North Carolina public school teachers who had career status as of 2013 are allowed to keep it following a state Supreme Court ruling last week. The Court unanimously held that the General Assembly could not revoke the status, often called tenure, because doing so violated the contracts clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Court did […]
Return of Teacher Career Status Read More »
After a brief hiatus, In Context is back with the addition of Tim Lavallee as vice president of policy and research at WakeEd. Tim was a teacher in Wake County for the past 10 years, during which six of those years were at the elementary level in WCPSS. Prior to teaching, Tim had a successful
If spring really does come early, summer will be here before you know it. That means pools, cookouts and vacations are just around the corner. And for low-income students, summer also means losing more than two months in reading achievement, despite the fact that their middle-class peers make slight gains. One reason for the disparity
WAKE Up and Read Spring Book Drive Read More »
“And, as usual, we’re opening five new schools this coming year.” – Tom Benton, WCPSS School Board Only in Wake County – the fastest growing county in the state – would five new schools opening in one year be considered “usual.” Some school districts don’t open five schools in five years. Of course, Wake County
The Hidden Cost of Unprecedented Growth Read More »
A long time ago in a county that may just be your own, Wake County voters approved a bond referendum to support much needed construction and renovation of Wake County public schools. It was 2013, which may not seem like that long ago, but it is. Wake County Public School System enrollment has grown by
Bond Referenda: A New Hope Read More »
On Jan. 19, the Board of Education received an update on renovation plans for Apex High. Staff recommended a full teardown and rebuild ($70.6 million) rather than a partial teardown and rebuild ($69 million). One issue that must be addressed is how long a relocated Apex High will have to reside in swing space. When
Swing Space – (Not the Dancing Kind) Read More »
Fifteen schools will be capped for the 2016-2017 school year in WCPSS. When a school is capped, it means that an enrollment limit has been established. If that enrollment limit is reached, then even families who move into the base attendance area of that school cannot attend there. They will be offered seats at a
On January 11, WCPSS staff recommended to the Board of Education Student Achievement Committee that all twelve Elementary Support Model schools have a one-track year-round calendar. Three of the twelve schools already use a year-round calendar, so the recommendation was to convert nine elementary school calendars to year-round. Calendar/Schedules is one of six dimensions identified
Elementary Support Model Schools Consider Delay for Year-Round Changes Read More »
Two years ago (almost exactly), I began writing In Context. It has been my pleasure to explore our local, state, and national education story with you. Almost always there is a “rest of the story” behind decisions and headlines. We believe knowing that story helps you ask good questions and share what you know. I
The Board of Education gave first round approval to changes regarding student transfer policies Tuesday night. The changes have been recommended as part of a policy migration and updating process. Changes include a new numbering system. For example, Student Assignment has been known as Policy 6200. Along with 6202 School Assignment Plan, 6203 Transfer of
