns from elementary to middle to high schools are followed?
Yes, this will be one of the objectives of this plan.
36. Why do we force students into a modified calendar at the high school level, while there is a choice of year round or traditional calendars at elementary and middle school level? Why not choice at all school levels?
The only high school on a modified calendar is SERHS. The only ones there by "force" are the base students. These base students can request a transfer if there are unusual circumstances.
37. How does your growth management plan consider the special needs students? How do they fit into your overall plan?
Special needs students are assigned to base schools in the same way that all other students are assigned. They are served in base schools where programs and services are available. When a special program or service is not available in a student's base school, Special Education Services assigns the student to another school. The school is determined based on space available and proximity to the student's home.