Point of View: Keeping the Schools on Track

Note: The following is an excerpt from a Point of View article written by Wake Education Partnership President Robert Saffold. It was published in the Nov. 9 News & Observer.

Wake County voters made an important choice for our community when they approved the $970 million school bond issue. As more than 7,500 additional students fill our schools each year, voters chose the best and fairest way to finance the building of new schools and renovations for existing schools. The campaign to pass the bonds was a difficult one on many fronts -- opposition to increased taxes, anger over year-round conversions and concerns about other system policies and practices all complicated the question of how to pay for schools. Now that the bonds have passed, it is more critical than ever that we begin to work together and seek answers to questions about the future of our public schools.

Wake Education Partnership calls on Wake County's leaders -- those in business, political office, community groups and education -- to renew a focus on ensuring excellence for our public schools. Preparing our students for success in a global economy means that we must aim for world-class standards for our schools. Wake County has the capacity to provide our children with a world-class public education, and we, as a community, must deliver.

First, we must actively pursue the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Committee on the Future of Wake County. Given the tremendous growth in student enrollment, it is critical that leaders employ as many options as they can -- not only the school bonds -- to meet the needs of our district. The school system is already exploring some of proposals, and members of the committee are committed to pursuing their recommendations with school and county leaders, but they will need the support and energy of our community behind them to make a difference.

Second, we need to separate the financial discussion from the academic one. There is no question that we need to invest wisely in facilities, but how do we define world-class schools that prepare Wake County students for a competitive global marketplace? Let's expand the debate from a narrow focus on space-saving initiatives and school scheduling logistics to an open, comprehensive dialogue about what really matters.

We must build a strong foundation for the future by building the facilities our students and teachers need for educational success. But beyond the bricks and mortar, we must ensure that all students are well-educated and prepared for the 21st century. Without strong schools, our community will suffer, affecting those in the classroom as well as citizens across Wake County. Wake Education Partnership is committed to world-class excellence for Wake's public schools. We hope that others in the community will join us and help us lead the way.

Kids Vote for School Bond

Wake County children participating in KidsVote on Nov. 7 voted in favor of the bond, with the results split 4,093 “yes” and 1,466 “no.” For more information about voting among those 18 and over, where 53 percent voted “yes” for the bonds, visit The News & Observer online.

Survey Seeks Community Input Following Bond Vote

Wake Education Partnership is interested in your input about the Nov. 7 vote on the school bond. Our short survey is anonymous and easy to fill out. Responses will be shared with the Board of Education, the Board of Commissioners and other key decision-makers as we consider next steps for dealing with our growing student enrollment. To complete the survey, visit http://www.wakeedpartnership.org/news/index.htm and click on the survey link.

National Report Analyzes Record School Construction Spending

"Growth and Disparity: A Decade of U.S. Public School Construction 1995-2004" is a new study that finds that the nation's school districts spent more than $300 billion for hard bricks and mortar costs to build and renovate schools. When counting all costs related to construction -- land, fees, furnishings, and interest payments -- the total for school construction approached $600 billion. But despite this massive investment in public infrastructure, many of the nation's children are still in crowded and substandard buildings.

This report shows that the schools with the greatest need, primarily those in high-poverty and predominantly minority school districts, have seen the least investment. Further, the money spent on schools in low-income communities was more likely to go to basic health and safety needs such as asbestos removal or roof replacement rather than educational enhancements. The report calls for The No Child Left Behind Act, which is silent on school facilities, to identify the quality of school buildings as a critical factor in closing the achievement gap.

WCPSS Schedules Community Meetings to Discuss Growth Management

The Wake County Public School System will hold a series of community engagement meetings to inform and involve the public in the upcoming student assignment process. School enrollment for 2006-07 grew to 128,072, an increase of 7,500 students over the previous year. Projections indicate this is the first of six years with enrollment increases of 7,000 to 9,000 students a year. The community engagement meetings will provide families the opportunity to hear the most current information used in making decisions on school construction and student assignment, as well as an opportunity to provide input into the development of new plans.

The school system will hold three community engagement meetings this month in various areas of the county. All meetings are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and last for approximately two hours. Following are the meeting dates and locations: Nov. 20 at Leesville Road High, Nov. 27 at Knightdale High, and Nov. 30 at Middle Creek High.

A draft Growth Management Proposal will be available for review and public comment on the school district website beginning at 5 p.m., Friday Dec. 8. Suggestions regarding the draft will be accepted via the website until 5 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 2. The WCPSS Growth and Planning Department will use this information to refine the draft and will present a staff recommendation to the Board of Education at the board's meeting on Jan. 9. The Board of Education will then schedule public hearings and work sessions. The board is expected to vote on a Growth Management Plan at its Feb. 6 meeting.

Amicus Briefs Examine Benefits of School Integration

The contested efforts of public school districts in Seattle, Washington and Jefferson County, Kentucky to maintain racial balance in their schools are constitutionally valid and are supported by a half-century of both legal precedent and social science research, according to an amicus brief filed in the U.S. Supreme Court by one of the nation's leading experts on school desegregation. The Court's decision could profoundly alter the ability of local school authorities to pursue the vision articulated by the Court in Brown v. Board of Education, its landmark 1954 desegregation ruling. More information is available online from the National Access Network at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Roundtable Set for December

Join us at the Wake Regional Education Roundtable on Dec. 5 for a discussion about high school redesign. Speakers will discuss a variety of efforts from new graduation requirements in Wake County to academically rigorous, focused and flexible redesigned high school structures across the country. Community members will have the opportunity to listen to and talk with the experts. Chamber members, parents, business people, educators, community representatives and elected officials are encouraged to attend.

Sponsored by Wake Education Partnership and the Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon Chambers of Commerce, the Roundtable will be held at the Knightdale Recreation Center, which adjoins Forestville Road Elementary School. The Roundtable will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. and includes lunch. All attendees must register online by Nov. 27. Please look for the November edition of Wake Education Partnership’s monthly e-newsletter, Wake FYI, for more information on this topic.

“You Hold the Key” Series Tonight for Parents

You Hold the Key is a special series of sessions for families to learn more about parent involvement, the Wake County Public School System and the PTA. The sessions are designed to empower families who may not already be engaged in their child's school to learn more about school processes and available resources. This special series is a collaborative effort between community partners including WCPSS and the NC PTA. Each session includes dinner, childcare, education materials in English and Spanish, and door prizes. Translator equipment is available.

The third session will be held tonight, Thursday, Nov. 16, at the NC PTA office from 6:30-8:30 p.m. to talk about the PTA and celebrating parent involvement. Transportation will be provided from Knightdale High School and Fuquay Varina High School for families at the schools by 5:30 p.m. that day. RSVP is needed for those requiring transportation, childcare, and dinner. For registration forms or more information, contact Ann Rollins with Parent Liaison/PES Prevention Services at arollins@wcpss.net.

Carolina College for Lifelong Learning Features Program on Teaching

The UNC-Chapel Hill General Alumni Association's Carolina College for Lifelong Learning offers a special program this fall focused on the teaching profession. On Tuesday, Nov. 21, Professor Peter G. Filene will be discussing his recently published book, The Joy of Teaching: A Practical Guide for New College Instructors. Learn practical advice on how to teach effectively from an innovative professor of history and member of the UNC faculty since 1967. This event will be held from 2:30 until 4 p.m. at the George Watts Hill Alumni Center. Seating is limited, and advance registration is required. Tuition is $5; GAA members attend at no charge. Visit the College for Lifelong Learning online to view all the fall programs by date and to register.

MAKE AN INVESTMENT

Your donations make the Partnership's work possible. Please help us continue to support excellence in public education in Wake County by making an investment in the Annual Fund for Education today. When we invest in our schools, we build a better, stronger, more prosperous community for us all. And together, we all win.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Dec. 5 : Wake Regional Education Roundtable from noon to 1:30 p.m.; hosted by the Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon Chambers at the Knightdale Recreation Center; discussion topic will be high school resdesign.