As the first draft was developed, staff worked diligently to incorporate feedback from the community and families received during previous enrollment planning efforts and activities hosted in the spring and summer of this year. In particular, feedback related to keeping students together, keeping neighborhoods together and offering as much stability as possible for families were balanced with the district’s needs to develop a plan for the 2024-2025 school year. Specifically, this plan focuses on the opening of a new school, crowding concerns at existing schools, crowding and projected enrollment growth at capped schools, and transportation inefficiencies. The first draft was developed with an emphasis on impacting the fewest number of students and families possible while addressing these factors. District staff fully understands that the majority of families would prefer not to be impacted by assignment changes, yet addressing the operational and system-wide needs of the district requires some assignment changes.

No. The recommendation included in the current draft of the proposal would not be subject to another elementary reassignment when Hilltop Needmore Elementary opens in 2025-2026.

The 2024-2025 enrollment plan, once approved, will take effect for the 2024-2025 school year. Assignment changes will not take effect until the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Start dates vary based on the operating calendar of the school. For more information on the approved 2024-2025 school calendars, visit www.wcpss.net/calendars.

Yes. Please note that recommendations included in the proposal related to Calendar Application schools would remove district-provided transportation for these options. However, families may still request a transfer to these schools. In this example, families will still be able to submit a Request for Transfer asking for Salem Middle during the official request for transfer period (Mar. 4 - 15, for the 2024-2025 school year) and these requests will be evaluated in accordance with Board Policy 4150. If approved, such transfers would be without district-provided transportation. For more information on the request for transfer process, visit www.wcpss.net/changeyourschool.

You will work with the base assigned school for the 2023-2024 school year to pre-register for the 2024-2025 school year, regardless of the changes included in an approved enrollment plan. Learn more about enrollment.

Families wishing to request a school other than their base school may submit an application during the magnet application period and/ or during the request for transfer application period. Visit  www.wcpss.net/magnet for more information on our magnet programs, and www.wcpss.net/changeyourschool for more information on our request for transfer application process.

This is the first draft of the 2024-25 enrollment plan. Families are encouraged to submit questions, thoughts, ideas or concerns using our online forum. The Board will review the second draft of the plan at a Work Session on October 17.

That means that there isn't a calendar application school offered for your address that will provide transportation. Families may apply to any school during the transfer process and, if approved, they wouldn't receive district-provided transportation. More information is at the bottom of this page. 

The plan is scheduled to be reviewed and approved by the Board at the November 21 Board Meeting. The second draft of the plan will be reviewed by the Board at a Work Session on October 17.

Families are encouraged to submit questions, thoughts, ideas, or concerns using our online forum. This is the first draft of the 2024-25 enrollment plan and the Board will review the second draft of the plan at a Work Session on October 17.

Track assignments are completed by the school. Principals work together to keep families on the same track.

Review all the application dates and events for the 2024-25 school year. 

Board Policy 4150 guides the development of annual enrollment plans. This policy includes 4 pillars: student achievement, stability,  proximity, and operational efficiency. Assignment areas are developed by balancing, to the extent reasonable, the goals and factors outlined in the 4 pillars. Watch a video explaining this process.

Affected families will be notified via email after draft 2 is presented in October.

During the official request for transfer period (Mar. 4 - 15) families may submit a ‘back-to-base’ transfer request. If the school requested is not capped, the request will be approved by staff in accordance with Board Policy 4150. If the requested ‘back-to-base’ school is capped, we cannot guarantee that the request will be approved as such requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with Board Policy 4150

If a student is eligible for a stability transfer (review the proposed stability rules) AND an application is submitted during the designated Stability Transfer application period (late November - early December), the request will be approved. Please note, that requests submitted after the Stability Transfer application period are NOT guaranteed and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with Board Policy 4150.

Current students impacted by assignment changes (excluding Woods Creek Elementary and Pleasant Grove Elementary) are eligible to remain assigned to their current school with transfer status (no district-provided transportation) through the terminal grade of the school.

• Rising Kindergarten, 6th, or 9th-grade siblings of eligible students are eligible to join their older siblings with transfer status (no district-provided transportation) through the terminal grade of the school.

Details for the process of requesting a stability transfer will be provided in Draft 2 of the enrollment proposal. Learn more about our proposed stability rules. 

After draft 2 is presented, we will email families who are affected by this proposal with additional information about when the stability transfer will open. The transfers should open sometime in December.

Stability transfers are valid through the terminal grade of the school.

• Elementary school stability transfers are valid through the 5th grade and do NOT need to be requested each year.

• Middle school stability transfers are valid through the 8th grade and do NOT need to be requested each year.

• High school stability transfers are valid through the 12th grade and do NOT need to be requested each year.

Base attendance areas proposed to be impacted by this proposal are projected to continue to grow in the next several years. Capping the schools was not recommended due to the inefficiency it causes with transportation. If we are reassigning the area to another base school, offering bus service for Stability Transfers will put an additional burden on the routing system.

There are significant changes recommended for the Pleasant Grove Elementary base attendance area. Therefore, the stability rules recommended for students impacted by these changes are similar to those for opening a new school. At this stage in the process, it is difficult to accurately predict how many students will take advantage of the proposed stability rules and remain assigned to their current school of Alston Ridge, Parkside or Pleasant Grove Elementary for the 2024-25 school year. In addition, there is continued enrollment growth in the remaining Alston Ridge and Parkside Elementary base areas.

Families not eligible under the current stability rules may submit a request for transfer during the official transfer window and explain their hardship reasons for requesting the transfer. Requests for transfer are evaluated in accordance with Board Policy 4150, and if approved, are approved without district-provided transportation. More information on this process can be found at www.wcpss.net/changeyourschool. Specific information for the 2024-25 school year will be provided in early 2024.

Alston Ridge Elementary and Parkside Elementary are currently overcrowded and capped multi-track year-round schools with projected enrollment growth in their existing base attendance areas. These schools are already operating well above 100% capacity and the projected enrollment growth for the next two years in their current base attendance areas would potentially have these campuses operating at 115-121%, which is not sustainable for these schools. Keep in mind that although our capped and overcrowded schools are doing a great job of working to meet the needs of their students under crowded conditions, they are not using the school buildings as they were designed to be used and are not operating in an ideal academic environment.

Parkside Elementary was designed with the planning assumption that no trailers would ever be added to the site. Therefore, the facility’s core spaces are not designed to accommodate additional students. If trailers could be added, the core spaces (cafeteria, etc.) could not be adjusted AND additional site improvements would be required to address stormwater, parking and carpool stacking, etc. Separately, any capacity that could be gained by adding trailers is not sufficient to address the projected enrollment growth for this school.

The recommendations included in the proposal are specifically to relieve crowding and address projected enrollment growth at Alston Ridge Elementary and Parkside Elementary, which are both capped schools. Both of these schools already operate on a multi-track year-round calendar. Converting other area schools to a multi-track year-round calendar would not solve these concerns. Separately, staff will continue to evaluate all of the tools available to address other capped and overcrowded schools in this region, including an analysis of the impact of converting existing schools to a multi-track year-round calendar.

The recommendations included in the proposal are specifically to relieve crowding and address projected enrollment growth at Alston Ridge Elementary and Parkside Elementary, which are both capped schools. Reassigning areas from Cedar Fork Elementary or Northwoods Elementary would not solve these concerns. Separately, the number of students residing in these areas is significantly lower than the areas included in the proposal and would not be a comparable alternative to the current recommendations.

Converting Pleasant Grove Elementary from a traditional calendar to multi-track year-round calendar will be explored with impacted families. Information will be included in the final draft of the proposal. An initial analysis indicates that converting Pleasant Grove Elementary to a multi-track year-round calendar would:

• allow families recommended to be assigned from Alston Ridge and Parkside Elementary stability of calendar 

• allow for K-8 calendar alignment for a large majority of families impacted by the current proposal

• change the calendar for existing Pleasant Grove Elementary students that remain assigned to the school

• sufficiently accommodate future projected growth in the area

• require substantive preparation from school staff to adjust to the new operating calendar

• increase the capacity of the school from 616 to 814

Students proposed to be assigned from an existing school (Alston Ridge Elementary or Parkside Elementary) to Pleasant Grove Elementary.

• Current students rising into 4th or 5th grades are eligible to remain assigned to their current school with transfer status (no district-provided transportation) through the terminal grade of the school.
• Rising Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd-grade siblings of eligible rising 4th and 5th-grade students are eligible to join their older siblings with transfer status (no district-provided transportation) through the terminal grade of the school.

Details for the process of requesting a stability transfer will be provided in Draft 2 of the enrollment proposal. Learn more about our proposed stability rules. 

Students proposed to be assigned from Pleasant Grove Elementary to an existing school (Brier Creek Elementary, Leesville Road Elementary or York Elementary).

• Current students rising into 4th or 5th grades are eligible to remain assigned to their current school with transfer status (no district-provided transportation) through the terminal grade of the school.
• Rising Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd-grade siblings of eligible rising 4th and 5th-grade students are eligible to join their older siblings with transfer status (no district-provided transportation) through the terminal grade of the school.

Details for the process of requesting a stability transfer will be provided in Draft 2 of the enrollment proposal. Learn more about our proposed stability rules.

Families wishing to request a school other than their base school may submit an application during the magnet application period and/or during the transfer request/traditional calendar application period for a different school. Please visit our www.wcpss.net/magnet for more information on our magnet programs, and www.wcpss.net/changeyourschool for more information on our request for transfer/traditional calendar application process.

Please note, that impacted families with students rising into 4th or 5th grade will be eligible for a stability transfer and can remain at their current year-round elementary school without district transportation.

Review the proposed stability rules.

Parkside Middle is projected to open soon. We anticipate the areas being assigned to Pleasant Grove Elementary will be impacted by the opening of this new school. To avoid multiple reassignments at the middle school level for these areas, no middle school changes are proposed at this time.

Although Alston Ridge Elementary and Parkside Elementary may be more proximate for some families, these schools are currently capped and the existing base area for these schools continues to grow. Pleasant Grove Elementary is the closest elementary school with available capacity that can provide sustainable relief to these capped/overcrowded schools.

Although Bryan Road Elementary may be more proximate for some families, this school is currently overcrowded and the existing base area for this school continues to grow. Aversboro Elementary, Rand and Vance Elementary are the closest elementary schools with available capacity that can provide sustainable relief to this overcrowded school.

The neighborhoods along New Bethel Church Road that are recommended for assignment to Aversboro Elementary are more proximate to Aversboro Elementary than other portions of the Bryan Road Elementary base. While not the most proximate school for these neighborhoods, Aversboro Elementary is the most proximate school with available capacity to support these neighborhoods over time.

Current students impacted by assignment changes related to Bryan Road Elementary are eligible to remain assigned to their current school with transfer status (no district-provided transportation) through 5th grade.

• Rising Kindergarten siblings of eligible students are eligible to join their older siblings with transfer status (no district-provided transportation) through 5th grade.

Details for the process of requesting a stability transfer will be provided in Draft 2 of the enrollment proposal. Learn more about our proposed stability rules. 

Yes. In the current proposal, current students attending Bryan Road Elementary who are impacted by the recommendations for Pleasant Grove Elementary are eligible for stability transfers. Once the final plan is approved by the Board, impacted families eligible for a stability transfer will be contacted with specific instructions on how to submit their requests to remain at their current school, without district-provided transportation. In addition, if you have pre-registered your rising kindergartener, you will be able to submit the request for this future student to join their older sibling(s) through this same process.

Yes. Policy allows staff to approve transfers for incoming kindergarteners to attend the same school as an older sibling. Such requests will be submitted during the official request for transfer window for the 2025-26 school year.

Woods Creek Elementary is recommended to open as a multi-track year-round calendar school to address the current overcrowding at nearby schools, and to accommodate the continued growth in the proposed attendance area. At this time, there are no additional new schools projected to open in this area, and opening Woods Creek Elementary as a year-round calendar school will allow the school to manage the projected enrollment growth in the proposed attendance area for the foreseeable future.

Apex Friendship Middle is a capped school and its existing base attendance area continues to grow, and Apex Middle is an overcrowded school and its existing base attendance area continues to grow. The middle school changes in the proposal for this area are to relieve the crowding at these two schools and to align the K-8 feeder pattern for Woods Creek Elementary.

Families wishing to request a school other than their base school may submit an application during the magnet application period and/ or during the transfer request/ traditional calendar application period for a different school. Please visit our website at www.wcpss.net/magnet for more information on our magnet programs, and www.wcpss.net/changeyourschool for more information on our request for transfer/ traditional calendar application process (specific information for the 2024-25 school year will be provided in early 2024).

Although Apex Elementary and Oakview Elementary may be more proximate for some families, these schools are currently capped and the existing base area for these schools continues to grow. The new Woods Creek Elementary is the closest elementary school with available capacity that can provide sustainable relief to these capped/ overcrowded schools.

For the neighborhoods along Old Holly Springs Apex Rd, Woods Creek Elementary, while not the most proximate school, is the most proximate school with available capacity to support these neighborhoods over time. 

At this stage in the planning process, it is difficult to accurately predict how many students will take advantage of the proposed stability rules and remain assigned to their current school of Oakview Elementary for the 2024-25 school year. In addition, there is continued enrollment growth in the remaining Oakview Elementary base area. However, the goal for this area is to significantly reduce the number of overflow students for the 2024-25 for this school and, ultimately, to remove the cap at this school over time.

In the current proposal, only students rising into 4th or 5th grade who are impacted by the recommendations for Woods Creek Elementary are eligible for stability transfers. In addition, younger siblings (existing students that are rising into 1st through 3rd grade) of these students are also eligible for stability transfers. Once the final plan is approved by the Board, impacted families will be contacted with specific instructions on how to submit their requests to remain at their current school, without district-provided transportation. Transfers approved through this process are valid through the terminal grade of the school. 

Families not eligible for stability transfers may submit a request during the official transfer window and explain their hardship reasons for requesting the transfer. Requests for transfer are evaluated in accordance with Board Policy 4150, and if approved are approved without district-provided transportation. More information on this process can be found at www.wcpss.net/changeyourschool. Specific information for the 2024-25 school year will be provided in early 2024.

Although Woods Creek Elementary is not specifically recommended as a year-round application school, families will be able to submit a request during the official transfer window and explain their hardship reasons for requesting the transfer. Requests for transfer are evaluated in accordance with Board Policy 4150, and if approved are approved without district-provided transportation. More information on this process can be found at www.wcpss.net/changeyourschool. Specific information for the 2024-25 school year will be provided in early 2024.

Yes. Families wishing to request a transfer to a school other than their assigned school will be able to submit requests for a different school during the magnet application period as well as during the request for transfer period. Magnet applications are processed via a prioritized lottery, and information on this process can be found at www.wcpss.net/magnet. Requests for transfer are evaluated in accordance with Board Policy 4150, and if approved are approved without district-provided transportation. More information on this process can be found at www.wcpss.net/changeyourschool. Specific information for the 2024-25 school year will be provided in early 2024.