Glossary
Here the definitions for some important terms and phrases that will crop up again and again during the coming public discussion of the draft student assignment proposal for 2004-05.
Base population - A school's base population includes the students assigned to the school serving the attendance area in which the students' parent or court-appointed custodian resides. The Board of Education designates each school's attendance area in the growth management plan.
Capacity - WCPSS policy calls for the school system to best use its facilities including addressing crowding (projected enrollment should be between 85% and 115% of approved campus capacity). New schools may operate with less than 85% of capacity enrolled if some grade levels will not be assigned during the first year or if significant growth is anticipated in the following years.
Diversity - Diversity is a consideration in the growth management process. It is a strategy used to positively impact student achievement. Research has shown that if there is a high concentration of either low student achievement or students receiving free and reduced price lunch in a single school, all students in that school will have a harder time trying to learn.
Node - A geographic area designated by the school system when the student assignment process first began in the 1980s to assign groups of students to schools. Each node has a defined profile and is assigned to the same elementary, middle, and high schools. Nodes may be subdivided as the area population grows. A group of nodes make up a school's designated base attendance area.