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.

School-Based Administrators Get Small Raise; Pay Scale Overhaul Coming

Jul 11, 2016

While teacher pay has dominated the headlines and discussion school school-based administrators have waited even longer for salary increases. Principals and assistants principals have not seen any meaningful salary scale adjustments and pay rate ranks 50th in the...

WCPSS May Join Forces With YMCA and Wake Tech On New Schools

Jun 26, 2016

The Wake County School Board agreed to partner with two organizations that will bring a new partnership and expand an existing one to help build more community responsive schools. In two separate agreements, WCPSS will join forces with the YMCA to open an elementary...

Schools, County Agree to 7-year School Building Plan

Jun 26, 2016

A new era of school construction planning is here. The Wake County Board of Education and the Wake County Board of Commissioners have agreed, after a year of intense collaboration, to a 7-year school construction plan that will keep school construction moving along...

Community Feedback Sought on Standards

Feb 23, 2015

The Academic Standards Review Commission (ASRC), charged with reviewing the North Carolina’s adopted academic standards (the Common Core), needs your input. The Department of Public Instruction has launched an online survey to collect community feedback on the...

Prioritize Achievement AND Reward Growth

Feb 6, 2015

On February 5, the NC Department of Public Instruction released the new school report cards. The report cards are new because they feature a letter grade for each school. The letter grade is known as the School Performance Grade, and it is determined by a formula that...

And Four Become One: East Wake High Redesign

Feb 6, 2015

At the February 3 WCPSS school board meeting, board members unanimously approved consolidating East Wake’s four individual high schools back into one, comprehensive East Wake High. The move is the first official step in what will be the complete redesign of East Wake...

Long Division – Teacher Supplement Increase Approved

Feb 6, 2015

You remember long division, yes? In this instance, the math goes something like this: How much of a teacher supplement increase can $3.75 million provide for just about 10,000 teachers? The short answer is: about $375. Per year. Pre-tax. Which, divided over 10...

Enloe High School Overflow

Feb 6, 2015

WCPSS staff expect that just over 100 students will be capped out at Enloe High School for the 2015-2016 school year. This number is based on data from the 2014-2015 year. During the first three months of the school year, Enloe added 113 students to its base...

Capping Schools and Needing Seats in Central Raleigh

Jan 23, 2015

Students who will be capped out of Enloe High School for next year are yet to have a place to land when the school year begins. School board and staff discussions have considered both Southeast Raleigh High and Broughton High as options. Both have been dismissed as...

High School Redesign – Knightdale High

Jan 23, 2015

In the past year Area Superintendent Dr. Edward McFarland and new principal Dr. Jim Argent have been working on a complete redesign of Knightdale High. For the 2015-2016 school year, the school will begin with a new name and a new focus: Knightdale High School of...

Of What Do School Board Members Dream?

Jan 23, 2015

Expansion of Pre-K programs for low-income children. Student health centers at every high school. High school graduates conversant in a second language. Three years of coaching for new school principals. Lower class sizes at schools with higher levels of high...

New Strategic Plan Approved

Jan 23, 2015

The WCPSS Board of Education approved the new strategic plan. Some media reports and community discussion have focused solely on the 95% graduation rate goal. But it is important to understand this strategic plan focuses heavily on how to ensure graduating students...