Schools

4/29/12 Crowded schools
"We are not making optimal use of the facilities we have. We are making costly mistakes not only in terms of wise use of available resources but also with regard to our children's quality of education."

4/28/12 Still waiting
"Imagine my joy when I read in the N&O April 27 that "all 221 students who weren't assigned a school during round one were given an assignment on Thursday." And then the shock after checking the WCPSS website and finding that my children had, in fact, not been given an assignment; we are, as we have been, on the wait list."

Saturday, April 21, 2012 - 8:45am to 12:30pm

University in the Community Forum:

The School-to-Prison Pipeline

 NC State University, Parks Shops Building, Room 130

The school-to-prison pipeline (STPP) is one of the greatest challenges facing school districts across the nation--and locally. However, there are well-documented programs that mitigate student “pushout” without jeopardizing school safety that could easily be adopted in North Carolina.  So what can we do to address this issue?

4/15/12 Taste test
"The proof is in the pudding. So how's that great big Wake County schools pudding - the one into which tens of thousands of families are dipping their spoons as they try to determine which specific schools kids will attend - coming together?"

4/14/12 Charter schools enrollment surges
"Charter schools are expected to account for one-third of all public school enrollment growth in Mecklenburg County next year, and the charter boom could surge in 2013."

3/31/12 CMS breaks with no word on bells
"Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools families are going into spring break without an answer on whether school hours will change next year."

3/31/12 Deceptive data
"They concealed these true numbers from us, but they insist on calling it "balanced transparency." Many of us would call it deception. They gave reasons to justify what they did, but it does not change the fact that they intentionally withheld information parents needed in order to make the best decisions for our children."

Vote to approve: 6 to 3. YEA: Hill, Sutton, Goldman, Malone, Prickett, Tedesco. NAY: Evans, Kushner, Martin.

On February 7, 2012, a five month, $110,000 contract with assignment plan consultant Michael Alves was approved. The contract lacks any detail; essentially, it's a blank check for proprietary software, owned by Alves Consulting. There is no way to measure that WCPSS is getting what it contracted for. There are no hourly costs, no specifics as to who is doing the work, no restrictions on travel. And the Contract does not end in June: "The agreement shall be automatically renewed from year to year for a period of not less than 3 years."

Questions we would have asked:

3/17/12 Wake County parents react to school choice results
"The winners of Wake County's new student assignment plan were cheering Friday about getting into the schools they wanted for this fall, while some other parents spoke bitterly about not getting even one of their choices."

3/17/12 Wake County still waiting to place 225 students at schools
"There are some 200+ applicants who are in limbo right now in Wake County's new student assignment plan."