Wake schools changes its plans for moving thousands of students. See what’s different
A handful of changes are being recommended to a plan that would move thousands of Wake County students to different schools in 2025.
School administrators presented Tuesday the second draft of a student assignment plan for the 2025-26 school year that fills four new schools and moves students to other schools. Administrators said they included some of the changes suggested by parents when the first draft was released in September.
“We’re making five recommended adjustments based on the feedback we’ve received,” said Susan Pullium, senior director of student assignment.
View the Wake student assignment plan
Most of the plan impacts southern and southwestern Wake, where the new schools will open. The exact number of students who could be reassigned usually isn’t provided until later versions of the assignment plan.
In 2025, Wake is opening Felton Grove High School in Holly Springs. The district will also open Bowling Road Elementary in Fuquay-Varina, Pleasant Plains Elementary in Apex and Rex Road Elementary in Holly Springs.
The public can view the plan at wcpss.net/2025enrollmentproposal. People can see whether their address is affected by searching osageo.wcpss.net/enrollment-proposal-lookup.
People can provide feedback at an online forum at wcpss.net/draftfeedback.
The school board will hold a public hearing on Nov. 12 The final plan will be presented for a vote on Nov. 26.
What’s new in the student reassignment plan
Here are the changes recommended in the new draft:
▪ Assign the Depot 499 subdivision to Pleasant Plains Elementary. Drop the reassignment of students from the Bella Casa and Holland Farms subdivisions from Scotts Ridge Elementary to Pleasant Plains,
▪ Drop the reassignment of students from Carroll Middle to Leesville Road.
▪ Allow rising sophomores in Apex High’s Academy of Information Technology and Apex Friendship High’s Academy of Engineering to request stability transfers to avoid being reassigned. They’d have to provide their own transportation if they stay.
▪ Allow families being reassigned from Olive Chapel and Salem elementary schools to Baucom Elementary to apply to Apex Middle so they can stay on the same calendar.
▪ Wake uses a process called “capping” where some students are sent to an overflow school if their assigned school doesn’t have space. Administrators said they’ll notify families sooner when they’re eligible to return to their capped school.
Board members and administrators said the changes show that the public is being heard in the assignment process.
“It’s not for nothing that you give this feedback,” said school board member Wing Ng.
Why some changes aren’t being made
Administrators gave answers for why some changes aren’t recommended, such as:
▪ Some families wanted Felton Grove High to only open for ninth-graders so students wouldn’t have to change schools in their sophomore year. But administrators said they need to open Felton Grove with 9th and 10th grades to ensure there are enough students to offer a comprehensive program and to relieve crowding at other schools.
▪ Families in the Ashley Downs and Pearson Farms subdivisions asked to stay at Olive Chapel Elementary. Administrators said the reassignment is needed to relieve crowding at Olive Chapel and to take advantage of the seats at the newly renovated Baucom Elementary.
▪ Families in multiple subdivisions didn’t want to be reassigned from a traditional-calendar elementary school to the year-round calendar at Pleasant Plains. Administrators said they need the year-round capacity at Pleasant Plains to relieve overcrowding and keep up with growth.
▪ Some families wanted Bowling Green Elementary to open on a traditional calendar. Administrators said the year-round calendar is needed to keep up with growth in that part of the county.
School board member Lindsay Mahaffey said families will appreciate getting reasons why the changes they want aren’t being made.
Stability transfers
Once the plan is approved, Wake will open a “stability transfer period,” or what used to be called “grandfathering.” This option allows some students who are being moved to stay at their current school in exchange for losing bus service.
The proposed stability rules will vary depending on whether a student is being reassigned to a new school or an existing one. The newly renovated Baucom Elementary and Fuquay-Varina Middle are treated as existing schools under the stability rules.
▪ Current students heading into fourth and fifth grades who are reassigned to Bowling Road, Pleasant Plains or Rex Road elementary schools can stay at their current school. In addition, their younger siblings will be able to stay with them at their current school.
▪ Rising freshmen and sophomores reassigned to Felton Grove High can stay at their previously assigned high school as long they’re together with an older sibling who will be a rising junior or senior. Those students will be able to ride the bus with their older sibling.
▪ Current students heading into grades 1-5 who are reassigned to an existing elementary school can stay at their current school. Their younger siblings who are entering kindergarten next year can stay with them.
▪ Current students rising into grades 7 and 8 who are reassigned to an existing middle school can stay at their current school. Their younger siblings entering sixth grade next year can stay with them.
▪ Current students rising into grades 10-12 who are reassigned to an existing high school can stay at their current school. Their younger siblings who will be rising freshmen next year can stay with them.
“We’re not recommending any adjustments because they’re as generous as we can be,” Pullium said.
This story was originally published October 15, 2024 at 5:20 PM.
