In Context

WakeEd’s In Context newsletter is a monthly deep-dive into education issues impacting the Wake County Public School System.

A new report titled, “The Economic Impact the Wake County Public School System” released by WakeEd Partnership and Wake County Public School System, in collaboration with NC State University, assesses the value-add of the state’s largest school district to its region, and the results are good for taxpayers and WCPSS graduates alike.

Time To Put Read to Achieve Tests to The Test

Aug 10, 2016

With year-round school under way and traditional calendar school about to start in a couple of weeks, so begins another year of the Read to Achieve program. The 2012 law enacted by the NC General Assembly requires that all public school students in North Carolina must...

$Math Standards Bill Dies, Achievement School Districts Bill Awaits McCrory’s Signature$

Math Standards Bill Dies, Achievement School Districts Bill Awaits McCrory’s Signature

Jul 25, 2016

There were two items that WakeEd was following in the short legislative session that we haven’t written about in a while. The first is the H657 bill, known as the Math Standards bill, and the second is H1080, the Achievement School Districts bill. The Math...

WCPSS Considers Its Options to Get To A Balanced Budget

Jul 25, 2016

By Margaret Leak, WakeEd Summer Intern Frustration. Disappointment. Aggravation. These were the emotions that were flying in the wake of the final state budget. Even though there were more dollars added to the budget this year for teacher salaries, it wasn’t...

Wake County Board of Education Adopts Budget

May 11, 2015

The Wake County Board of Education adopted a budget for the 2015-2016 school year. It is the same budget as previously proposed by Supt. Merrill. The $1.4 billion budget includes a local funding request increase of $48.3 million. The increase requested funds growth...

What’s NOT in the Superintendent’s Proposed Budget

Apr 24, 2015

Much has been made over what items are included in the Superintendent’s proposed budget. Little has been made over items not included. Some of these items can be found on page 14 of the budget document titled “Deferred Needs.” They include items like, “Technology...

Growing Pains or Growing Opportunities?

Apr 24, 2015

At a Facilities Committee meeting on April 15, Joe Desormeaux, Assistant Superintendent for Facilities, identified $348 million per year in new schools, major renovations, life cycle replacements, and land acquisition over the next six years. This keeps pace with the...

Making Weather Make-Up Days (Relatively) Easier

Apr 24, 2015

You could say that making up days missed by inclement weather this spring has been problematic. You’d also be understating the issue. A bit. School board members heard recommendations from staff on inclement weather make-up days for the 2015-2016 school calendars...

Thirteen WCPSS High Schools Among Nation’s Most Challenging

Apr 24, 2015

The Washington Post has released its annual list of the nation’s most challenging high schools. Thirteen WCPSS high schools are on the list. Rank School Index Excellence and Equity Percent Subsidized Lunch Percent 275 Enloe 4.123 45.00 35.90 616 Green Hope 3.032...

Wake 2015-2016 Budget Proposed

Apr 10, 2015

At Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting, Supt. Merrill released his proposed 2015-2016 budget for the Wake County Public School System. The $1.4 billion budget includes a local funding request increase of just over $48 million. This results in a total local funding...

Non-Funding of Student Growth?

Apr 10, 2015

The superintendent’s proposed budget assumes that the state will fully fund student growth. In prior years, student enrollment growth was automatically included in annual budget formation. That is no longer the case. A state budget must be adopted before districts...

New Wake Commissioner Districts Are Law

Apr 10, 2015

I watched my fair share of Schoolhouse Rock as a kid. Remember How a Bill Becomes a Law? Poor Bill…he languished in committee and waited in line to be signed. I’m not so sure that Bill would even recognize this bill’s journey. Introduced on March 4, made law on...

2015-2016 Bell Schedule Changes Proposed

Apr 10, 2015

At the Board of Education work session on Tuesday, staff presented proposed bell schedule changes for the 2015-2016 school year. Bell schedules were proposed for the three new schools. Abbotts Creek Elementary and Scotts Ridge Elementary will both operate on the...