Wake Able to Handle Traditional Calendar Applications
March 16, 2007--The Wake County Public School System has already placed 99 percent of the students who applied for a traditional calendar option in the school that they wanted. This number is expected to rise as the Growth and Planning Department is working to find space to place the remaining traditional calendar applications.
Chuck Dulaney, assistant superintendent for Growth and Planning, said he believes WCPSS will be able to accommodate all valid traditional calendar applications. "The Board of Education tried hard to handle soaring student enrollment and provide options for families at the same time."
WCPSS grew by 7,500 students in 2006-07 and is expected to gain another 8,000 students next school year. With only five new schools opening for 2007-08, WCPSS is transitioning 19 elementary and three middle schools to the multi-track year-round calendar this summer to provide necessary classroom seats. WCPSS made approximately 2,500 seats at traditional calendar schools available for families who couldn’t make the year-round calendar work.
However, the demand for year-round seats was actually higher than the demand for traditional-calendar application seats.
During the magnet and calendar application period, 12,968 students submitted a total of 14,925 applications; 1,952 students turned in more than one application. In all, 7,256 students were placed in a school for which they applied:
- 3,823 students were placed in magnet schools (39 percent of applicants),
- 2,146 students were placed in year-round schools (59 percent of applicants), and
- 1,287 students were placed in traditional calendar option schools (99 percent of applicants).
With the opening of new year-round schools, and 22 schools transitioning to the year-round calendar, WCPSS was better able to meet the demand for year-round seats. Last year, WCPSS was only able to place 1,612 out of 4,365 year-round applicants (36 percent).
Of the 5,677 students who could not be placed in the school or schools for which they applied:
- 4,474 students applied only for a magnet school,
- 750 students applied only for a year-round school, and
- 453 students applied for both a year-round and a magnet.
"As parents make decisions during the next four weeks to accept or decline their offer, we will make additional offers for students who could not be placed at this time," said Dulaney.
Families were able to list their first, second and third choices during the magnet and calendar application period, which ran from Feb. 12-28.
Growth and Planning mailed letters to all applicants on March 14, notifying families of their magnet and calendar application results. Families have until April 13 to decline their offer. If they do so, their child must attend his or her base school.
For those attending year-round schools next year, principals determine track assignment. March 23 is the last date for families to apply for a track change to their principal. Principals will consider special circumstances and change track assignments as needed to make it work at their schools.
On March 30, the new year-round schools will distribute track assignment letters to parents along with a Request for Track Change form. Principals will notify parents at converting schools of the results of their track change request on April 6, and notify parents at new year-round schools of their results, April 20.
On May 15, schools will distribute official assignment strips to students. From May 15 – June 1, parents wishing to request a transfer to a different school may do so by completing and sending a Request for Transfer to the Office of Growth Management. These forms will be available beginning May 15 in all schools, the Customer Service Center and the Office of Growth Management. Parents will receive written notification regarding approval or denial of transfer requests within seven to 10 working days following receipt in the Office of Growth Management.
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