It's difficult to balance families' wishes with state class size requirements, booming growth in certain areas and bus driver shortages, board Vice Chairman Chris Heagarty said.
But because of transportation and crowding issues, the change is best for the system in the long run, she said. 'It is not an easy decision for us to move families at all and that’s not what we want,' board member Cheryl Caulfield said. System officials originally said the reassignment plan would have affected a similar percentage of students as previous plans have, about 2% to 3% of students. About three-quarters of them will be able to apply to stay at their current school. The plan will affect 1,572 students, less than 1% of the system’s 160,000 students. Eligible families can apply to stay between Nov. Families who are affected will receive individual messages early next week from the school system about what they can do if they want to stay in their current schools.
Wake parents can look up their school assignment for next year using the school system’s website.
