Ok...here we go with WCPSS...not happy!! (Raleigh, Durham: apartment complexes, neighborhoods)

[ncitgal]

Originally Posted by WorkingMomof2

But they can't do that. For illustrative purposes, let's say the tracks were filled like this:

Track 1 -- 2 classes
Track 2 -- 1 class
Track 3 -- 1 class
Track 4 -- 2 classes

Transfer students don't all come in at one time. You can't just tack on an entire class to Track 2 or Track 3 in the middle of the year when you get one or two new students a month. So you add them into the classes that have room for them (likely on the tracks with more classes). So at the end of the year, you have to readjust a bit because now there are enough extra students in the Track 1 and Track 4 classes to make an entirely new class. You can't put that class on Track 1 or Track 4 because it would mess up the number of classrooms in school at one time.

I realize it's annoying and inconvenient. I'd be upset if we had to change Tracks too. But you can't just say, "Well, just put all the transfer kids in the crappy tracks" and be done with it. It just doesn't work from a fairness or logical point of view.

So why create the new class on the crappy track?

[ncitgal]

Never mind I see you answered that. It does seem like they allowed too many new kids in the 1 & 4 tracks. Fairness doesn't really enter into it, because we all had to get "in" to a track by applying. Seems like the mid yr kids asked and got in no matter what.

Does anyone know what the class limit sizes are? My kids classes are 25 & 26..

[marathonali]

Originally Posted by 2KidsforMe

I have searched in vain but cannot find the answer. If I have 2 kids, just one year apart in school, can a situation arise where one is accepted into YR and the other one is not? And if they both are accepted into YR, would there be a possibility that they would be put on different tracks? Thanks for any response.

I have two kids at a YR school in Cary - 4th grader and 5th grader - both on track 1. The 5th grader has been accepted to track 1 at the YR middle school. The 4th grader will continue on track 1.

Alls good, right? Wrong!

I have a rising kindergartner who didn't accepted into the YR elementary school. So, if she doesn't make it in through the transfer process, then she'll be at the traditional school.

What is most frustrating to me is that, during the application process they didn't ask if she had siblings at the school currently. That has to wait for the transfer process which doesn't even start until May 15.

[WorkingMomof2]

Originally Posted by ncitgal

Never mind I see you answered that. It does seem like they allowed too many new kids in the 1 & 4 tracks. Fairness doesn't really enter into it, because we all had to get "in" to a track by applying. Seems like the mid yr kids asked and got in no matter what.

Does anyone know what the class limit sizes are? My kids classes are 25 & 26..

Your kids' classes are maxed out, illustrating the point I made in my previous post. Thus the need to create a new class. Again, it's not a point of "allowing too many new kids in the 1 & 4 tracks". They add them to the classes that have the room in them at the time. If there are two classes on one track, it is more likely there is room for new kids than in the track with one class. Once all the classes get maxed out, they have to create a new class. And that new class has to be added to a track with fewer classes. Otherwise, you'll have one class that is sitting outside on the grass because there aren't enough classrooms to accomodate everyone.

And yes, it is about fairness. Because you're basically complaining that it's not fair that you already "applied" for your track (which you didn't actually -- you stated your 1-4 choices) and anyone who comes in after you shouldn't be able to do the same.

[SarahMom]

Originally Posted by MikeJaquish

When I hear people say that they prefer to exclude blacks, Mexicans, or low-income people from certain schools, and I have heard these statements, then I think that the schools are able to be used in various ways to achieve various social goals.

So, it is OK if one likes the goals, and less OK if one dislikes the goals, maybe?

Edit: I REALLY don't want anyone to think that this response is aimed at SarahMom, or her positions here. I truly do not mean to imply that in any way I suspect her of any rotten attitudes.
It is just that I have heard those comments from some ardent advocates of neighborhood schools, and I wanted to point out that there are various social goals in play.

I agree with you Mike. There are extremes in both directions. And if the actions to balance social mixes ALSO were good for eduation, then I would have little problem with it. However, there is evidence that it is NOT good for education to bus kids so far from home - in spite of the koolaid the BOE wants everyone to drink. So, hmmmm. Back to my wondering about putting education in the backseat and letting diversity drive. Not sure. I want ALL kids to get a good education, and this just isn't panning out to be the way to do it.

[MAtoNC!]

I have a first grader at Morrisville Elementary on Track 1. We moved from Morrisville to Cary. Our new base is Laurel Park. My first grader is finishing out the school year at Morrisville Elementary. I gave the data manager at that school a copy of a utility bill for proof of the new address. Then I registered my preschooler for kindergarten. After that I called the customer service center at 850-1600 to verify that both of my daughters are registered for Laurel Park. I was told that my oldest daughter remains on Track 1 since she is coming from another year round school. After that I was told my daughter going into kinderdgarten will be on the same track because she is at the same address. The person I spoke with told me that the principal is going through the paperwork weekly to make sure people at the same address are on the same track.

Originally Posted by marathonali

I have two kids at a YR school in Cary - 4th grader and 5th grader - both on track 1. The 5th grader has been accepted to track 1 at the YR middle school. The 4th grader will continue on track 1.

Alls good, right? Wrong!

I have a rising kindergartner who didn't accepted into the YR elementary school. So, if she doesn't make it in through the transfer process, then she'll be at the traditional school.

What is most frustrating to me is that, during the application process they didn't ask if she had siblings at the school currently. That has to wait for the transfer process which doesn't even start until May 15.

[cmd]

Originally Posted by MAtoNC!

I have a first grader at Morrisville Elementary on Track 1. We moved from Morrisville to Cary. Our new base is Laurel Park. My first grader is finishing out the school year at Morrisville Elementary. I gave the data manager at that school a copy of a utility bill for proof of the new address. Then I registered my preschooler for kindergarten. After that I called the customer service center at 850-1600 to verify that both of my daughters are registered for Laurel Park. I was told that my oldest daughter remains on Track 1 since she is coming from another year round school. After that I was told my daughter going into kinderdgarten will be on the same track because she is at the same address. The person I spoke with told me that the principal is going through the paperwork weekly to make sure people at the same address are on the same track.

My son was accepted to YR for next school year. My daughter starts kindergarten in 2009. Of course, I want them at the same school/track. Do they automatically accept siblings of students in YR schools?

[marathonali]

Originally Posted by cmd

My son was accepted to YR for next school year. My daughter starts kindergarten in 2009. Of course, I want them at the same school/track. Do they automatically accept siblings of students in YR schools?

Short answer: No.

See my earlier post.

[MAtoNC!]

I didn't apply to Morrisville Elementary. It was our base school when we lived in Morrisville. Our new base school in Cary is also year round. I didn't apply to any schools for my kids.

Originally Posted by cmd

My son was accepted to YR for next school year. My daughter starts kindergarten in 2009. Of course, I want them at the same school/track. Do they automatically accept siblings of students in YR schools?

[raleighjayne]

When I hear people say that they prefer to exclude blacks, Mexicans, or low-income people from certain schools, and I have heard these statements, then I think that the schools are able to be used in various ways to achieve various social goals.

Of course there are bigots, elitists, and racists out there in every part of the county. But when the majority of people don't feel that way, do we let the few idiots out there drive what our policies are? I see no problem with having a diversity policy. It is WCPSS's implementation of it that I have a problem with.

There are 42 nodes in the assignment plan that are over 40% F&R, containing a total of 2447 children. Of those children, only a 1/3 are getting moved from a school with over 40% F&R. 2/3 are getting bused out of schools that are 40% or less F&R. I thought that the point of the policy was to make sure that we don't have low income and minority children relegated to inferior, high poverty schools. This current assignment plan is more about raising some schools' F&R than it is about lowering high F&R. We have 17 elem schools that are over 50% F&R yet only 3 of them are in the assignment plan. Does WCPSS care that those children are in high poverty schools?

The worst part about this all is that they are busing many of these low income children obscene distances and they aren't even getting bused out of crappy schools. I don't care if there are black, hispanic, or poor kids bused into 'suburban' schools, but I do care if they are getting bused 15 miles just to make sure that they are represented at those schools. Is it about actual educational opportunities or is it about making sure that there aren't any racists or elitists out there who can avoid 'mixing'?