Tata, Wake school board members discuss student assignments

RALEIGH -- Wake County schools superintendent Tony Tata held the first of several informational meetings with school board members today on a new student assignment plan, a spokesman said.

Members Carolyn Morrison, Kevin Hill, Chris Malone and chairman Ron Margiotta met with Tata and other staffers at the system's Magnet Resource Center on the Millbrook Elementary campus. When board members gave Tata and staff the task of creating an assignment plan in March, he said he would periodically update members on the task force's progress.

"There were no policy decisions," said spokesman Michael Evans. "We are anticipating being able to come to the community by mid-May with two or three courses of actions that we are going to want feedback on."

Over the next few days, other board members will meet with Tata and staff, but the meeting schedule is not yet complete. Had Tata met with five members, or a majority of the board, the meeting would have come under state public meetings law, which requires prior notice and public access.

Under Margiotta's leadership, the board decided to cast aside a longstanding policy of using students' socioeconomic background as a factor in assigning them to schools. The plan under development would take effect in the 2012-2013 school year.