Wake will add 2 new magnet schools and revise 2 other schools. See who’s affected
Updated with Wake County school board voting on Feb. 1 to approve the new magnet schools.
Wake County will add magnet school programs to two elementary schools and overhaul two existing magnet schools to try to attract more families into those four schools.
Wake County school administrators recommended in November turning Wake Forest and Wildwood Forest elementary schools into new magnet schools and revising the magnet themes at Centennial Campus and East Millbrook middle schools.
The school board approved the new and revised magnet schools on Feb. 1.
Funding for the schools would come from a federal grant that Wake agreed to apply for on Feb. 1. But even if the grant isn’t approved, Wake would have to agree to use local dollars to pay for the magnet programs at the four schools.
Wake seeing competition from charter schools
Since 1982, Wake has used the magnet program to diversify school enrollments, fill under-enrolled schools and provide additional educational opportunities. Magnet schools offer programs typically not found at regular schools, such as advanced arts and foreign language courses.
Wake has won $75 million since 1985 from the federal Magnet School Assistance Program. One of the goals of the grant is to help voluntarily desegregate U.S. schools.
In April, Wake won $14.1 million to add magnet programs at East Cary Middle and Dillard Drive elementary and middle schools and to change the theme at Smith Elementary.
The four schools were chosen for the new grant because they have higher than average percentages of socio-economically disadvantaged students and lower than average test scores. They also are under-enrolled and can take new students.
Wake Forest Elementary and East Millbrook Middle and Wildwood Forest Elementary are particularly under pressure from several new charter schools that have opened up in northern Wake. The district surveyed charter school parents about what magnet themes might get them to return.
STEM, arts themes under consideration
The schools will continue over the next few months to design the new themes at the four schools. But some themes are considered favorites for inclusion.
STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), computer science and the arts were ranked as the top magnet themes in a survey of district and charter school families.
Wake Forest Elementary could have a Global STEM theme. Students who want to continue that theme could go to West Millbrook Middle and Millbrook High in Raleigh.
Wake Forest Elementary had been a magnet school for 25 years when the school board voted in 2007 to remove the program. At the time, school leaders said the school no longer needed the extra support from the magnet program.
Wildwood Forest Elementary could have an arts and design theme. Students who want to continue that theme could go to East Millbrook Middle and Millbrook High.
Centennial Campus Middle could switch from the University Connections and Leadership magnet theme to an Environmental Science and Engineering theme. It might also now draw magnet students from Lincoln Heights and Millbrook elementary schools.
East Millbrook Middle could see its arts theme strengthened.
This story was originally published November 15, 2021 at 12:13 PM.
