RALEIGH - Wake County parents who have spent all summer worrying about the fate of their children's magnet schools should get an answer today. They may not like what they hear.

The school board is scheduled to vote today on ending the magnet programs at four elementary schools and not starting one at a fifth school. Today's vote comes after parents had persuaded the board to hold off on a final decision.

"We're either going to vote for the recommendations or move demagnetization off the table completely," said Rosa Gill, chairwoman of the school board.

Administrators had recommended removing magnet programs, which were mainly designed to draw affluent students to schools with flagging enrollment, from Root, Lincoln Heights, Olds and Wake Forest elementary schools. They had also recommended not starting a program at Forestville Elementary. Ken Branch, senior director for magnet programs, said the recommendations haven't changed.

Parents are gearing up for what could be their last chance to save their children's magnet programs. A group of Lincoln Heights parents met Monday night with school board members and local elected officials to make their pitch. They also plan to attend today's meeting.

"It's a question of trust," said Bob Greene, a spokesman for Concerned Parents of Lincoln Heights, a group formed to save the magnet program. "We don't trust Wake County Public Schools because it was done behind everyone's back."

What direction to take with the future of Wake's 25-year-old magnet program has hung over the district for much of the past year.

Magnet programs began in Wake in 1982 to mainly draw suburban students to schools inside the Raleigh Beltline that were in danger of closing due to lack of enrollment. The programs are an attraction because they offer students specialized classes in dance, foreign languages and arts that aren't offered elsewhere. A few programs were also added to schools in suburban areas.

During a work session in May, the board had agreed to end the programs at the four schools because officials felt they no longer met the district's objective of increasing diversity and filling schools that had lower enrollments.

A final vote had been expected June 5, But at the behest of parents, who packed the board room, the board delayed the vote until meetings could be held with parents at the affected schools.

"There are so many other problems that Wake County Schools has," said Stephanie Gootnick, PTA president at Olds. "I don't know why they're doing this."

Greene said his group wants the board to postpone today's vote so that more study can be done on the impact of losing the magnet program. Failing that, he said they want a school-by-school vote.

The programs would be phased out of the schools by 2010.

If Lincoln Heights loses its magnet status, Greene said they may consider seeking legal action.

Laura Parrott, PTA president at Wake Forest, will be one of many parents at today's meeting to show they haven't give up hope.

"We've done everything we can," Parrott said. "It's kind of out of our hands now."