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WCPSS Home >> Growth Management>>05-06 Student Assignment Resource Center

October 2004 CEM Questions and Answers

Public participants in the first round (October) of the 2004 Community Engagement Meetings asked the following questions. The questions and their answers are reproduced below.

Wouldn't going to year round schools for all elementary schools ease the need and financing for new schools?

Yes

Are the schools scheduled for construction in the short-term going to be built bigger (2-3 stories vs. 1 floor)? Schools should be built to make the most efficient and economic use of land due to limited space and high costs.

Yes. Of the 11 new elementary schools in the Plan 2004 capital program, 7 are two story, 2 are one story and 2 remain to be determined; 6 of the 11 have been expanded to 768 student capacity, 4 are 655, and is 609.

Wildwood Forest Elementary wasn't shown in slide show. Is it still considered a site for a modular school? If so, why was it chosen as a site?

Yes. The key factors considered in selecting sites for modular schools were degree of crowding in the area, proximity to permanent school location and available space on the campus.

Why are so many small schools being built in neighborhoods that are planned to have large numbers of homes? Why not build larger schools to start with? Why build single and 2-story schools when the need is obvious for so much more space? Question 2 - Why can't money be spent to enlarge (2nd floor) existing schools instead of locating and develop new land? This would take less time to expand space and could occur while the schools are in session. Question 3 - Why not build bigger? Question 4 - Why does Wake County not put second floors on elementary schools for grades 3-5?

Of the 11 new elementary schools in Plan 2004 capital program, 7 are two story, 2 are one story, and 2 remain to be determined; 6 of the 11 have been expanded to 768 student capacity, 4 are 655, and one is 609. The cost per square foot to construct a second story over an existing school would far exceed that to build a new school. In addition, it would not be practical or safe to have major construction in progress over classrooms while students were in attendance.

Why can't school boundaries be set to support neighborhood/community-based schools?

Having schools just serve specific neighborhoods has not been doable because of the growth compared to the number of seats available.

Why don't we send a survey to parents asking them if they would rather go year-round or be reassigned?

It is possible that some surveys will be done as some have been done in the past. Responding to a survey is not the same as actually having your school convert to a year round - some people respond to a survey in one way and then don't support that when the actual time comes to make the change. However, it is one of the measures that the district can use to gain information.

Why can't I be assured that my children will go to their neighborhood school when I was told when I purchased my home that they would go to Wakefield schools?

The school district has never promised a family that they would continue to go to any particular school. There are not enough seats in the Wakefield schools to seat all of the students who live in the Wakefield homes. As this area continues to grow, this will be even more of a challenge.

How can we expand the year-round option to those parents who wish to send their kids to year round school? Especially at schools that are extremely overcrowded?

Conversion to year round would require a decision by the school board. This has been attempted in several areas without success. One recommendation to the board could be that when a school reaches some degree of crowding that conversion would automatically take place. This, of course, has not been a board action at this time.

Why not do split schedules (1/2 day sessions) at high schools?

Again, this has been considered but could restrict course offerings, etc. at the schools. This has happened in some districts but would certainly not be one of the district's top choices.

Why does WCPSS have such a problem funding construction and maintenance? That is, why don't Wake County property taxes, developer fees, etc., adequately fund the required budget to accommodate growth?

The tax rates and funding are determined by the Wake County Board of Commissioners.

What is the responsibility of the builders and developers? Question 2 - Would it be possible to request that the developers who request building permits for fragile areas set aside as much acreage somewhere else as they develop in valuable land? Question 3 - What are you going ask of the builders of these large communities in terms of the contribution of the tremendous over crowding in our schools? Question 4 - Why don't developers pay impact fees to the county for school funding? Question 5 - Why are developers not required to pay a per single-family dwelling fee to the county for schools? Wakefield donated the land so residents should be allowed to go there. Question 6 - How do we create a system where the city and county have to work with the school system on new home development? Why can builders continue to throw up new neighborhoods without new schools?

At present there are neither state nor local laws that require developers to set aside land or money for school construction. It is not uncommon for WCPSS to purchase land for schools from developers, sometimes at reduced prices.

Can Wake County capture empty office, warehouse, or factory buildings and retrofit these buildings to be used for permanent schools?

Yes, but the cost to retrofit an existing building often approaches the cost to build new. However, WCPSS does look for opportunities to convert existing buildings. For example, a new special programs school will be built in a former office building on US Highway 64.

Will our planning for new schools ever catch up with our needs? Will there always be trailers and modulars in Wake County?

It appears that growth will continue. The funding from Wake County government for schools and school construction will not allow the school district to "catch up" in the immediate future.

How many students are in trailers system wide?

21.2% of elementary students are in mobile classrooms, or about 11,500.

If the 3rd grade caps were extended to the other elementary grades, what would be the effect?

If another grade were added, it would create a similar need as this year, 90-100 classrooms.

Can the school board institute its own taxes and/or impact fees?

Not at this time - would require legislative action.

Why not a lottery?

A lottery would have to be established by the state through action of the legislature.

How can Wildwood Forest handle another school on its property that is in the watershed and has difficulty with traffic patterns in the surrounding neighborhood now? Who will be attending this modular school?

The students attending a modular school on Wildwood Forest's campus will be the students who will be housed in a permanent school when that permanent school is completed. At this time, neither the use of Wildwood Forest nor the designation of which students has been accomplished. It has been determined that the site can be used for a modular school.

I want to know specifics on the modular/mobile plan for Wakefield High and how the students will be impacted?

Two 8-classroom modular units will be installed to the west of the main building. The principal will determine how the units will be used.

Why are we busing children from Riverside that could attend school at the Riverside Community?

There are currently no available seats at a closer school for those students.

Why, when "community schools" is a priority with all parents, Node 233.6 is not reassigned to Wildwood Forest Elementary, which is in our backyards? Please consider our request to the "Walk-Zone" school. This is the third year of our request.

The rapid growth in areas such as yours coupled with the lack of funds for new school construction to match growth will continue to have students attending schools other than the nearest one.

Why do we not have development impact fees to fund new land purchases and building construction?

What is going to be done to insure that year-round class sizes meet state law limits of 24 children?

All schools are working toward meeting this class size limit. Class size reports are being monitored by the system.

Why can't modular schools be put in the parking lots and limit the number of cars? For example: only seniors can drive to school. Put second level on the existing elementary school (Wakefield) while modular schools are placed in parking lots.

Two 8-classroom modular units will be installed to the west of the main building. The principal will determine how the units will be used.

Is the cap going to be lifted on Brassfield? If so, will there be redistricting?

A decision on the cap at Brassfield has not been made. However, there is not a new school opening that would provide seats for the students that would have to be redistricted.

Can you cap Wakefield Middle and Wakefield High to stop overcrowding?

The school board can certainly cap any schools necessary. However, there must be seats at another school to seat those who move into that particular school's zone,

Is it really cost effective to "waste" money on modular or build larger, more schools?

The benefit to modular schools is that they can be procured and installed in time to meet the enrollment projected for next fall, while brick-and-mortar schools cannot-even if funding were available.

How do magnet schools fit in to changes? They were talked-up; we applied, did not get chosen, and then felt like we got less than other kids (opportunities).

Mobiles and modulars are being added to all schools where there is room.

Are magnet schools safe from these problems? If so, how do we get into one?

No school is "safe" from crowding at this time.

Can we not get more federal funds from these growth issues?

Can we not have individual districts?

Not unless there was state legislation providing individual districts.

Do we have enough teachers to staff year-round?

The Human Resources department continues to assist all schools find adequate staff.

Why are children bused miles into schools, when they have a neighborhood school that they can walk to and other nodes are bused into their school from miles away? (When all the nodes are low F&R) In other words - children of the same F&R%'s are passing each other on in busses.

Because there has been much opposition to reassigning students once in a school, some of these changes have not happened. This is something that is reviewed by staff, especially when new schools open in the area.

Why can you not cap some and not cap some schools?

You can do that. Capping is approved by the Board of Education. The policy calls for that to occur about the time that the reassignment plan is approved. At present, only Brassfield is capped.

What prevents building right away when large housing developments are being built?

Building funds come from bond issues. When bond issues are passed there is a general calendar as to what will be built and how much will be spent. These generally cover a three-five year period of time. New developments are generally not addressed until the next bond issue because the lack of funds has kept the district behind in meeting the need for classrooms.

Is there any benefit to people paying district taxes to the school district they live in?

Not all districts are equal in their ability to pay additional taxes. It is a belief in the school district that all schools should be funded from tax sources at the same level. This does help to keep the "playing field level."

With redistricting, will whole neighborhoods be moved? I would like my elementary child to go to school with her neighborhood friends. We live in Falls River community.

Many neighborhoods are far too large to attend one school. Different people living in a development consider different people their "neighbors." We do try to keep neighborhoods together where possible. Size is one of the major reasons they are divided.

Why doesn't the school system work with the city and county to lobby legislators to allow impact fees/transfer fees for developers? Question 2 - Why can't developers be made to pay for schools?

Both of these ideas have been discussed and both require legislative action. Impact fees appear to be of interest to many people who attended these meetings. There appears to be little momentum towards having developers pay for schools at this time.

Why don't you improve your forecasting methods? You need a better economic model, which has real data.

The forecasting models have been generally accurate within +/- 1% of the total. Knowing that students are coming does not produce funds to build schools or purchase land or equipment.

If year-round schools are made mandatory, then it must include the high schools.

There are no good models for year round high schools because to offer a comprehensive program on each of the four tracks would require a high school of 3600-4000 students. The district has not found a high school running on a four-track calendar that we could model.

Why not impose a freeze on building permits until school construction catches up with demand?

This would be a function of the Wake County government and/or the various towns/cities.

Why are we focusing on issues other than growth when deciding to assign kids to a school when we can't even handle growth?

Growth is one of the major factors used when it is time to assign students.

Has the planning board participated in forums with other school districts around us that are experiencing high growth similar to what Wake County to get ideas and discuss "best practices" for growth?

WCPSS staff is continually in contact with counterparts in both North Carolina districts and school districts nationwide.

Why hasn't the restrictions been put on the builders in Wake County to control growth? Question 2 - Why don't you use builders to project their sales and/or tax them to limit growth?

At present there are neither state nor local laws that require developers to set aside land or money for school construction. It is not uncommon WCPSS to purchase land for schools from developers, sometimes at reduced prices.

Has the option of purchasing land across from Wakefield High, across Falls of the Neuse been looked at? Many of the houses have been "for sale by owner" at onetime or another. A bridge could be placed over Falls of Neuse for students to gain access.

It would not be feasible to locate an annex to a school across a busy thoroughfare.

Baileywick cannot have mobile units due to the watershed, what happens to the students here when we keep growing? Question 2 - Can students from other nodes that are shipped to Baileywick just go to school in their nodes?

When a school can no longer handle their population and mobiles/modulars cannot be added, reassignment is the available option.

Why do the traditional calendar schools have to take the brunt of all this growth - why can't the year-round schools and the magnet schools be more accommodating?

All of the schools in the county are "taking the brunt of all this growth" because most are as crowded as the traditional schools. The exception might be new schools but they quickly become full.

What are attendance controls (example: students living in Durham County or Granville County attending Wakefield, someone owns townhouse, uses address, sell townhouse and resident also uses address.

If someone knows of students who actually reside in other counties and are attending Wake County Schools without paying tuition, they should be reported to the Office of Growth Management.

Do all high school students have to drive to school - limit high school parking? Find off site parking for buses.

There is certainly no demand by the school district for any students to drive to school.

What is the planning for middle schools? Question 2 - Is all the growth at the elementary level? I see very few (1) new middle schools in the next two years.

Salem and Hertiage Middle Schools were opened this fall. The next middle school is scheduled to open in eastern Wake County in 2009 if funds are available.

Why weren't the current Wakefield schools built for the projected growth?

All schools are built to accommodate the addition of mobile classrooms. Two new elementary schools are included in Plan 2004 for northern Wake County.

All the permanent new schools for the next years are not in North Raleigh, you have land for Heritage High, why is that not being built? Now, you are proposing a 9th grade center for Wakefield High, if Heritage was built you would not need a 9th grade center.

If funding is available, Heritage High will be completed in 2009 and used as "swing space" while Wake Forest-Rolesville High is renovated; it will open as a high school in 2010.

If we have a student in high school will the one in middle school be automatically assigned to the same high school?

It would depend on the assignment pattern at the time the younger sibling enters high school. If reassignment occurs, there would be no guarantee that the younger would go to the same high school as the older.

Would lottery "school fund only" help?

Any money allocated to fund school construction would help solve the situation we now face.

How long are these modular elementary schools going to remain on site?

Several years, but they will be used as start-up sites for new schools.

How can we create a stable environment for our children with the constant relocation of our children? You cannot keep moving to new neighborhoods, I moved to my current neighborhood and the school assignment changed between the time I purchased the house and moved in.

As long as there is growth and the opening of new schools, there will continue to be some reassignment.

I cannot understand why the overcrowding issue did not start being addressed years ago. Everyone knew how many new homes were being built. Question 1 - Why wasn't something done sooner? Question 2 - Why weren't Wakefield schools built to accommodate the number of students?

There have not been sufficient funds made available to the schools for many years to keep up with the needs. Crowding and lack of funds are not new issues. The Wakefield schools were not designed to provide seats for all of Wakefield. This development is much too large for that.

Where are you considering placing school E9? Question 2 - Where will E9 be permanently placed? Question 3 - Where will the Harris Creek modular units go to? Question 4 - Which one will possibly go to Wildwood, and how long? Question 5 - What is the 9th grade-learning center?

Staff is recommending that the new E9 school be opened at East Millbrook Middle School for two years and that the new Harris Creek Elementary be o0ped at a modular school at Wildwood Forest Campus for one year.

What is the projected date of the modular center at Wakefield High?

Open for next summer.

How many schools will feed into the modular at Wakefield?

Wakefield's addition will serve the current population assigned to Wakefield High.

How can we have more parental input earlier in the development of options for facilities management? (vs. hearing about ideas with no opportunity to comment).

The expanded planning horizon of Vision 2020 will provide increased opportunity for review and discussion.

Please explain the "9th grade center" concept? Question 2 - Does it mean an additional 9th grade on campus or does it mean moving the 9th grader out of the permanent building?

A 9th grade center as currently in place at two high schools means that the ninth grade is housed together (on the campus or on another campus). There is some movement between the 9th grade center and the main campus for certain courses. It does not necessarily mean more students being assigned there.

Why is Durant so crowded and they have trailers already with 30 kids and when you add the students from CC1 and visually impaired students, you are up to 33 -34 students? Need year-round high schools because you only have Southeast which is not a nice neighborhood, would not even consider this school.

Durant is crowded because families have opted to have their children attend this year round school. Southeast Raleigh is an option for those students when they move to high school. Southeast is not considered a year round school but does have some common calendar components with the year round schools.

When in this school year, will we know for certain where the modular schools will be placed? Question 2 - Who will actually attend? Question 3 - Why are the homebuilders not held more responsible to provide more cash to build new schools when they are the number one provider of "new students" coming in each year?

The school board will probably have made the decision as to where the modular schools will be placed before you read this answer. As stated earlier, the modular school will be populated by students who will eventually go to a designated new school when it is built.

Is year-round school out of the question? Maybe voluntary. Funding- higher taxes - "no" Education lottery - "yes" "Year-Round a Must - Educate the Public on the advantages of Year-Round".

Year-round is always an option when approved by the school board. Funding and lotteries are answered in other questions.

Why can't WCPSS build less expensive schools; and therefore more schools?

WCPSS schools are built according to design guidelines established to support the academic programs. The designs are conservative and take advantage of "Green" building concepts with a consideration for life-cycle costs.

How long will the modular schools be used?

The modular units will be needed until sufficient funding is available to build permanent school buildings, at that time they can be relocated for use at other locations.

Can we eliminate the excessive busing? (1 to 2 hour commutes for the children and use a "neighborhood school" and allow our children to grow up with the friends and teachers and surroundings that are familiar to them. I think that would relieve the stress on students/teachers/parents/families. This would lower busing costs, gas/maintenance/drivers, etc.

Space is one of the problems related to your question. Keeping all schools healthy is another aspect. Many "neighborhoods" are larger than a school can house. I don't think we have any two-hour bus rides except (maybe) students who opt to go to magnet schools.

Why can't children attend a school within a two mile radius of their home for traditional and the closest year-round school?

There are not schools within a two miles radius of each student's home.

Will modular units be able to with stand inclement weather? Question 2 - Where will students go under these conditions (hurricanes/tornado warning, etc.)? Question 3 - When will the people who make all these redistricting decision come into the classrooms to see how this is affecting all students?

The modular units are designed to meet applicable building codes.

Why can't Wakefield be a neighborhood school and have only Wakefield residents attend the schools? Question 2 - Why should our children suffer if redistricted or we go to year-round? We live here and pay taxes; we should stop busing outside students in. It is hard enough on kids to move to a new area and now we might have to tell them they can't go to their neighborhood school with their new friends. My son is very concerned about this and going year-round, we should think about the students.

As a school district we are concerned with all students and want them to have an adequate place to go to school. Wakefield schools were not designed to house all Wakefield students. Very few, if any, schools house only children from one development.

How can parents help raise enough funds? Impact fees, pass bond ref.

Parents may voice their opinions to school board members and county commissioners, as well as state legislators.

Why don't we break the entire county into districts (Heritage, Wakefield, Millbrook, Bunn, Garner, Sanderson and let them make decisions?

Over the years, the state has attempted to make fewer school districts, not more.

If a 9th grade center is set-up, there will be empty seats in the high school, will these seats be filled with other 10th, 11th and 12th grade students? Question 2 - If so, when will there be room for the 9th graders?

There will not be enough seats for the current Wakefield population in the current building. There will have to be a reassignment of someone when there is another school opened in that area.

Is the bus budget reviewed? Question 2 - How about half-day kindergarten? Question 3 - Why not more modular schools in an area where a school is committed to be in the future (Heritage High to be opened soon)? Open more modular units, use modular to put into the next situation (recycle).

The bus budget (and all other budgets) is reviewed each year. Half-day kindergarten is an option that has been mentioned by the school board. There is no indication at this time that it is being seriously considered for next year.

We are sitting here in October 2004 talking about being short 6K seats for 2005-06, you said you were looking forward past 2007-08, what are you doing to ensure we won't be sitting here next October short another 6k seats?

Staff will evaluate needs for the 2006-07 school year as soon as enrollment projections are available from Wake County Planning Department.

Will student assignment be busing for consistent feeder patterns and school closer to home and reducing spot nodes?

These factors are always considered in reassignment, especially when new schools are opened.

I am living in Upchurch Farms community, Node 638.0, near our community there are tons of schools available, but we were assigned to Briarcliff seven miles away. Kids spend one or two hours on bus, worry about safety of children. When can I expect our school assignment to change to the nearest school?

All nodes assigned away from their area (spot nodes) are reviewed each year in light of new schools and available seats. It is not anticipated that assignment will change this year.

We need to know - Question 1 - "When reassignment plan come out?" Question 2 - How many schools/students will be affected? Question 3 - When node 638.0 the spot node is cleaned-up? Question 4 - Is it possible to add mobile units in Davis Drive Elementary?

The reassignment plan should first be made public in late December or very early January. The number of students affected will relate to the actual number of new schools we are opening. There could be some reassignment because of filling empty seats in some schools. Spot nodes are reviewed each year to see if they can be reunited with the area from which they came. Davis Drive already has some mobiles and the site will be reviewed to see if others could or should be added.

Why is Stonecrest (Node 391.6) a new neighborhood assigned to Davis Drive Elementary School, which is at 900+ students when a neighborhood, which sits between Davis Drive schools and Stonecrest, is assigned to Salem Elementary and Salem Middle?

This neighborhood is Sherwood Greens (Node 561.0); Upchurch Farms (Node 638.0) has been assigned Briarcliff for the past two years. Question 2 - Why has Stonecrest been assigned to an over crowded school? This does not seem logical or fair. Each time a new development is created, staff reviews the current school for that property, how many students will come from that development, and can that school take those students. If not, where can they go. It was determined that Davis Drive could handle them and they were left at that school since the undeveloped land was in the attendance pattern for Davis Drive.

Will children that go to the 9th grade centers be reassigned for 10th grade to a different high school? We were previously told No.

Students that attend a 9th grade center will move on to the high school campus for that center. If node(s) from that school are reassigned, this reassignment would involve all students in the node rather than just 9th graders.

In 2006, when Panther Creek opens will there be grandfathering for Green Hope 11th and 12th grades? Question 2 - Is it true that when Panther Creek opens it will be for 9th grade only for the first year?

I anticipate that Panther Creek and Holly Springs High Schools will open with grades 9 and 10. Since they will not have grades 11 and 12, those students would continue to go to their current school.

Why not have most schools year-round and have a portion, which is traditional? Flip the current scenario, have parents apply to a traditional school, have traditional schools magnets.

The school board will continue to look at options for handling growth/increased enrollment. This is an option that has not been submitted prior to this time.

What is our ability to predict growth impacting changes like class size reduction?

That is a function of the legislature and the State Department of Education. It is often talked about for a while before it is implemented.

What is your plan for school growth to accommodate all the development planned in Cary west of 55?

This will be addressed in the development of the next capital funding program.

What can we do to change the cause and beneficiaries of this growth - developers impact fees to go to the schools? Question 2 - How and what do we need to do to change state law? Question 3 - Can we temporarily change class size?

How can we better link the vision of 2020 to funding from the county commissioners?

Development and publication of Vision 2020 will increase the awareness of commissioners and the public of the needs for new and renovated school buildings.

Will there be a brick and mortar shelter to accompany modular schools?

No. Modular units are built to applicable building codes.

Were commercial building sites looked at for temporary schools before the modular school ideas was proposed? Were vacant sites looked at before considering putting the modular schools on existing school sites where the facilities are precious to that school?

Yes, we continue to look for alternative locations for schools. The cost and time required to convert existing buildings to serve as schools are greater than one might think. Yes, vacant sites are also being considered, and in fact, a vacant site near Wendell will be the site for a modular school.

What is the plan to involve the developers/builders and hold them accountable for the growth? They need to help with funding schools! Question 2 - Can WCPSS obtain any funding from the developers who come into the area and build these huge neighborhoods and then pack their bags and leave? "Should figure a way to make developers help with construction of new schools."

At present, there are no mechanisms in place to permit this type of funding. School board members have begun to discuss school funding alternatives with the county commissioners.

How will the rim school diversity be addressed so that all Wake County schools share the challenge?

Each time there is reassignment, staff reviews the profiles of all schools and makes any adjustments possible where there are problems. This is much easier when new schools open. Since there are few schools opening near the rim, this will continue to be difficult.

How will you handle overcrowding in schools that are in "central" North Raleigh (Jeffrey's Grove, Lead Mine, etc) without increasing bus rides significantly?

Every effort is made to handle overcrowding without extensive bus rides by adding mobiles, etc., but when that is not possible, the bus ride can and probably will be longer.

Can you do all of the redistricting without harming the racial and economic diversity of existing schools?

This continues to be both our goal and one of our biggest challenges.

Can putting art and music teachers on carts at all elementary schools provide enough space to avoid much redistricting next year?

Yes, the addition of two classrooms in each elementary school will help, but not totally meet the space deficit. Some schools have already given up one or more of these spaces. Staff and the Board considered, but rejected this approach.

Why didn't the proposal for creating the year round elementary schools also include linkages to middle and high schools as year round?

When the board has identified year round schools there have been linkages to middle schools. Since there are no multi-track year round high schools, there could not be that linkage.

Presentations showed 13 new/proposed elementary schools through 2008, yet only 1 middle school. How is this effectively managing the "growth" or aging of the school population? Question 2 - I noticed several elementary schools being built in the future but didn't see any plans for middle schools to accommodate those rising students.

The opening of Heritage and Salem Middle Schools this year helped to alleviate crowding. Middle schools will remain crowded in the near future, but the higher priority is to provide additional elementary level space - a more critical need. The next middle school will be opened in 2009, assuming funding is made available.

Where are the high schools and middle schools planned for north Raleigh in the next 10 years?

I see growth in elementary schools but none in middle or high school. Heritage Middle School opened this year and a middle school in eastern Wake County is slated for opening in 2009, if funding is made available. If funding is made available, Heritage High School will be completed in 2009 and used as "swing space" while Wake Forest-Rolesville High is renovated; it will open as a high school in 2010.

McDonald's/Wal Mart know when the growth is growing houses. Why can't WCPSS cooperate and get ahead of the game of growth?

Wake County Planning Department staff and WCPSS staff project enrollment growth as much as 15 years into the future. However, we are prohibited from catching up with or getting ahead of growth by lack of sufficient capital funding.

York Elementary is on the list as being overcrowded - where will the projected population be coming from? I would like to see a map graphically broken up with where new students are expected and numbers.

The unofficial projection for all schools was based on current enrollment, past growth, and possible future growth. There were no reassignments included.

Is there a way to find out if my child will be able to stay in his middle school even if there is reassignment?

Magnet students will be able to stay, but he would be a base student. Under the current guidelines being followed for reassignment, rising 7th and 8th graders being reassigned to an existing school are allowed to grandfather (stay) at the school from which they are being reassigned. Under this same guideline, students reassigned to a new middle school can only grandfather if they are a rising 8th grader.

Why does my child not have the same chance at getting in an AG middle school (he is AG at his elementary school) just because his elementary school is not AG or GT?

First, we do not have AG middle schools. We have GT (gifted and talented) middle schools, two of which have AG Basics as an additional component. Second, first priority for magnet middle schools goes to students in magnet elementary schools because of the need for program continuation. For example, if a student in a GT elementary school takes French, or ballet, or strings as an elective, then that student should have priority to continue that program in middle school. Also, since most magnet elementary students have chosen to leave their base school to go to a magnet elementary school, they are given priority.

Can the modular school be moved later to another location? Question 2 - How long will these "modular schools" be in place?

The physical facility - I realize that you're trying to keep a group of children there only one or two years. Yes, the modular schools can and will be retained and relocated for use at other locations. For example, an 8 room modular unit could be used to replace 8 mobile classrooms at a school, saving a great deal of space. We anticipate that the modular schools will be in place for several years, but that they will not be the permanent location for a school. Rather, new schools will open in the modular sites and students will relocated to the permanent new buildings when they are completed.

How will you choose the children to attend the temporary modular schools? Will you be seeking an F&R balance?

The modular schools will be identified schools that will move into permanent buildings when completed. The district will use every means possible to balance the F&R at these schools. The F&R should reflect the broader area from which the students come.

Can we group schools in clusters within a neighborhood/community and make 1 of these 4 or 5 schools a voluntary year round to ease crowding in that area?

This might be a way to ease crowding and avoid modular units, as well as provide year round opportunities to families who prefer it. Establishing such a cluster of schools is one of the options being presented to the board should they decide to use year round as one of the ways to deal with overcrowding.

Can we walk away from F&R %age at schools that are under capacity?

If the school board made that decision, we could. It is not believed that the board or staff wants to make that move.

Why are charter schools provided Wake County funding but not required to abide by certain rules such as transportation and F&R %age?

Charter schools, as established by the state, operate outside any rules that are in place for the local school district. They receive a per pupil funding allocation from the district from which the students come but are not required to meet the same rules that the home district of the student must meet.

Do the 15-year enrollment projections take into their calculations new development impact, birth rate data, census data, and neighborhood trends?

The projections given to us by Wake County do take into account those things. There is no actual projection of development that has not been recorded but there are certainly considerations for development since it continues to occur.

For several years it has looked as if we will be redistricted. We are currently districted for a magnet school. Unfortunately, redistricting decisions are made after magnet applications are due. Can I go ahead and apply for a magnet if I'm already districted to go there? Just in case?

Yes, just in case!

Can we get state funding to subsidize building new schools due to reduced class size creating the need for 90 new class rooms?

No, capital funding for school buildings is a local responsibility. State funding for school construction would have to be enacted by the legislature.

How can WCPSS better monitor new home growth to make more effective decisions?

Wake County Planning Department staff and WCPSS staff project enrollment growth as much as 15 years in the future. However, we are prohibited from catching up with or getting ahead of growth by lack of sufficient capital funding.

Question 1 - Why is this office space advertised on Falls of Neuse near Woodbridge neighborhood? There are several new neighborhoods going up in that area it would be perfect for a school. John W. owns a large part of the properties as well as other major players. Question 2 - What is their responsibility? Why not review California and Illinois?

What is the best long term plans for facilities? Larger or smaller?

Of the 11 new elementary schools in the Plan 2004 capital program, 7 are two story, 2 are one story, and 2 remain to be determined; 6 of the 11 have been expanded to 768 student capacity, 4 are 655 each, and one is 609. In determining size of schools, planners must strike a balance between the cost efficiency of larger buildings and the research that shows a positive impact on student achievement in smaller schools.

You were quoted "that kids should be sent to schools as close as possible to school". Question 1 - Why hasn't Wakefield Elementary, middle and high not been capped to slow down growth by builders? Question 2 - Short-term (1-2 years) assignment, why reassign? Question 3 - Why not establish in advance who's moving and when? Question 4 - Why not modular high school for Heritage?

Wakefield campus has not been capped because there must be seats to which the students can be sent. There are currently few, if any, available seats in that area. Capping has not necessarily stopped or slowed construction. The Office of Growth Management is now trying to show more long-range movement by looking to the second year in the future. A modular high school would be very large if the total/complete high school program is going to be offered.

Does the county and school system work together at all? Question 2 - My issue is how you let this amount of growth occur without the necessary infrastructure to support it? The county and city allows developers to build/build/build without the schools to support it.

Yes. To start with, WCPSS uses Wake County Planning Department projections of enrollment. Staffs worked together extensively in developing bond programs, subject to the funding that the county made available.

How often are modular units updated?

Mobile and modular units are maintained by the same staff that maintains the brick-and-mortar buildings.

Do you ever get updates to development when a new community is formed?

Yes, we get plats and descriptions for all new developments that occur in the county.

Why can't you build second floors on single level schools?

The cost per square foot to construct a second story over an existing school would far exceed that to build a new school. In addition, it would not be practical or safe to have major construction in progress over classrooms while students were in attendance.

Why don't you build schools based on what expected future school growth is?

WCPSS plans schools based on future growth, but construction of those schools is limited by the capital funding that is available.

Are you aware of how trailers affect existing campuses?

Yes

Will redistricting take place? Question 2 - Will reassignments take place?

Reassignment and redistricting will take place when new schools and modular schools are opened. There could also be some for filling of empty seats left when new schools are filled.

Where and what is E9?

E9 is an elementary school scheduled to open in 2007. The site has not been purchased. It will probably open in a modular school and be moved to a permanent site when it is ready.

How do you plan for school sites?

General vicinities for new schools are identified based on crowding in existing schools, projected population growth, and residential development. Specific sites are identified by searches of those general areas for sites that meet selection criteria.

What is the plan to get rid of the temporary mobile units?

Unfortunately, mobile units will be needed for a long time; they are replaced if they deteriorate to the degree that they cannot be economically repaired.

Bond money, does it include trailers?

Yes

When is the next potential bond issue?

The Wake County capital funding plan indicates 2007.

Question 2 - Has the commissioners released the full bond fund?

Funds are released upon request by the Board of Education and approval by the Board of Commissioners.

Has partial privatization of schools been considered?

No, this would be a legislative issue.

How many students will be in modular units?

21% of elementary students, 8 percent of middle students, and 15% of high school students are in modular units.

Has the year-round been taken off the short-term solution?

At a recent meeting, the board chose to remove year round from current consideration. This does not mean that it could not be considered at some time in the future.

What does "temporary" mean for modular?

We do not know, but they will be needed until sufficient funding is available to build new schools.

Why can't we renovate buildings to mobilize administration and make more room for classrooms?

WCPSS' administrative buildings are not well suited for conversion to classroom space.

Is there a process for banking land or having options to purchase land?

Yes, subject to the availability of funds.

Can schools in watersheds be made year-round? Question 2 - What would the environmental impact be? Question 3 - Has anyone looked at this?

Schools in the watershed could be made year round. Specific schools have not been studied for year round since the board chose to not pursue that option at this time.

Is every school at capacity?

Almost all schools are at or above capacity now and will be at a higher level next year (2005-06)

Why are we so off on our projections? Question 2 - Why can't new schools opening dates be pushed up?

Enrollment increases were greater than projected, more students returned to WCPSS from other schools, and the legislature mandated a reduction of 3rd grade class size. We will advance completion dates as much as possible.

How affective are currently year-round schools?

If the question references maximum usage of seats, they are very effective. The only year round seats are available in the new schools and these will soon be filled.

For modular schools, how were the sites chosen? How will it work?

The key factors considered in selecting sites for modular schools were degree of crowding in the area, proximity to permanent school location, and available space on the campus. Modular schools will be independent, self-sufficient schools and students will not utilize facilities in the permanent school on the same campus.

Network with other school districts, how do they handle growth?

Staff routinely coordinates with other districts both within North Carolina and nationally.

How do we get funding to WCPSS control instead of having funding with Wake County Commissioners?

By law, the taxing authority for WCPSS is the County Commissioners. To change this and give the school district taxing authority would require legislation.

Will Holly Springs High actually open in 2006 for Holly Springs students? Question 2 - Which grades?

Holly Springs High will open for students in 2006 and is planned to open with grades 9 and 10.

Will the new Holly Springs High be used for another school before it becomes Holly Springs High?

Holly Springs High is not scheduled to be use for another school prior to it becoming a high school for the area.

Are there any plans for building a new elementary school in the Fuquay/Willow Springs area? Holly Springs Elementary is the only school already sited.

There are plans for a school between Willow Springs and Garner but a site has not been purchased.

Will "new" year-round students be added to Turner Creek or will they be shuffled from West Lake?

There is an attendance area for Turner Creek that should yield enough students to fill that school. With the opening of Carpenter Elementary in 2006 as a year-round school there will be some year-round reassignment.

Why not keep the mobile classrooms for future growth instead of moving them in/out every couple of years? Utilize those rooms for more elective courses, etc.

The rapid growth within the county has required that we use all of the mobiles we have each year. Most parents would believe it better to move mobiles than reassign students.

WCPSS is making a strong case for not splitting up the system into smaller, more manageable districts. If you believe smaller class size would result in a better school, why wouldn't you believe a smaller school district would result in a better-run system? Question 2 - Will you not be too big until you are the biggest?

During recent years the state has pushed for the elimination of multiple districts within a county. To have the state approve the division of a district is not likely.

Has it been considered to reduce the need for modular units at Wakefield or reduce the number of units needed, is it possible to divert some of the Wake Forest-Rolesville (9th graders) to the relatively new Knightdale High and some of the Wakefield (9th graders) to Wake Forest-Rolesville? Seems like this would save money. Question 2 - Is it offset because of increased transportation costs?

Wake Forest High cannot take any more students because they are very crowded. The district tries to keep high school students in the same high school. It would not be fair to move them for 9th grade and then bring them back. Knightdale High will be filled with students from that area as the new grades are added.

With the amount of people here, why do we need to split-up?

Not all parents feel comfortable speaking in a larger group. We also want to have more opportunities for all persons to be able to speak to all isues.

Does everyone have an equal shot at the magnet school lottery? Question 2 - Is it weighed to favor students from wealthier schools and those who qualify for free/reduced lunch?

Every one does have an opportunity to be chosen for a magnet slot if they live in the transportation pattern for that school. Crowding is one of the first considerations so a student attending a very crowded school has a better chance than a student attending a less crowded school. The percent of students in a school who qualify for free/reduced price lunch is a consideration in magnet and year round selection. There is a part of the selection process that choose a certain percentage of students totally random.

Explain more about year-round schools? Question 2 - How does it work and days off? Question 3 - How about tracks?

These are difficult questions to answer briefly. Each multi-track year round school (YRS) has four tracks. Each operates independently from the others. There are always three groups present and one group on break. Each group goes to school the same number of days as students in traditional schools (180). A parent interested in year round would be well served to attend one of the open houses at one of the year round schools to learn about their program and calendar. Caroline Massengill in the Magnet Office would be a good resource for information.

If mandatory year-round is initiated, are improvements (air conditioned buildings, gyms built) to older schools (Knightdale Elementary) going to be done so students don't suffer from heat? Question 2 - Kids still need their summer off, isn't that why we passed to start later?

It is believed that was passed by the legislature in order to help the tourist industry. Year round calendars already do that because students are out at different times in the year. Proponents of YR say that they can take vacations when other people are in school, thus the attractions are less crowded. Childcare can prove a challenge for some parents. The need for childcare would be spread over the year rather than just during the summer.

Why can we not go to year-round across the system, which would reduce new school needs and increase capacity?

At this time, the board has decided to not pursue YR for next year. If more schools were to go YR, the need for new schools would be reduced.

Knightdale, Lockhart, Hodge Road and Forestville, why couldn't two of these be made year-round?

Clustering of schools with one being year round is one of the methods that could be used.

Could we revisit the option of year-round schools to counter reassignments that are happening so often?

These Q/A will be shared with the school board.

Do you feel that the bell schedule at Carver Elementary will go back to last years bell schedule?

The school board and the transportation department review the bell schedule each year.

Aside from the $450 million bond, where does Wake County propose to receive funding for the long-term (7-15 years) goal opening new schools? Question 2 - Is it projected that this bond amount be enough?

The bond issue is not enough. It is planned that the county will authorize another bond issue.

When will WCPSS begin updating teachers on a wider range of learning disabilities (Dyscalculia, Dysphasia, etc.) and when will WCPSS begin seriously engaging Dr. Mel Levine of Chapel Hill to give our teachers strategies for teaching tools for these disabilities? This is another way to ensure "No Child Left Behind".

We use the educational terminology for disabilities based on state and federal guidelines. This includes learning disabilities in the seven areas: oral expression, Listening Comprehension, Basic Reading, Reading comprehension, Mathematics Calculation, Mathematics Reasoning and Written Expression. Terms such as dyscalculia and dysphasia, etc. are terms used in clinical/medical models.

A number of WCPSS teachers, including some special education teachers, were trained through the NC Schools Attuned project, which the NC General Assembly funded. The program focuses on looking at neurodevelopmental constructs and "attuning" the school environment to increase the likelihood of student success. Many of the strategies are similar to those incorporated in the Student Support Team training and reflect best practices. All Kinds of Minds Institute, Dr. Levine's program, "provides programs, tools, and a common language for parents, educators, and clinicians to help children with differences in learning achieve success in the classroom and life." The focus of the program is not specific to students with disabilities but students in general and on school and systemic change. The initial training requires 40 hours of direct instruction not including extensive, required homework activities. Again, this training was made possible through funding from the General Assembly for schools that were interested in participating. It is our understanding that the funding is no longer available.

Dr. Levine does do extensive neurodevelopmental examinations and as part of this does provide recommendations to schools. These evaluations are typically assessed through parents or doctor referrals. The cost is in the thousands.

Will the slides from the public meeting or a subset be available to the public?

Yes, the power point will be on the web site (wcpss.net)

When Holly Springs High opens will an effort be made to allow Apex High Seniors to complete school at Apex if they are in the transfer area?

When new high schools open, it has been a practice to only open with grades 9 and 10. This allows juniors and seniors to remain at their current school.

Why was mandatory year-round school option abandoned?

The school board chose not to pursue mandatory year-round for the next school year. Various year-round options for the future will be made available to them should that become a need for the future.

Do we develop a new architectural design for each school?

In order to save money, designs are used several times as long as they will fit on the property and the terrain of that property.

Is there any way that you could synchronize a mini-school system, (an elementary, middle and high) to be all on the same schedule either traditional or all year-round - but optional?

That is the concept under which the current year round program operates except there is no year round high school. In order for this to work, it would take a very large student body and a very large campus (3600-4000 students). This is necessary if a comprehensive program is offered to each track of students.

Where are we? Question 2 - Why are no new schools slated to be built in Southern Wake County?

A new high school and elementary school are scheduled to open in Holly Springs in 2006 and 2007, respectively; two elementary schools are projected to open in the Garner and Rock Quarry Road areas in 2007 and 2006, respectively.

What impact will the proposed "Southern beltline" have on planning? Question 2 - Will the road help define boundaries?

Whenever it is completed it will have a significant impact on development of homes; the Vision 2020 planning process will enable us to forecast this impact.

Has any thought been given to becoming more flexible with grade combinations; for example, using the modular schools to create grades 5 and 6 schools to take some of the overload from elementary and middle schools? This would actually have a positive impact on transition for students moving up from elementary to middle, I am not sure about any research to support this.

This idea has been discussed but at this time it is felt that we should keep the grade configurations the way they are. There are very strong feelings on the part of parents supporting both sides of the issue.

Could we set up a modular elementary, middle and high in the Garner area?

Additional mobile classrooms will be installed on existing school campuses; separate modular schools will not be needed.

Could we reduce the number of factors considered in student assignment?

Keeping all schools healthy is one of the factors considered in student assignment. If this principle is eliminated, there could be even greater differences in the schools within areas.

Should we divide the county into logical subunits? Manage growth within these units.

If you are referring to making several school districts within the county, this would require legislative action. Smaller units are not necessarily operated cheaper or more efficiently.

Why is Eastern Wake County shorted funds for our projects whenever there is a problem countywide? We need our middle school built on time.

When the Plan 2004 capital construction program was developed, projects for renovations in existing schools were prioritized based on the physical condition of the buildings, and new schools were prioritized based on school crowding and expected growth. When it became necessary to postpone funding, the projects with lowest priority were selected.

How will WCPSS guarantee that modular schools will be short-term use?

Modular schools will be used as swing space until a sufficient number of permanent schools is funded and constructed.

How long does it take to build a new school and have children being educated from the time that need is identified?

It takes about three years for planning, design, and construction.

How many children will be housed in modular classrooms?

The modular classrooms are some smaller than traditional classrooms. The particular use of the classroom will dictate how many students will be placed there. Classroom sizes will be the same as for other classrooms.

How is WCPSS working with the state legislature to be better prepared when decreased class sizes are mandated?

Staff will continue to monitor legislative actions.

What is projected life of modular schools? Modular schools will be used as swing space until a sufficient number of new schools can be funded and constructed. Question 2 - How will these facilities be used when students move to permanent schools in five, ten years?

Modular units can be relocated to other campuses to replace mobile classrooms.

How will enrollment in modular schools be capped?

The initial placement of students will be done carefully to avoid overfilling of the school. Growth in the area will be monitored during the time the students are in the modular school prior to moving to their permanent school.

Are these modular plans enough to alleviate the 2-_ elementary schools necessary to lower 3rd grade class size and the projected (and underestimated growth) and consistently growing Eastern Wake County? Long-term plans are a must!

Yes, mobile and modular units will be installed on existing campuses, as well.

Why are new schools opening all at one time (for instance 7 in one year and only 1 the next year)?

As I'm sure you noticed, one of the goals of the new Vision 2020 planning process will be to schedule school construction to have less impact on student assignment.

Can planning time for new schools be shortened?

Staff is continually striving to do so.

Why is funding specified in plan 2004 bond being taken from assigned projects and put into modular schools?

Is there a "watch-dog" group watching how WCPSS is spending construction monies?

The Wake County Board of Education must approve expenditures related to school construction. Prior to expenditure, the Wake County Board of Commissioners must approve the appropriation of funds for school construction projects. The county staff also reviews expenditures of funds for construction projects in the WCPSS.

Can a county issue a school tax without legislative approval?

Yes. NC Public Schools Law 115C-500 through 115C-513 define the process whereby supplemental taxes for schools may be levied.

Square D property - $11-14 million - fantastic property inside and out, can this be researched for new educational site (high or middle)?

The building was investigated and found not suitable for use as a school.

How do you see this growth affecting special education? These classes are as large as regular classes in some schools.

As the number of students in the district increases, we can expect about 16% to require special education services. Whatever the service it will, in some way, impact the capacity of the school and must be planned for. The number of students served in a space depends on the service and is guided by the State of North Carolina.

During lockdown can you give security support for all the new mobiles?

Yes. The mobile units will have the same security and access controls as the other schools. All access doors will be locked except the front door anyway. We will be installing Intellikey access locks on all doors. The mobiles will also have camera surveillance system installed. The staff will have crisis/lockdown training before these schools open. In the event of a lockdown, the front door will be locked as well as checking all entrance doors. (These will stay locked all the time anyway and the only access will be by school employees.) Security staff and policy would respond to assist and protect the outer perimeter of the school.

With the increased emphasis of science education, will we be funding science labs in the schools?

We do fund science labs in the middle and high schools. The approach to science instruction at the elementary level is inquiry based and kits of materials are provided to the teacher to use in the classroom that supports hands-on science activities.

When considering funding of new schools, is the salary of good, qualified teachers part of this? What is the anticipation (projection) of teacher recruitment?

Staffing of all schools with good, qualified teachers is our goal. There continues to be teacher shortages in most districts.

If school numbers (students) in each school were increased, how would disciplinary policies be changed/enforced?

Disciplinary concerns are the same for all schools regardless of size and enrollment.

Collect data from magnet applications, who is being turned away? Can they be accommodated? Why aren't the magnet schools made to accommodate growth?

For all magnet school applications, there were 3108 denials as of 9-30-04. The magnet schools have a limited number of available seats to offer to magnet students. They also have a base population that must be served. Magnet schools do accommodate growth. Because of their location, many of the magnet schools cannot have mobile units placed on their campus. The acceptance of students into magnet programs can have a negative impact on the sending school if the movement of too many students affects the health of the school.

How does WCPSS determine who goes where?

There are several variables used in determining assignment of students: crowding, proximity to residence, feeder pattern, when moved last, new school placement, and school profile (number of low-performing students and number of students who qualify for free/reduced price lunch).

What is accountability?

Accountability in North Carolina is defined as the academic mastery and growth a student demonstrates using state established measures. At the elementary and middle school level, this is measured using state tests administered at the end of the year in reading, mathematics, and writing. At the high school level state tests are administered in eleven high school courses at the end of the course. The results on these tests are included in the state accountability model.

What is the average travel distance?

The school district uses travel time rather than distance because most parents are more concerned about ride time. Average one-way ride times are:

To a magnet school - 51 minutes
To a year-round school - 57 minutes
To a traditional base elementary - 32 minutes
To a traditional base secondary - 38 minutes
County-wide average one-way ride time - 43 minutes

Bond money, does it include trailers?

Yes

Why not have more year-round schools?

This is an issue that has been addressed by the school board for the immediate future. Possible choices regarding year-round schools for the future will be shared with the school board.

How and why are we handling diversity?

Diversity is addressed by attempting to balance the percentage of students who qualify for free/reduced price lunch. The board has placed an emphasis on this because whenever the concentration of needy students reaches a high percentage in a school, there is the potential for all students to suffer academically.

Why can't we raise taxes?

This question has been submitted to the Office of the County Commissioners for an answer. When it is received, it will be added to this list.

Have you considered a flexible bell schedule?

Yes, however, the only bell schedule that will give increased student capacity is one that supports two separate shifts. Example: a high school schedule that has one group of students attending from 7:30 AM-2:15 PM and another group from 2:15 PM-8:30 PM.

What is the law around mandating year-round?

There are no legal reasons to or not to designate a year round calendar for a school.

Are there any social programs available to help with mandatory year-round?

The YMCA does offer some scholarships for students who need assistance with track-out

Will E9 be a mandatory year-round?

The school board has not made that decision.

Have you considered year-round within a traditional calendar?

Yes

Is transportation considered?

Students who attend a mandatory or voluntary year-round school and live within its transportation pattern are given bus transportation.

How effective are year-round schools?

I believe you are referring to utilization of space. Year-round schools serve between 20 and 30% more students for the same space as do traditional schools.

Once a child starts a given school, what can be done to keep a child at that school?

As long as there continues to be growth and new schools there will have to be reassignment. The school board has allowed students currently attending a school to remain at that school if they are being reassigned to an existing school as long as they will be in grades 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12. Students being reassigned to a new school may remain at the current school if they will be in grades 5, 8, 11, and 12.

What is the average cost for (1) installing a single mobile unit?

The budgeted amount for one mobile unit (no toilets) is $63,000. This includes the purchase and setup of the unit, but excludes the furniture, equipment and supplies.

The cost of one 8 classroom modular unit (with toilets) is $525,000. This includes the purchase and setup, but excludes the furniture, equipment, and supplies.

A modular elementary school with a capacity of 571 students consists of four 8-classroom modular units in addition to administration spaces, media, kitchen/dining, and multipurpose units. A modular school requires more site work such as earthwork, roads and parking lots, extensive storm drainage, possibly adjacent roadway improvement, etc. that are not required for adding just 1 modular or mobile unit. The budgeted amount for an entire school of approximately 52,000 square feet is $5.7 million, which includes furniture, equipment, and supplies. These schools are much smaller than a bricks and mortar elementary school.

A new bricks and mortar elementary school of 655 capacity is budgeted at approximately $11.9 million excluding the furniture, equipment, and supplies. The size is approximately 90,000 square feet.

There are no modular middle or high schools proposed for the 2005-2006 school year.

What size is the current elementary model? Could it be increased?

There are two models-655 and 768 students. It could be increased but Curriculum and Instruction would need to approve the revisions in space standards along with the Board of Education since school size affects the learning environment.

What is the Wake County regulation on the distance that a mobile unit is to be placed from the brick and mortar building?

Regulations require mobile/modular classrooms to be placed 30 feet away from a permanent structure and 20 feet away from each other.

How do additional children entering pre-kindergarten at age three from early intervention programs impact short-mid-long range budget goals?

These children are identified as special needs children and we are required to provide services beginning at age 3. We serve them in home-based programs or school-based programs depending on the amount of services required to meet the child's needs.

Why not assign 9th grade, 6th grade and Kindergarten centers by areas?

It would require careful planning to ensure students had the same academic opportunities they have now. There would be some additional cost to duplicate programs.

Why not cluster schools or send all Kindergarten students to a K-center for one-half day?

National research tells us that academic gains are greater in full day kindergarten programs than haf-day programs. If we move to a half-day program we would be reducing the quality of the educational program for all children.

How many parents are currently being denied year-round?

As of 9-30-04, 2079 students were denied admission the year-round program served by their attendance area.

Is block scheduling exacerbating the problem?

No. The same students are in attendance for the same number of hours regardless of the schedule.

What percent of county taxes goes to the school budget?

This question has been submitted to the Office of the County Commissioners. When the answer is received, it will be posted.

With the population increasing so rapidly, the county tax base is increasing proportionately, so why isn't there enough money to build the schools to supply the growing population?

This question has been submitted to the Office of the County Commissioners. When the answer is received, it will be posted.

Can putting art and music teachers on carts at all elementary schools provide enough space to avoid much redistricting next year?

This is happening in many schools. Art and music in the elementary schools are key components of the educational program and positively impact student cognitive development and academic success. We should be seeking ways to restore the spaces to support these programs.

Can you have on-going community engagement meetings throughout the year?

This would need to be a decision reached when topics that were broad enough or had enough interest on the part of parents justified such a meeting. It is assumed that the writer was referring to other topics than just growth management.

Why is the year-round idea not being considered-what is the possibility that it might be reconsidered for a short-term solution?

The school board chose to now consider year-round for next year. This does mean that it could not be considered in the future. There have been several parents who have spoken in favor of year-round.

The proposal to convert traditional schools to year round was not addressed in the proposals to accommodate growth that were presented. Will the conversion be planned for 2006-07?

It can be considered should the school board make that choice.

Are new schools going to be year-round?

No new schools have been identified recently as year-round programs.

When you open a new school, why can't you make it a voluntary year-round to begin with?

A voluntary year-round school must be a part of an elementary-middle school feeder pattern. There must be traditional schools for others in the area to attend. Not all new schools are in locations where there are potential year-round students not already having a year-round option.

Why don't we make all elementary, along with middle schools, year round?

This would certainly create additional seats. There are many parents who might want this schedule and many others who would not. Wake County Public Schools has tried to give parents choices.

How can you force schools to go year-round and not force others? Does it matter where you live?

The choice to "force" a school to go year-round should be made based on pre-determined criteria. The board may consider identifying these criteria prior to the time they are ready to make the decision about year-round.