Wake school board passes resolution on neighborhood schools :: WRAL.com
Raleigh, N.C. — The Wake County Board of Education voted Tuesday to end its long-standing diversity policy in student assignment in favor of a neighborhood schools concept.
By a 5-4 vote, the board approved a resolution to begin planning for the phase out of the policy. The move will allow students to go to schools closer to home, regardless of the socio-economic makeup of the student body.
WATCH VIDEOWake board votes to phase out diversity policy
Reassigning students to ensure schools had no more than 40 percent of students receiving free or reduced-price lunches has been controversial for years. It was a key point in last year's election, in which voters elected four candidates who said they supported changing the policy in favor of neighborhood schools.
School board member Anne McLaurin said Tuesday before the vote that the resolution called for additional research, public feedback and financial cost analysis.
"We have not done any of these things,” she said.
School board member John Tedesco argued the resolution was only a direction and that more discussion would follow.
“We are going to have opportunities to have our committees and our communities participate in that process,” he added.
Read more about Tuesday's school board meeting.
After hearing from dozens of people who signed up to speak before the board, Tedesco joined board Chairman Ron Margiotta and members Deborah Prickett, Chris Malone and Debra Goldman in voting in favor of the resolution, while McLaurin and board members Keith Sutton, Kevin Hill and Carolyn Morrison voted against it.
Those in the crowd opposed to the vote joined in an impromptu rally led by the Rev. William Barber, the state's NAACP president.
Barber has threatened to sue the board if it moves away from the diversity policy. He says research shows schools with large majorities of poor children fail because they are underfunded, have a high teacher turnover and low student performance.
Barber and supporters of the diversity policy said neighborhood schools is a move toward re-segregation.
Margiotta, who broke the tie and passed the resolution, said the district's new direction will not segregate students.
"We have laws, we have court rulings, and we have morality. It is something that would never be tolerated by anyone on the school board,” he said.
Barber said he will be watching the school board’s proceedings closely.
"We are not going anywhere. We are not going anywhere,” he said.
The resolution calls for a second and final vote, which will be taken at the next school board meeting.
Reporter: Adam Owens
WakeEd - Strained relations between school board majority and Wake Education Partnership | newsobserver.com blogs
Monday, March 1, 2010
WakeEd - Strained relations between school board majority and Wake Education Partnership newsobserver.com blogs
Submitted by KeungHui on 02/21/2010 - 06:00
Tags: WakeEd Ann Denlinger Chris Malone Deborah Prickett Debra Goldman Del Burns diversity John Tedesco reassignment Ron Margiotta Tim Simmons Wake Education Partnership
It would be an understatement to say that relations are strained between the new Wake County school board majority and the Wake Education Partnership.
As noted in today's article, school board members are questioning such recent WEP publications as the school assignment analysis and the assessment of Del Burns' resignation as superintendent. It's a departure from when the WEP worked closely with the old school board majority.
“They seem to be going against everything we want to do," said school board member Deborah Prickett. "I feel like a salmon swimming upstream against them.”
Intentional or not, the WEP is becoming the defacto research arm for critics of the new school board majority. The WEP's reports are regularly cited by opposition groups.
School board members are particularly upset about the WEP report which found that sending students to their closest school would result in crowding problems.
Members of the new board majority say they've never said they're solely going to assign students based on proximity.
School board vice chairwoman Debra Goldman said the WEP could have tried to develop a scenario which would have allowed for more community-based school assignments while still trying to provide the socioeconomic balance the group wants to preserve.
“Let’s work together to bring something positive," Goldman said. "Even if you don’t like the general concept of what we’re trying, try to work with us to make it more positive.”
Goldman said she's been asked by school board chairman Ron Margiotta to serve on the WEP's board of trustees after he turned down the invitation.
School board member Chris Malone said he looks at the WEP reports to see if there's anything worth finding. But he said he hasn't found much.
As for school board member John Tedesco, his blast on the WakeEd blog following the WEP school assignment report has gotten a lot of attention. He accused the WEP of spreading 'fairy tale hysteria" and "waxing philosophical lies."
But Tim Simmons, communications director for the WEP, said the report noted that the approach it analyzed was not under consideration by the board. But, he said, it spoke to questions the public might have about community-based schools.
"I know that the general public thinks that school choice means they get to choose the schools close to home," Simmons said in the article. "The primary reason for doing this is to make it clear that this is not possible."
The school board majority has at least some reason to be skeptical of the Wake Education Partnership, which has been a longtime supporter of the diversity policy.
In 2002 the WEP's board of trustees passed a resolution in support of the diversity policy.
More recently, WEP President Ann Denlinger attended the Friends of Diversity Press Conference that was held the day before the October elections. She was joined at the event by several people who are on the WEP's board of directors and board of trustees.
Submitted by KeungHui on 02/21/2010 - 06:00
Tags: WakeEd Ann Denlinger Chris Malone Deborah Prickett Debra Goldman Del Burns diversity John Tedesco reassignment Ron Margiotta Tim Simmons Wake Education Partnership
It would be an understatement to say that relations are strained between the new Wake County school board majority and the Wake Education Partnership.
As noted in today's article, school board members are questioning such recent WEP publications as the school assignment analysis and the assessment of Del Burns' resignation as superintendent. It's a departure from when the WEP worked closely with the old school board majority.
“They seem to be going against everything we want to do," said school board member Deborah Prickett. "I feel like a salmon swimming upstream against them.”
Intentional or not, the WEP is becoming the defacto research arm for critics of the new school board majority. The WEP's reports are regularly cited by opposition groups.
School board members are particularly upset about the WEP report which found that sending students to their closest school would result in crowding problems.
Members of the new board majority say they've never said they're solely going to assign students based on proximity.
School board vice chairwoman Debra Goldman said the WEP could have tried to develop a scenario which would have allowed for more community-based school assignments while still trying to provide the socioeconomic balance the group wants to preserve.
“Let’s work together to bring something positive," Goldman said. "Even if you don’t like the general concept of what we’re trying, try to work with us to make it more positive.”
Goldman said she's been asked by school board chairman Ron Margiotta to serve on the WEP's board of trustees after he turned down the invitation.
School board member Chris Malone said he looks at the WEP reports to see if there's anything worth finding. But he said he hasn't found much.
As for school board member John Tedesco, his blast on the WakeEd blog following the WEP school assignment report has gotten a lot of attention. He accused the WEP of spreading 'fairy tale hysteria" and "waxing philosophical lies."
But Tim Simmons, communications director for the WEP, said the report noted that the approach it analyzed was not under consideration by the board. But, he said, it spoke to questions the public might have about community-based schools.
"I know that the general public thinks that school choice means they get to choose the schools close to home," Simmons said in the article. "The primary reason for doing this is to make it clear that this is not possible."
The school board majority has at least some reason to be skeptical of the Wake Education Partnership, which has been a longtime supporter of the diversity policy.
In 2002 the WEP's board of trustees passed a resolution in support of the diversity policy.
More recently, WEP President Ann Denlinger attended the Friends of Diversity Press Conference that was held the day before the October elections. She was joined at the event by several people who are on the WEP's board of directors and board of trustees.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/02/25/357073/diversity-policy-stays-for-now.html
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/02/25/357073/diversity-policy-stays-for-now.html
BY T. KEUNG HUI - Staff Writer
Tags: education local news politics
RALEIGH -- A second attempt by the new Wake County school board majority to push through the elimination of busing for diversity in favor of neighborhood schools failed Wednesday when one of its members didn't back the change.
New school board member Debra Goldman again broke ranks with the majority when she killed a motion Wednesday by refusing to second proposed changes in the student assignment policy.
Goldman was also one of the members of the majority who backed down on adopting the changes when they were introduced Dec.1, right after the newcomers took office.
Goldman stressed Wednesday that she's still a critic of the current policy. But Goldman, who also split with the majority to pass a compromise resolution that doesn't completely ban mandatory year-round schools, said more "due diligence" needs to occur before the student assignment policy is changed.
"I didn't feel right about the wording," said Goldman, chairwoman of the policy committee, after Wednesday's meeting. "I need to eyeball this more, especially when the policy has such major implications."
The committee unanimously agreed Wednesday to recommend scheduling a work session of the full board to discuss what changes to make on student assignments.
Goldman's position caused at least one group that supports the new board majority to say it's beginning to have doubts about her.
"We have seen this nightmare before, where new school board members do not vote to do what they said they were going to do in their campaigns," said Dallas Woodhouse, state director of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative advocacy group, in a written statement.
Not in my melting pot
Wake has received national recognition for trying to balance the percentages of low-income, low-performing, special education and limited English proficient students at individual schools.
But opposition to the diversity policy helped fuel the election of Goldman and three other board members last fall. They formed a new majority with veteran board member Ron Margiotta.
.
The proposed changes eliminate all references to diversity and prioritize the formation of neighborhood schools. New school board member John Tedesco justified the change by saying the current policy isn't working.
"We are a good school system," Tedesco said. "I'm not going to deny that by any means. Like Toyota, we sold a lot of cars, but we lost sight of quality."
To support his point, Tedesco pointed to the rising suspension rates, low graduation rates and below-average academic performance of Wake's poor students.
But Keith Sutton, a member of the board minority, said it would be "unconscionable" to forgo mentioning those high-needs students in the policy. He said the current policy avoids having all those students dumped in one school or area.
Goldman and Tedesco argued that it's not the role of the assignment policy to deal with diversity.
"This is an assignment policy," Goldman said. "It's not how to address these students and how to address these needs. Is it fair to tell these students that you fit in one of these categories so you can't go to the schools near their house?"
The meeting took place less than a week after schools Superintendent Del Burns publicly warned that ending the diversity policy would lead to economically segregated schools.
The board met behind closed doors Tuesday to discuss whether to remove Burns ahead of his announced June 30 resignation date. Board members agreed to continue the discussion Tuesday.
Woodhouse, of Americans for Prosperity, speculated that Goldman may have been the vote that helped keep Burns from being removed. He's urging residents in Goldman's Cary district to contact her.
"They're not related," Goldman said of Burns' resignation and her decision Wednesday. "My job is to do my job."
BY T. KEUNG HUI - Staff Writer
Tags: education local news politics
RALEIGH -- A second attempt by the new Wake County school board majority to push through the elimination of busing for diversity in favor of neighborhood schools failed Wednesday when one of its members didn't back the change.
New school board member Debra Goldman again broke ranks with the majority when she killed a motion Wednesday by refusing to second proposed changes in the student assignment policy.
Goldman was also one of the members of the majority who backed down on adopting the changes when they were introduced Dec.1, right after the newcomers took office.
Goldman stressed Wednesday that she's still a critic of the current policy. But Goldman, who also split with the majority to pass a compromise resolution that doesn't completely ban mandatory year-round schools, said more "due diligence" needs to occur before the student assignment policy is changed.
"I didn't feel right about the wording," said Goldman, chairwoman of the policy committee, after Wednesday's meeting. "I need to eyeball this more, especially when the policy has such major implications."
The committee unanimously agreed Wednesday to recommend scheduling a work session of the full board to discuss what changes to make on student assignments.
Goldman's position caused at least one group that supports the new board majority to say it's beginning to have doubts about her.
"We have seen this nightmare before, where new school board members do not vote to do what they said they were going to do in their campaigns," said Dallas Woodhouse, state director of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative advocacy group, in a written statement.
Not in my melting pot
Wake has received national recognition for trying to balance the percentages of low-income, low-performing, special education and limited English proficient students at individual schools.
But opposition to the diversity policy helped fuel the election of Goldman and three other board members last fall. They formed a new majority with veteran board member Ron Margiotta.
.
The proposed changes eliminate all references to diversity and prioritize the formation of neighborhood schools. New school board member John Tedesco justified the change by saying the current policy isn't working.
"We are a good school system," Tedesco said. "I'm not going to deny that by any means. Like Toyota, we sold a lot of cars, but we lost sight of quality."
To support his point, Tedesco pointed to the rising suspension rates, low graduation rates and below-average academic performance of Wake's poor students.
But Keith Sutton, a member of the board minority, said it would be "unconscionable" to forgo mentioning those high-needs students in the policy. He said the current policy avoids having all those students dumped in one school or area.
Goldman and Tedesco argued that it's not the role of the assignment policy to deal with diversity.
"This is an assignment policy," Goldman said. "It's not how to address these students and how to address these needs. Is it fair to tell these students that you fit in one of these categories so you can't go to the schools near their house?"
The meeting took place less than a week after schools Superintendent Del Burns publicly warned that ending the diversity policy would lead to economically segregated schools.
The board met behind closed doors Tuesday to discuss whether to remove Burns ahead of his announced June 30 resignation date. Board members agreed to continue the discussion Tuesday.
Woodhouse, of Americans for Prosperity, speculated that Goldman may have been the vote that helped keep Burns from being removed. He's urging residents in Goldman's Cary district to contact her.
"They're not related," Goldman said of Burns' resignation and her decision Wednesday. "My job is to do my job."
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