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Wikipedia

Wake County Public School System

The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is a public school district located in Wake County, North Carolina. With 157,673 students in average daily membership and 194 schools as of the 2021–2022 school year,[3] it is the largest public school district in North Carolina and 14th-largest in the United States as of 2016.[4]

Wake County Public School System
The main office of Wake County Public School System
Address
5625 Dillard Drive
, North Carolina, 27518
United States
Coordinates35°45′14.51″N 78°44′13.67″W / 35.7540306°N 78.7371306°W / 35.7540306; -78.7371306
District information
Established1976; 47 years ago (1976)
SuperintendentRandy Bridges (interim)[1]
Budget$1.6 billion (2018–19)[2]
NCES District ID3704720[2]
Students and staff
Enrollment159,802[2]
Staff10,515.93 (on an FTE basis)[2]
Student–teacher ratio15.20[2]
Other information
Websitewww.wcpss.net
Green Hope High School
Millbrook High School
Jesse O. Sanderson High School

History edit

The current school system is the result of a 1976 merger between the previous (historically largely white) Wake County school system and the former (historically largely minority) Raleigh City schools. The merger was proposed initially by business leaders in the early 1970s out of concerns that continued "white flight" from Raleigh's inner-city schools would negatively impact the county's overall economy. Political and educational leaders also hoped that merging the two systems would ease court-mandated desegregation. The proposal proved initially unpopular with residents, however, who rejected it by a 3-1 margin in a nonbinding referendum in 1973. School and business leaders instead convinced the North Carolina General Assembly to force the merger.[5]

The district since has become notable for its integration efforts. Schools in the system are integrated based on the income levels reported by families on applications for federally subsidized school lunches, with the goal of having a maximum ratio of 40% low-income students at any one school. Consequently, thousands of suburban students are bused to magnet schools in poorer areas—and likewise, low-income students to suburban schools—to help maintain this income balance. Magnet schools are characterized as being public schools that specialize in a particular area, such as science or the arts, to encourage desegregation by drawing students from multiple neighbourhood and districts to the same school.[6] Professor Gerald Grant of Syracuse University used Wake County as a metaphor of hope in his 2009 book Hope and Despair in the American City: Why There Are No Bad Schools in Raleigh.[7] Grant says, "The research is very clear that having the right mix of kids socioeconomically, as Wake County does, has enormous benefits for poor kids without hurting rich kids."[7] According to U.S. News & World Report, in 2005, 63.8% of low-income students in Wake County passed the state's end of high school exams, which was significantly higher than surrounding counties that do not have similar integration policies.[8]

The county's residents are divided in their support for the system's integration program due, partially, to some of the means of achieving that integration, such as long bus rides for many students and a lack of neighborhood schools. Despite improved integration, test results among poorer students continue to lag; for the 2007–2008 school year, only 18% of the district's schools met the adequate yearly progress goals of the No Child Left Behind Act,[9] with only 71 percent passing state standardised tests.[10] Due to the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling restricting the use of race in assigning students, Wake has been cited as a model for how other school systems can still maintain diversity in enrollment.[11]

In the effort to maintain economic diversity and keep up with rapid growth in its student population, Wake routinely reassigns thousands of students each year to different schools.[12] Many parents object to this annual shuffle. For the 2008–09 school year, for example, the school district has stated that it will reassign some 6,464 students in order to affect a new system-wide policy designed to help schools in the same geographic area achieve similar economic demographics. This wave of changes will require the reassignment of many low-income students to schools that have greater proportion of higher-income students.[13] In February 2009, the school board approved a plan that would move 24,654 students to different schools over the next three years).[14] The newly elected board gained a 5:4 Republican majority and was successful in overturning the integration policy that had been operating in Wake County for years.[15]

Currently, 171 public schools are in the system, consisting of 104 elementary (K-5), 33 middle (6-8), 26 high (9-12), and four special/optional schools. With numerous new schools opening each year, the school board names new schools for a geographic feature (such as Holly Ridge) or for road where they are located (such as Athens Drive and Leesville Road) or for the geographic area they serve (such as Holly Springs High, Apex High, and Garner High). The board, however, has recently tried to avoid naming schools after nearby subdivisions because such names may lead some residents to believe that the school is the "neighborhood" school. Unlike earlier times, schools are no longer named after people, which has proven to be controversial in the past. Schools named prior to the current naming policy, however, retain their existing nongeographic names.[16]

Year-round calendar edit

The WCSS implemented year-round education through its magnet-school program (application by choice) in 1992. The first four magnet schools were Morrisville Elementary (opened in 1991); Durant Road Elementary, and West Lake Elementary and Middle schools (opened in 1992.)[17] By 1999, The Wake County School System saw 11,000 of its 93,000 (12%) students enrolled in one of the district's 10 year round schools.[18] That year there were 3000 applications for 1000 available seats. The Wake County Public School System made headlines in 2006 and 2007 for converting 19 elementary schools and three middle schools to a mandatory year-round calendar. It put more than a third of the elementary schools on the year-round calendar starting in July 2007. The decision was unpopular with some families who argued that the calendar switch should've been voluntary.[19] The switch to a year-round calendar in many schools has led to some unanticipated needs. For example, PTA chapters at some of the affected schools have considered the purchase of sun shades for playgrounds to provide shelter for students during North Carolina's hot and humid summers.[20]

A group of parents sued[21] to block the school system from converting the schools.[22] In May 2007, Judge Howard Manning ruled that the school system may offer a year-round calendar, but that it must obtain informed consent from a student's parents before assigning the students to a year-round school. Around 9% of the affected students did not consent and were assigned to a traditional calendar school.[23] As a result, many year-round schools have empty seats and many traditional-calendar schools remain overcrowded.[24] In May 2008, the North Carolina Court of Appeals overturned the lower court decision, ruling that Wake does not need parental permission for students to attend year-round schools, but the State Supreme Court School agreed to hear the case and stayed the appellate decision until it makes a ruling.[25] District leaders sought consent for the 2008–09 school year but did not plan to do so the following year (2009–10).[26]

In October 2008, the school board voted to convert Baucom Elementary in Apex and Green Hope Elementary in Cary back to the traditional calendar, citing a less-than-expected increase in enrollment. Salem Elementary in Apex was also considered for conversion back to a traditional calendar, but that move was voted against by the board. Also at that same meeting, the board voted to convert Leesville Road Middle in North Raleigh to a year-round calendar.[27]

In May 2009, the state Supreme Court ruled that parental consent is not needed to send students to year-round schools.[28] As a result, the school board decided to no longer seek consent.[29] But the election of new school board members in October 2009, who said they opposed mandatory year-round schools, caused the district to go back to asking parents for permission.[30]

Controversies edit

Diversity controversy edit

National controversy arose in 2010 over the 5–4 decision of the Wake County School Board in March to switch from the socioeconomic diversification policy it had followed for a decade to a system that focused on neighborhood schools.[31] The prior plan, under which the public schools of the county were to "have no more than 40 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch" was set aside for concerns over long student bus rides, but immediately raised comments among the public and the NAACP that the outcome of the shift would be to "resegregate" schools.[31] The decision led to protests spearheaded by the state NAACP chapter, with arrests in June and July,[32][33] and to the resignation of the superintendent of Wake County schools.[34] The NAACP lodged a civil rights complaint with the office of the United States Department of Education, which began an investigation into the matter.[34][35] The complaint also prompted one national accreditation agency, AdvancED, to evaluate the schools to see if the decision would impact the school's accreditation standing.[36][37]

In January 2011, The Washington Post featured a story on the controversy,[34] following which it and the Associated Press were provided a letter by United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, in which he wrote that it was "troubling to see North Carolina's Wake County school board take steps to reverse a long-standing policy to promote racial diversity in its schools" and "urge[d] school boards across America to fully consider the consequences before taking such action".[35][38] The situation was also lampooned on The Colbert Report.[39] According to The Washington Post, the decision has been backed by prominent members of the Tea Party movement.[34]

Some strides have been made towards compromise in Wake County between proponents and critics of the old integration plan. Michael Alves, an education consultant with 30 years of experience designing and implementing choice-based student assignment plans in districts across the United States, has developed an integration by achievement plan for Wake County. Integration by achievement will assign students to schools based on their previous achievements on standardised state test scores. Schools will have 70% of its students' scores at or above the proficient level while the remaining 30% scores below the proficient level.[15] The plan stipulates that once a child is placed in a school, he or she cannot be reassigned during their time in that school. The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, the area's largest business membership organisation, has suggested this plan to the Wake County school board.[40]

LGBT flashcards controversy edit

In May 2022, a teacher in a preschool classroom at Ballentine Elementary School (part of the Wake County Public School System) in Fuquay-Varina was revealed to have shown her students LGBT-themed flashcards to teach them the colors of the rainbow, with one of the flashcards depicting a pregnant man. The flashcards were removed from the school. A Wake County spokesperson stated, "An initial review determined that flash cards were not tied to the district's Pre-K curriculum, did not complement, enrich, or extend the curriculum, and were used without the principal's review, knowledge, and/or approval." The teacher later resigned.[41][42]

Schools edit

High schools edit

Middle schools edit

  • Alston Ridge Middle School (Warriors)
  • Apex Friendship Middle School (Chargers)
  • Apex Middle School (Cougars)
  • Carroll Middle School (Cougars)
  • Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School (Wolfpack)
  • Davis Drive Middle School (Panthers)
  • Dillard Drive Middle School (Dragons)
  • Durant Road Middle School (Dolphins)
  • East Cary Middle School (Imps)
  • East Garner Middle School (Trojans)
  • East Millbrook Middle School (Cougars)
  • East Wake Middle School (Warriors)
  • Fred J. Carnage Middle School (Trojans)
  • Fuquay-Varina Middle School (Bengals)
  • Heritage Middle School (Patriots)
  • Hilburn K-8 STEM Academy (Hawks)
  • Holly Grove Middle School (Bulldogs)
  • Holly Ridge Middle School (Hornets)
  • John W. Ligon Middle School (Little Blues)
  • Oberlin Middle School (Blue Jackets),[43]
  • Leesville Road Middle School (Pride)
  • Leroy Martin Middle School (Mustangs)
  • Lufkin Road Middle School (Lightning)
  • Mills Park Middle School (Leopards)
  • Moore Square Magnet Middle School (Mountain Lions)
  • North Garner Middle School (Trojans)
  • Pine Hollow Middle School (Pilots)
    • It opened in 2016 as a year-round school, the first such school to open in the district since 2012.[44]
  • Reedy Creek Magnet Middle School (Eagles)
  • River Bend Middle School (Tigers)
  • Rolesville Middle School (Rams)
  • Salem Middle School (Spartans)
  • Wakefield Middle School (Wolves)
  • Wake Forest Middle School (Cougars)
  • Wendell Middle School (Wolves)
  • West Cary Middle School (Imps)
  • West Lake Middle School (Wildcats)
  • West Millbrook Middle School (Wildcats)
  • Zebulon Middle School (Cougars)

Elementary schools edit

 
Cedar Fork Elementary School
  • Abbotts Creek Elementary School (Alligators)
  • Adams Elementary School (Aviators)
  • Alston Ridge Elementary School (Alligators)
  • Apex Elementary School (Cougars)
  • Apex Friendship Elementary School (Shooting Stars)
  • Aversboro Elementary School (Owls)
  • Baileywick Road Elementary School (Bulldogs)
  • Ballentine Elementary School (Fireflies)
  • Banks Road Elementary School (Trailblazers)
  • Barwell Road Elementary School (Bears)
  • Baucom Elementary School (Aviators)
  • Beaverdam Elementary School (Beavers)
  • Brassfield Elementary School (Bears)
  • Brentwood Elementary School (Engineers)
  • Briarcliff Elementary School (Bulldogs)
  • Brier Creek Elementary School (Jets)
  • Brooks Magnet Elementary School
  • Bryan Road Elementary School (Buccaneers)
  • Buckhorn Creek Elementary School (Buccaneers)
  • Bugg Magnet Elementary School
  • Carpenter Elementary School (Chameleons)
  • Carver Elementary School (Cubs)
  • Cary Elementary School (Cougars)
  • Cedar Fork Elementary School (Stingrays)
  • Combs Elementary School (Gators)
  • Conn Elementary School
  • Creech Road Elementary School
  • Davis Drive Elementary School (Dolphins)
  • Dillard Drive Elementary School (Dragonflies)
  • Douglas Magnet Elementary School (Dragons)
  • Durant Road Elementary School (Eagles)
  • East Garner Elementary School (Explorers)
  • Farmington Woods Elementary School (Bears)
  • Forest Pines Elementary (Foxes)
  • Forestville Road Elementary School (Eagles)
  • Fox Road Elementary School (Foxes)
  • Fuller Magnet Elementary School
  • Fuquay-Varina Elementary School (Rockets)
  • Green Elementary School
  • Green Hope Elementary School (Falcons)
  • Harris Creek Elementary School (Eagles)
  • Herbert Akins Road Elementary School (Hawks)
  • Heritage Elementary School (Hurricanes)
  • Highcroft Drive Elementary School (Huskies)
  • Hilburn Academy (Hawks)
  • Hodge Road Elementary School (Panthers)
  • Holly Grove Elementary School (Hedgehogs)
  • Holly Ridge Elementary School (Labradors)
  • Holly Springs Elementary School (Cheetahs)
  • Hortons Creek Elementary School (Hawks)
  • Hunter Elementary School (Eagles)
  • Jeffreys Grove Elementary School (Eagles)
  • Jones Dairy Elementary School (Panthers)
  • Joyner Elementary School
  • Kingswood Elementary School
  • Knightdale Elementary School (Knights)
  • Lacy Elementary School (Lions)
  • Lake Myra Elementary School
  • Laurel Park Elementary School (Penguins)
  • Lead Mine Elementary School (Leopards)
  • Leesville Road Elementary School (Cubs)
  • Lincoln Heights Elementary School
  • Lockhart Elementary School (Lions)
  • Lynn Road Elementary School (Lions)
  • Middle Creek Elementary School (Colts)
  • Millbrook Elementary School
  • Mills Park Elementary School (Panthers)
  • Morrisville Elementary School (Mustangs)
  • North Forest Pines Elementary School (Falcons)
  • North Ridge Elementary School (Unicorns)
  • Northwoods Elementary School (Koalas)
  • Oak Grove Elementary School (Otters)
  • Oakview Elementary School (Owls)
  • Olds Elementary School (Wolves)
  • Olive Chapel Elementary School (Clippers)
  • Parkside Elementary School (Sandpipers)
  • Partnership Elementary School
  • Penny Road Elementary School (Pandas)
  • Pleasant Grove Elementary School (Flyers)
  • Pleasant Union Elementary School
  • Poe Elementary School (Pandas)
  • Powell Elementary School
  • Rand Road Elementary School (Raiders)
  • Reedy Creek Elementary School (Frogs)
  • Richland Creek Elementary School (Bulldogs)
  • River Bend Elementary School (Beavers)
  • Rogers Lane Elementary School (Rockets)
  • Rolesville Elementary School (Rams)
  • Root Elementary School (Raccoons)
  • Salem Elementary School (Salamanders)
  • Sanford Creek Elementary School (Bluejays)
  • Scotts Ridge Elementary School (Sailors)
  • Smith Magnet Elementary School (Bees)
  • South Lakes Elementary School (Sea Turtles)
  • Southeast Raleigh Elementary School (Lions)
    • It is in a 115,000-square-foot (10,700 m2) building,[45] on 32 acres (13 ha) of land,[46] on the ex-Watson Flea Market site, in proximity to Interstate 40, it is a joint project between WCPSS and the YMCA. The YMCA purchased the facility to have the YMCA and school put there. It opened on August 26, 2019. It has the only swimming pool in the entire school system.[47] Its anticipated student size was 426.[46]
  • Stough Elementary School (Stallions)
  • Swift Creek Elementary School (Cougars)
  • Sycamore Creek Elementary School (Crocodiles)
  • Timber Drive Elementary (Timberwolves)
  • Turner Creek Elementary School (Tree Frogs)
  • Underwood Elementary School (Unicorns)
  • Vance Elementary School (Panthers)
  • Vandora Springs Elementary School (Eagles)
  • Wake Forest Elementary School (Cougars)
  • Wakefield Elementary School (Eagles)
  • Wakelon Elementary School (Bulldogs)
  • Washington Elementary School (Wizards)
  • Weatherstone Elementary School (Explorers)
  • Wendell Elementary School (Eagles)
  • West Lake Elementary School (Wallabies)
  • White Oak Elementary School (Explorers)
  • Wilburn Elementary School
  • Wildwood Forest Elementary School (Wolves)
  • Wiley Magnet Elementary School
  • Willow Springs Elementary School (Bengals)
  • Yates Mill Elementary School (Frogs)
  • York Elementary School (Bulldogs)
  • Zebulon Elementary School (Cougars)

Demographics edit

As of the 2018–2019 school year, the Wake County student body is split 51.2% male with a total of 82,424 students and 48.8% female representing a total of 78,535 students.[48]

Total American Indian Asian Black Hispanic Pacific Islander Two or more White
160,959 398 15,001 36,545 29,031 194 6,122 73,668
100% 0.02% 9.3% 22.7% 18.0% 0.1% 3.8% 45.8%

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "The Office of the Superintendent". wcpss.net. Wake County Public School System. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Wake County Schools". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences.
  3. ^ "District facts". WCPSS.net. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  4. ^ "Table 215.30. Enrollment, poverty, and federal funds for the 120 largest school districts, by enrollment size in 2016: Selected years, 2015-16 and fiscal year 2018". Digest of Education Statistics 2018. U.S. Department of Education: Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  5. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 2, 2007. Retrieved October 20, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ . vanderbilt.edu. Archived from the original on June 7, 2010. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Gerald Grant on Wake County School Success". The Independent Weekly. May 21, 2009. from the original on January 16, 2011. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
  8. ^ . U.S. News & World Report. July 7, 2007. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  9. ^ "Scores on state tests decline". The News & Observer. November 6, 2008. Retrieved December 9, 2008.[dead link]
  10. ^ . The News & Observer. November 12, 2008. Archived from the original on May 26, 2009. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
  11. ^ . U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  12. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ June 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine[dead link]
  14. ^ June 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine[dead link]
  15. ^ a b Winerip, Michael (February 27, 2011). "Raleigh, N.C., Schools Struggle to Agree on Integration Plan". The New York Times. from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  16. ^ WCPSS: Board Policy - Naming of Schools (2570) 2007-02-05 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ Barrett, Robertson (January 17, 1992). "School seeking students". McClatchy News. The News & Observer.
  18. ^ Hui, Keung (June 21, 1999). "Always the season for learning". The News & Observer.
  19. ^ "Wake Cares letter to School Board et al". from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved July 9, 2007.
  20. ^ "Schools want sun shelters for hot kids". News and Observer. July 12, 2007. Retrieved July 14, 2007.[dead link]
  21. ^ "Wake Cares Inc, vs. Wake County School Board et al". from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved July 9, 2007.
  22. ^ T. Keung Hui (March 14, 2007). "Parent Group Sues Wake Schools". The News & Observer. Retrieved November 14, 2008.[dead link]
  23. ^ . Archived from the original on April 13, 2008. Retrieved July 8, 2007.
  24. ^ T. Keung Hui (February 7, 2008). . The News & Observer. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
  25. ^ T. Keung Hui and Kinea White Epps (August 28, 2008). "Wake's all-year lawsuit lives on". The News & Observer. Retrieved November 14, 2008.[dead link]
  26. ^ T. Keung Hui and Kinea White Epps (May 7, 2008). . The News & Observer. Archived from the original on May 13, 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
  27. ^ Hui, T. Keung (October 7, 2008). "2 Wake schools to end year-round schedule". News and Observer.[permanent dead link]
  28. ^ http://www.newsobserver.com/news/wake/story/1510271.html[permanent dead link]
  29. ^ . Archived from the original on May 7, 2009. Retrieved May 7, 2009.
  30. ^ . May 5, 2009. Archived from the original on May 9, 2009. Retrieved January 18, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  31. ^ a b Khadaroo, Stacy Teicher (March 24, 2010). "Busing to end in Wake County, N.C. Goodbye, school diversity?". The Christian Science Monitor. from the original on January 26, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  32. ^ "School board protest ends with arrests". CNN. July 21, 2010. from the original on July 25, 2010. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  33. ^ Bowens, Dan; Adam Owens; Anne Johnson; Kelly Gardner; Minnie Bridgers (July 20, 2010). "Tensions rise at Wake school board meeting; 19 arrested". WRAL-TV. from the original on January 19, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  34. ^ a b c d McCrummen, Stephanie (January 12, 2011). "Republican school board in N.C. backed by tea party abolishes integration policy". The Washington Post. from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  35. ^ a b The Associated Press (January 14, 2011). . NPR. Archived from the original on January 20, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  36. ^ Barron, Laura (September 23, 2010). . NBC17. Archived from the original on January 19, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  37. ^ NBC17 Staff (January 11, 2011). . NBC17. Archived from the original on January 15, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  38. ^ Duncan, Arne (January 13, 2011). "Maintaining racial diversity in schools". The Washington Post. from the original on January 22, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  39. ^ Chou, Renee; Kelly Hinchcliffe (January 19, 2011). "Comedian mocks Wake schools' assignment controversy". WRAL-TV. from the original on January 21, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  40. ^ "About the Chamber - Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, Raleigh, North Carolina". raleighchamber.org. from the original on April 25, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  41. ^ "LGBTQ-themed flash cards removed from Wake classroom". WRAL-TV. May 28, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  42. ^ "Wake County teacher resigns after using LGBTQ-themed flash cards in preschool classroom". WRAL-TV. May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  43. ^ WTVD (June 16, 2020). "Wake County Schools votes unanimously to rename Daniels Middle School, which was named for known white supremacist". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  44. ^ Cioffi, Chris (July 10, 2016). "Wake County opens first year-round school since 2012". The News & Observer. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  45. ^ Rodriguez, Glorida (April 11, 2018). "Groundbreaking held for joint YMCA, school in southeast Raleigh". WTVD-TV. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  46. ^ a b Johnson, Anna (April 11, 2018). "Joint YMCA and school is seen as chance to shine 'positive light' on Southeast Raleigh". The News & Observer. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  47. ^ Hui, T. Keung (September 25, 2019). "New elementary school in Y facility aims to turn Southeast Raleigh's image around". The News & Observer. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  48. ^ "District facts". 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2019.

External links edit

  • Official website
  • wral.com, WRAL-TV archive of year-round conversion stories
  • Mandatory year-round assignment story archive from WRAL

wake, county, public, school, system, ccmms, redirects, here, museum, with, abbreviation, ccmms, chinese, canadian, military, museum, society, wcpss, public, school, district, located, wake, county, north, carolina, with, students, average, daily, membership, . CCMMS redirects here For the museum with the abbreviation CCMMS see Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society The Wake County Public School System WCPSS is a public school district located in Wake County North Carolina With 157 673 students in average daily membership and 194 schools as of the 2021 2022 school year 3 it is the largest public school district in North Carolina and 14th largest in the United States as of 2016 4 Wake County Public School SystemThe main office of Wake County Public School SystemAddress5625 Dillard Drive Cary North Carolina 27518 United StatesCoordinates35 45 14 51 N 78 44 13 67 W 35 7540306 N 78 7371306 W 35 7540306 78 7371306District informationEstablished1976 47 years ago 1976 SuperintendentRandy Bridges interim 1 Budget 1 6 billion 2018 19 2 NCES District ID3704720 2 Students and staffEnrollment159 802 2 Staff10 515 93 on an FTE basis 2 Student teacher ratio15 20 2 Other informationWebsitewww wbr wcpss wbr netGreen Hope High SchoolMillbrook High SchoolJesse O Sanderson High School Contents 1 History 2 Year round calendar 3 Controversies 3 1 Diversity controversy 3 2 LGBT flashcards controversy 4 Schools 4 1 High schools 4 2 Middle schools 4 3 Elementary schools 5 Demographics 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory editThe current school system is the result of a 1976 merger between the previous historically largely white Wake County school system and the former historically largely minority Raleigh City schools The merger was proposed initially by business leaders in the early 1970s out of concerns that continued white flight from Raleigh s inner city schools would negatively impact the county s overall economy Political and educational leaders also hoped that merging the two systems would ease court mandated desegregation The proposal proved initially unpopular with residents however who rejected it by a 3 1 margin in a nonbinding referendum in 1973 School and business leaders instead convinced the North Carolina General Assembly to force the merger 5 The district since has become notable for its integration efforts Schools in the system are integrated based on the income levels reported by families on applications for federally subsidized school lunches with the goal of having a maximum ratio of 40 low income students at any one school Consequently thousands of suburban students are bused to magnet schools in poorer areas and likewise low income students to suburban schools to help maintain this income balance Magnet schools are characterized as being public schools that specialize in a particular area such as science or the arts to encourage desegregation by drawing students from multiple neighbourhood and districts to the same school 6 Professor Gerald Grant of Syracuse University used Wake County as a metaphor of hope in his 2009 book Hope and Despair in the American City Why There Are No Bad Schools in Raleigh 7 Grant says The research is very clear that having the right mix of kids socioeconomically as Wake County does has enormous benefits for poor kids without hurting rich kids 7 According to U S News amp World Report in 2005 63 8 of low income students in Wake County passed the state s end of high school exams which was significantly higher than surrounding counties that do not have similar integration policies 8 The county s residents are divided in their support for the system s integration program due partially to some of the means of achieving that integration such as long bus rides for many students and a lack of neighborhood schools Despite improved integration test results among poorer students continue to lag for the 2007 2008 school year only 18 of the district s schools met the adequate yearly progress goals of the No Child Left Behind Act 9 with only 71 percent passing state standardised tests 10 Due to the recent U S Supreme Court ruling restricting the use of race in assigning students Wake has been cited as a model for how other school systems can still maintain diversity in enrollment 11 In the effort to maintain economic diversity and keep up with rapid growth in its student population Wake routinely reassigns thousands of students each year to different schools 12 Many parents object to this annual shuffle For the 2008 09 school year for example the school district has stated that it will reassign some 6 464 students in order to affect a new system wide policy designed to help schools in the same geographic area achieve similar economic demographics This wave of changes will require the reassignment of many low income students to schools that have greater proportion of higher income students 13 In February 2009 the school board approved a plan that would move 24 654 students to different schools over the next three years 14 The newly elected board gained a 5 4 Republican majority and was successful in overturning the integration policy that had been operating in Wake County for years 15 Currently 171 public schools are in the system consisting of 104 elementary K 5 33 middle 6 8 26 high 9 12 and four special optional schools With numerous new schools opening each year the school board names new schools for a geographic feature such as Holly Ridge or for road where they are located such as Athens Drive and Leesville Road or for the geographic area they serve such as Holly Springs High Apex High and Garner High The board however has recently tried to avoid naming schools after nearby subdivisions because such names may lead some residents to believe that the school is the neighborhood school Unlike earlier times schools are no longer named after people which has proven to be controversial in the past Schools named prior to the current naming policy however retain their existing nongeographic names 16 Year round calendar editThe WCSS implemented year round education through its magnet school program application by choice in 1992 The first four magnet schools were Morrisville Elementary opened in 1991 Durant Road Elementary and West Lake Elementary and Middle schools opened in 1992 17 By 1999 The Wake County School System saw 11 000 of its 93 000 12 students enrolled in one of the district s 10 year round schools 18 That year there were 3000 applications for 1000 available seats The Wake County Public School System made headlines in 2006 and 2007 for converting 19 elementary schools and three middle schools to a mandatory year round calendar It put more than a third of the elementary schools on the year round calendar starting in July 2007 The decision was unpopular with some families who argued that the calendar switch should ve been voluntary 19 The switch to a year round calendar in many schools has led to some unanticipated needs For example PTA chapters at some of the affected schools have considered the purchase of sun shades for playgrounds to provide shelter for students during North Carolina s hot and humid summers 20 A group of parents sued 21 to block the school system from converting the schools 22 In May 2007 Judge Howard Manning ruled that the school system may offer a year round calendar but that it must obtain informed consent from a student s parents before assigning the students to a year round school Around 9 of the affected students did not consent and were assigned to a traditional calendar school 23 As a result many year round schools have empty seats and many traditional calendar schools remain overcrowded 24 In May 2008 the North Carolina Court of Appeals overturned the lower court decision ruling that Wake does not need parental permission for students to attend year round schools but the State Supreme Court School agreed to hear the case and stayed the appellate decision until it makes a ruling 25 District leaders sought consent for the 2008 09 school year but did not plan to do so the following year 2009 10 26 In October 2008 the school board voted to convert Baucom Elementary in Apex and Green Hope Elementary in Cary back to the traditional calendar citing a less than expected increase in enrollment Salem Elementary in Apex was also considered for conversion back to a traditional calendar but that move was voted against by the board Also at that same meeting the board voted to convert Leesville Road Middle in North Raleigh to a year round calendar 27 In May 2009 the state Supreme Court ruled that parental consent is not needed to send students to year round schools 28 As a result the school board decided to no longer seek consent 29 But the election of new school board members in October 2009 who said they opposed mandatory year round schools caused the district to go back to asking parents for permission 30 Controversies editDiversity controversy edit National controversy arose in 2010 over the 5 4 decision of the Wake County School Board in March to switch from the socioeconomic diversification policy it had followed for a decade to a system that focused on neighborhood schools 31 The prior plan under which the public schools of the county were to have no more than 40 percent of students eligible for free or reduced price lunch was set aside for concerns over long student bus rides but immediately raised comments among the public and the NAACP that the outcome of the shift would be to resegregate schools 31 The decision led to protests spearheaded by the state NAACP chapter with arrests in June and July 32 33 and to the resignation of the superintendent of Wake County schools 34 The NAACP lodged a civil rights complaint with the office of the United States Department of Education which began an investigation into the matter 34 35 The complaint also prompted one national accreditation agency AdvancED to evaluate the schools to see if the decision would impact the school s accreditation standing 36 37 In January 2011 The Washington Post featured a story on the controversy 34 following which it and the Associated Press were provided a letter by United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in which he wrote that it was troubling to see North Carolina s Wake County school board take steps to reverse a long standing policy to promote racial diversity in its schools and urge d school boards across America to fully consider the consequences before taking such action 35 38 The situation was also lampooned on The Colbert Report 39 According to The Washington Post the decision has been backed by prominent members of the Tea Party movement 34 Some strides have been made towards compromise in Wake County between proponents and critics of the old integration plan Michael Alves an education consultant with 30 years of experience designing and implementing choice based student assignment plans in districts across the United States has developed an integration by achievement plan for Wake County Integration by achievement will assign students to schools based on their previous achievements on standardised state test scores Schools will have 70 of its students scores at or above the proficient level while the remaining 30 scores below the proficient level 15 The plan stipulates that once a child is placed in a school he or she cannot be reassigned during their time in that school The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce the area s largest business membership organisation has suggested this plan to the Wake County school board 40 LGBT flashcards controversy edit In May 2022 a teacher in a preschool classroom at Ballentine Elementary School part of the Wake County Public School System in Fuquay Varina was revealed to have shown her students LGBT themed flashcards to teach them the colors of the rainbow with one of the flashcards depicting a pregnant man The flashcards were removed from the school A Wake County spokesperson stated An initial review determined that flash cards were not tied to the district s Pre K curriculum did not complement enrich or extend the curriculum and were used without the principal s review knowledge and or approval The teacher later resigned 41 42 Schools editMain article List of Wake County Schools High schools edit Apex Friendship High School Patriots Apex High School Cougars Athens Drive High School Jaguars Cary High School Imps Crossroads FLEX High School Phoenix East Wake High School Warriors Felton Grove High School opening in 2025 26 mascot TBD Fuquay Varina High School Bengals Garner High School Trojans Green Hope High School Falcons Green Level High School Gators Heritage High School Huskies Holly Springs High School Golden Hawks Jesse O Sanderson High School Spartans Knightdale High School Knights Leesville Road High School Pride Middle Creek High School Mustangs Millbrook High School Wildcats North Wake College and Career Academy Griffins Needham B Broughton High School Capitals Panther Creek High School Catamounts Rolesville High School Rams Southeast Raleigh High School Bulldogs South Garner High School Titans Vernon Malone College amp Career Academy Silver Hawks Wake Early College of Health and Sciences Volumetric Flasks Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnologies Mavericks Wake Forest High School Cougars Wakefield High School Wolverines Wake STEM Early College High School Wolves Wake Young Men s Leadership Academy Phoenix Wake Young Women s Leadership Academy Owls William G Enloe High School Eagles Willow Spring High School Storm Middle schools edit Alston Ridge Middle School Warriors Apex Friendship Middle School Chargers Apex Middle School Cougars Carroll Middle School Cougars Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School Wolfpack Davis Drive Middle School Panthers Dillard Drive Middle School Dragons Durant Road Middle School Dolphins East Cary Middle School Imps East Garner Middle School Trojans East Millbrook Middle School Cougars East Wake Middle School Warriors Fred J Carnage Middle School Trojans Fuquay Varina Middle School Bengals Heritage Middle School Patriots Hilburn K 8 STEM Academy Hawks Holly Grove Middle School Bulldogs Holly Ridge Middle School Hornets John W Ligon Middle School Little Blues Oberlin Middle School Blue Jackets 43 Leesville Road Middle School Pride Leroy Martin Middle School Mustangs Lufkin Road Middle School Lightning Mills Park Middle School Leopards Moore Square Magnet Middle School Mountain Lions North Garner Middle School Trojans Pine Hollow Middle School Pilots It opened in 2016 as a year round school the first such school to open in the district since 2012 44 Reedy Creek Magnet Middle School Eagles River Bend Middle School Tigers Rolesville Middle School Rams Salem Middle School Spartans Wakefield Middle School Wolves Wake Forest Middle School Cougars Wendell Middle School Wolves West Cary Middle School Imps West Lake Middle School Wildcats West Millbrook Middle School Wildcats Zebulon Middle School Cougars Elementary schools edit nbsp Cedar Fork Elementary SchoolAbbotts Creek Elementary School Alligators Adams Elementary School Aviators Alston Ridge Elementary School Alligators Apex Elementary School Cougars Apex Friendship Elementary School Shooting Stars Aversboro Elementary School Owls Baileywick Road Elementary School Bulldogs Ballentine Elementary School Fireflies Banks Road Elementary School Trailblazers Barwell Road Elementary School Bears Baucom Elementary School Aviators Beaverdam Elementary School Beavers Brassfield Elementary School Bears Brentwood Elementary School Engineers Briarcliff Elementary School Bulldogs Brier Creek Elementary School Jets Brooks Magnet Elementary School Bryan Road Elementary School Buccaneers Buckhorn Creek Elementary School Buccaneers Bugg Magnet Elementary School Carpenter Elementary School Chameleons Carver Elementary School Cubs Cary Elementary School Cougars Cedar Fork Elementary School Stingrays Combs Elementary School Gators Conn Elementary School Creech Road Elementary School Davis Drive Elementary School Dolphins Dillard Drive Elementary School Dragonflies Douglas Magnet Elementary School Dragons Durant Road Elementary School Eagles East Garner Elementary School Explorers Farmington Woods Elementary School Bears Forest Pines Elementary Foxes Forestville Road Elementary School Eagles Fox Road Elementary School Foxes Fuller Magnet Elementary School Fuquay Varina Elementary School Rockets Green Elementary School Green Hope Elementary School Falcons Harris Creek Elementary School Eagles Herbert Akins Road Elementary School Hawks Heritage Elementary School Hurricanes Highcroft Drive Elementary School Huskies Hilburn Academy Hawks Hodge Road Elementary School Panthers Holly Grove Elementary School Hedgehogs Holly Ridge Elementary School Labradors Holly Springs Elementary School Cheetahs Hortons Creek Elementary School Hawks Hunter Elementary School Eagles Jeffreys Grove Elementary School Eagles Jones Dairy Elementary School Panthers Joyner Elementary School Kingswood Elementary School Knightdale Elementary School Knights Lacy Elementary School Lions Lake Myra Elementary School Laurel Park Elementary School Penguins Lead Mine Elementary School Leopards Leesville Road Elementary School Cubs Lincoln Heights Elementary School Lockhart Elementary School Lions Lynn Road Elementary School Lions Middle Creek Elementary School Colts Millbrook Elementary School Mills Park Elementary School Panthers Morrisville Elementary School Mustangs North Forest Pines Elementary School Falcons North Ridge Elementary School Unicorns Northwoods Elementary School Koalas Oak Grove Elementary School Otters Oakview Elementary School Owls Olds Elementary School Wolves Olive Chapel Elementary School Clippers Parkside Elementary School Sandpipers Partnership Elementary School Penny Road Elementary School Pandas Pleasant Grove Elementary School Flyers Pleasant Union Elementary School Poe Elementary School Pandas Powell Elementary School Rand Road Elementary School Raiders Reedy Creek Elementary School Frogs Richland Creek Elementary School Bulldogs River Bend Elementary School Beavers Rogers Lane Elementary School Rockets Rolesville Elementary School Rams Root Elementary School Raccoons Salem Elementary School Salamanders Sanford Creek Elementary School Bluejays Scotts Ridge Elementary School Sailors Smith Magnet Elementary School Bees South Lakes Elementary School Sea Turtles Southeast Raleigh Elementary School Lions It is in a 115 000 square foot 10 700 m2 building 45 on 32 acres 13 ha of land 46 on the ex Watson Flea Market site in proximity to Interstate 40 it is a joint project between WCPSS and the YMCA The YMCA purchased the facility to have the YMCA and school put there It opened on August 26 2019 It has the only swimming pool in the entire school system 47 Its anticipated student size was 426 46 Stough Elementary School Stallions Swift Creek Elementary School Cougars Sycamore Creek Elementary School Crocodiles Timber Drive Elementary Timberwolves Turner Creek Elementary School Tree Frogs Underwood Elementary School Unicorns Vance Elementary School Panthers Vandora Springs Elementary School Eagles Wake Forest Elementary School Cougars Wakefield Elementary School Eagles Wakelon Elementary School Bulldogs Washington Elementary School Wizards Weatherstone Elementary School Explorers Wendell Elementary School Eagles West Lake Elementary School Wallabies White Oak Elementary School Explorers Wilburn Elementary School Wildwood Forest Elementary School Wolves Wiley Magnet Elementary School Willow Springs Elementary School Bengals Yates Mill Elementary School Frogs York Elementary School Bulldogs Zebulon Elementary School Cougars Demographics editAs of the 2018 2019 school year the Wake County student body is split 51 2 male with a total of 82 424 students and 48 8 female representing a total of 78 535 students 48 Total American Indian Asian Black Hispanic Pacific Islander Two or more White160 959 398 15 001 36 545 29 031 194 6 122 73 668100 0 02 9 3 22 7 18 0 0 1 3 8 45 8 See also editThe End of Consensus About the disestablishment of socioeconomic balancing in Wake CountyReferences edit The Office of the Superintendent wcpss net Wake County Public School System Retrieved October 22 2022 a b c d e Search for Public School Districts District Detail for Wake County Schools National Center for Education Statistics Institute of Education Sciences District facts WCPSS net Retrieved March 25 2022 Table 215 30 Enrollment poverty and federal funds for the 120 largest school districts by enrollment size in 2016 Selected years 2015 16 and fiscal year 2018 Digest of Education Statistics 2018 U S Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Statistics Retrieved November 25 2019 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on December 2 2007 Retrieved October 20 2007 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link National Center on School Choice Resources Types of School Choice vanderbilt edu Archived from the original on June 7 2010 Retrieved April 10 2011 a b Gerald Grant on Wake County School Success The Independent Weekly May 21 2009 Archived from the original on January 16 2011 Retrieved January 3 2011 Taking a new course in class U S News amp World Report July 7 2007 Archived from the original on June 4 2011 Retrieved September 4 2011 Scores on state tests decline The News amp Observer November 6 2008 Retrieved December 9 2008 dead link Scores soften Wake s boast The News amp Observer November 12 2008 Archived from the original on May 26 2009 Retrieved November 14 2008 To Get Diversity Some Schools May Look to Socioeconomic Class Rather Than Race U S News amp World Report Archived from the original on October 8 2012 Retrieved September 17 2017 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on July 6 2008 Retrieved January 17 2008 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Archived June 5 2011 at the Wayback Machine dead link Archived June 5 2011 at the Wayback Machine dead link a b Winerip Michael February 27 2011 Raleigh N C Schools Struggle to Agree on Integration Plan The New York Times Archived from the original on June 10 2015 Retrieved February 26 2017 WCPSS Board Policy Naming of Schools 2570 Archived 2007 02 05 at the Wayback Machine Barrett Robertson January 17 1992 School seeking students McClatchy News The News amp Observer Hui Keung June 21 1999 Always the season for learning The News amp Observer Wake Cares letter to School Board et al Archived from the original on September 30 2007 Retrieved July 9 2007 Schools want sun shelters for hot kids News and Observer July 12 2007 Retrieved July 14 2007 dead link Wake Cares Inc vs Wake County School Board et al Archived from the original on September 30 2007 Retrieved July 9 2007 T Keung Hui March 14 2007 Parent Group Sues Wake Schools The News amp Observer Retrieved November 14 2008 dead link Board Assigns 2 600 Students to Traditional Calendar Schools Archived from the original on April 13 2008 Retrieved July 8 2007 T Keung Hui February 7 2008 Year round school shuffle possible The News amp Observer Archived from the original on June 5 2011 Retrieved November 14 2008 T Keung Hui and Kinea White Epps August 28 2008 Wake s all year lawsuit lives on The News amp Observer Retrieved November 14 2008 dead link T Keung Hui and Kinea White Epps May 7 2008 Wake schools regain control over year round plan The News amp Observer Archived from the original on May 13 2008 Retrieved November 14 2008 Hui T Keung October 7 2008 2 Wake schools to end year round schedule News and Observer permanent dead link http www newsobserver com news wake story 1510271 html permanent dead link Wake won t seek consent for year round schools Local amp State News amp Observer Archived from the original on May 7 2009 Retrieved May 7 2009 Wake school board changes year round policy May 5 2009 Archived from the original on May 9 2009 Retrieved January 18 2011 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link a b Khadaroo Stacy Teicher March 24 2010 Busing to end in Wake County N C Goodbye school diversity The Christian Science Monitor Archived from the original on January 26 2011 Retrieved January 19 2011 School board protest ends with arrests CNN July 21 2010 Archived from the original on July 25 2010 Retrieved January 19 2011 Bowens Dan Adam Owens Anne Johnson Kelly Gardner Minnie Bridgers July 20 2010 Tensions rise at Wake school board meeting 19 arrested WRAL TV Archived from the original on January 19 2011 Retrieved January 19 2011 a b c d McCrummen Stephanie January 12 2011 Republican school board in N C backed by tea party abolishes integration policy The Washington Post Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved January 19 2011 a b The Associated Press January 14 2011 US Schools Chief Criticizes NC Board Over Busing NPR Archived from the original on January 20 2011 Retrieved January 19 2011 Barron Laura September 23 2010 Agency Threatens to Pull Wake Schools Accreditation NBC17 Archived from the original on January 19 2011 Retrieved January 18 2011 NBC17 Staff January 11 2011 Wake Co High Schools At Risk Of Losing Accreditation NBC17 Archived from the original on January 15 2011 Retrieved January 19 2011 Duncan Arne January 13 2011 Maintaining racial diversity in schools The Washington Post Archived from the original on January 22 2011 Retrieved January 19 2011 Chou Renee Kelly Hinchcliffe January 19 2011 Comedian mocks Wake schools assignment controversy WRAL TV Archived from the original on January 21 2011 Retrieved January 19 2011 About the Chamber Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Raleigh North Carolina raleighchamber org Archived from the original on April 25 2011 Retrieved April 10 2011 LGBTQ themed flash cards removed from Wake classroom WRAL TV May 28 2022 Retrieved June 2 2022 Wake County teacher resigns after using LGBTQ themed flash cards in preschool classroom WRAL TV May 31 2022 Retrieved June 2 2022 WTVD June 16 2020 Wake County Schools votes unanimously to rename Daniels Middle School which was named for known white supremacist ABC11 Raleigh Durham Retrieved June 17 2020 Cioffi Chris July 10 2016 Wake County opens first year round school since 2012 The News amp Observer Retrieved July 1 2021 Rodriguez Glorida April 11 2018 Groundbreaking held for joint YMCA school in southeast Raleigh WTVD TV Retrieved July 2 2021 a b Johnson Anna April 11 2018 Joint YMCA and school is seen as chance to shine positive light on Southeast Raleigh The News amp Observer Retrieved July 2 2021 Hui T Keung September 25 2019 New elementary school in Y facility aims to turn Southeast Raleigh s image around The News amp Observer Retrieved July 2 2021 District facts 2019 Retrieved March 15 2019 External links editOfficial website Year Round Schools Conversion wral com WRAL TV archive of year round conversion stories News amp Observer s Wake school reassignment archive Mandatory year round assignment story archive from WRAL Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wake County Public School System amp oldid 1172992391, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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