The Wake County Board of Education on Tuesday rejected plans to change two elementary schools to traditional calendars, but a compromise will still save the district money.
In August, WRAL News reported North Forest Pines and Pleasant Union elementary schools, both in Raleigh, would switch to traditional calendars during the 2027-28 school year, under a district proposal designed to cut $200,000 in costs.
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After hearing for weeks from parents at the schools opposed to the change, school board members approved the schools to shift from "multi-track" year-round calendars to "single-track" year-round calendars.
Families told the board the savings were "meager" and suggested the compromise that the board approved unanimously on Tuesday because they wanted to stay on a year-round calendar, which they said was better for their families and their children.
District officials supported traditional calendars for logistical reasons and because some area middle schools, the elementary schools that feed into are on traditional calendars.
Multi-track year-round schools typically cost the district more money because more staff have to be hired to operate the schools over longer periods of time. That's because students are divided into four groups that rotate in and out of the school all year long. They're designed to increase a crowded school's capacity.
Single-track year-round calendar schools have only one group of students and cost the same amount of money as traditional calendar schools, because they don't require extra staff.
Last month, WRAL News reported North Forest Pines Elementary is operating at 78.4% capacity, and Pleasant Union Elementary is operating at 81.3% capacity. The schools' capacities will change to about 100% and about 105%, respectively.