More schools could go all year

Plan could convert up to 30, some say

The Wake County school board is already backing away from an estimate that it might convert as few as 16 to 20 elementary schools to the year-round calendar.

The board came up with the estimate Tuesday when it approved a $1.06 billion school construction plan. But to keep the number of conversions that low, Wake would have to convert the biggest elementary schools -- and almost all of those are in the western part of the county.

So, to be fair geographically, school board members said Thursday that they might have to convert as many as 30 schools when they make the switch in 2007.

"If we do need to spread it around strategically, and that's what I think the majority of the board is willing to do, then conversations are needed on this," said school board member Eleanor Goettee.

The difference between 16 and 30 conversions would affect thousands of students.

Year-round schools can hold more students than traditional ones by keeping buildings in constant use, and that would help Wake deal with its increasing student population in a way other than just building new schools.

In year-round schools, students are placed in four "tracks," with three in school and one off at all times. Students take more frequent breaks during the school year but do not get the long summer vacation that a traditional calendar offers.

Administrators had originally proposed converting more than 50 elementary schools as part of a $998 million construction plan. That would have put more than 75 percent of the elementary schools on a year-round calendar.

But the proposal led to intense opposition from parents. To reduce the number of year-round conversions, the school board increased its spending plan by $58 million for new elementary schools and more classroom trailers. Under the $1.06 billion plan, a bond referendum that would increase property taxes would go on the November ballot.

But the new proposal didn't specify the number of conversions, just that there would be enough to gain 3,000 seats. Board members told parents and the news media that they were looking at 16 to 20 schools.

That would mean targeting the biggest schools, heavily affecting Apex, west Cary and parts of North Raleigh. But board members said converting just the biggest schools would give parents in some areas few or no traditional-calendar options. Board members told administrators to try to give options to parents at converted schools who can't make the year-round calendar work for them.

"We want there to be offerings in all parts of the county," said Patti Head, chairwoman of the board. "We don't want to oversaturate any area."

The board could convert smaller schools, but it would take more converted schools to gain as many seats. Head said 16 to 20 conversions would be optimistic. She thinks 20 to 25 is more realistic. Carol Parker, vice chairwoman of the board, said it might require 30 conversions around the district.

That prospect didn't sit well with Hope Carmichael, a spokeswoman for Wake Families for School Choice, a grassroots advocacy group that brought more than 250 protesters to Tuesday's school board meeting. Carmichael backed off from her unequivocal support of the bond issue Wednesday.

"I want to make sure about the efforts of the board to follow through on the compromise," Carmichael said Thursday.

In June, school administrators will present a list of schools to go year-round. The board would have to decide by September to give schools time to be ready in 2007.

Parents throughout the county, especially in high-growth areas, are anxiously awaiting the news.