Is Durham Public Schools responding to the community’s call to scrap the plan to revamp the district’s magnet and school of choice program?

This afternoon DPS announced that Superintendent Eric Becoats “will make an important announcement” regarding the magnet and student assignment proposal Wednesday morning. Spokesman Jeff Nash said he couldn’t release any details.

The briefing will take place at 9:30 a.m. in the Rogers-Herr Middle School media center located at 911 W. Cornwallis Road.

DPS released the proposal Nov. 16 with a plan to hold three public meetings before the Board of Education voted on the plan Dec. 15. The proposal includes shifting base school attendance zones to address overcrowding, as well as a transportation component to streamline bus service, as the system prepared to open Lucas Middle School next year. DPS officials have said they need to move quickly so the plan will be in place when the magnet application process starts on Jan. 21.

Many have criticized the proposed magnet changes and have asked the Board of Education to slow the process down to ensure information is disseminated throughout the entire community. More than 350 people attended the second of three information meetings about the plan last night.