Wake School Board Passes Reassignment Plan; Delays Controversial Shift For One Year

Administrators said the move was necessary due to overcrowding. Parents said their kids were needed to bring up test scores.

"It affects the whole family, and as Wake County said, 'Family stability is the key to educational success.' I think thatwhat they're doing totally undermines what they want the goal to be," said parent Anna DeFellice.

After much discussion, the board removed their children from the plan for one year while it studies ways to improve enrollment at Swift Creek.

The school board also voted to cap enrollment at Olive Chapel and Hodge Road Elementaries to prevent more overcrowding. The plan takes effect this fall.

A group of community and business leaders also released their study of the Wake County school system Tuesday. According to the group, funding for Wake schools will require a major bond issue in two years.

The group says the money will be needed to meet the challenges of growth, teacher quality and student performance.

Wake County's student population is well over 100,000. By 2020, the school's enrollment is projected to be 160,000. A significant percentage of those new students do not speak English, according to David Dahl, a member of the Wake School finance committee.