In an effort to attract more affluent families and balance the number of low-income students at Smith and Brentwood elementary schools, the Wake County school board agreed Thursday to move forward with adding magnet programs at the two schools.

Both schools now have free and reduced-priced lunch populations that far exceed the district's goal of no more than 40 percent of students receiving subsidized school lunches. Both Smith and Brentwood are also under capacity.

Magnet programs at the two schools could dramatically balance their populations.

"This is very exciting. It's a fresh start for those schools," said David Ansbacher, Wake schools senior director for magnet programs.

Thursday's afternoon session was part of the board's goal to evaluate magnet programs each year.

Magnet schools, which started in Wake in 1982, attract students by offering specialized classes in dance, foreign languages and the arts that aren't offered elsewhere.

Magnets have three objectives: reduce high concentrations of poverty and support diversity, maximize use of school facilities and provide more educational opportunities.

Schools have space

Ansbacher said there would be space for new magnet students and current students at both Smith, which is in Garner, and Brentwood, in northeast Raleigh.

The need to reduce the number of low-income students at Smith became the center of a heated debate when Garner town leaders refused to approve renovation permits for the school until the school board came up with a pact on how it could help. The board adopted a resolution to have Superintendent Del Burns look at what could be done to reduce the number of low-income students for the 2009-10 school year.

Good news in Garner

School board members Eleanor Goettee and Horace Tart said adding a magnet program at Smith is in line with that resolution.

"Now is the perfect time to magnetize Smith," Tart said.

Garner Mayor Ronnie Williams was pleased by the news. "We've been looking forward to this announcement," he said. "It's a great day for Garner."

The board approved $121,106 in its recent budget to implement magnet programs at two schools. The money covers staff positions, training and some supplies. Ansbacher said magnet staff would start advertising the themes, now undecided, and the application process at the magnet fair in November. Parents could start applying in February.

Wake has 30 magnet schools.

Last year, parents were outraged when the board decided to phase out magnet programs at Olds, Root, Wake Forest and Lincoln Heights elementary schools as part of its review. Board members said those schools did not meet the objectives of reducing poverty and utilizing capacity.

On Thursday, board members asked the magnet school staff to bring back information on themes for Smith and Brentwood in October, when a final vote is expected.

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