Are you concerned about the WCPSS? I am. It looks to me as if no one is really interested in helping the WCPSS out of the predicament they are in, because they appear to only be interested in their area' problems not the system as a whole. It is my belief that we can only improve the problems for individual students and their families by addressing the systemic problems, I think this can be accomplished by three specific steps.

  1.  Dividing the county into Community Attendance Area's ( with firm attendance lines ) This would allow students to attend schools closer to home. Community schools have long been proven successful by saving on costs and promoting parental involvement. Bus transportation cost decrease in a community program, fuel, tires, oil, and driver work hours. Additionally, WCPSS would be able to build smaller schools with a smaller footprint for construction, Which is a substantial cost savings. Traditionally parents find it easier to participate in school functions when their child attends school closer to home. Schools should benefit from the same community support as churches, parks and shops.  

   2.K-12 multi track year-round schools Using published 2005 numbers, WCPSS could save over 38,000 seats utilizing a multi track year-round system. This is a significant statistic, this would have allowed the school bond that was just passed to be delayed until 2009.Currently even with the new school bond, The public school students of WCPSS are still faced with continuous assignment changes into the foreseeable future this at a far greater cost to students their families than K-12 year-round schedule.

  3.  Vocational training offered at all Wake County High Schools. Sadly, a college education is not an option for all students in Wake County. Due to increase in land value. housing, etc many parents that could have afforded to send their children to college 5 years ago cannot in today's economy. Increases in the actual cost of living, such as gas, bread, clothes, can affect a families ability to provide extra money for school projects and trips. Often students in this situation lose interest in school due to their inability to pay for college. Vocational training can provide valuable education, training and much-needed GOAL for these students to work toward. And their ultimate reward is a marketable skill and the hope of gainful employment upon graduation.

Throughout my four years as a Wake County Commissioner I dedicated much of my time to the improvement of WCPSS and for the families it serves. During this time, it became obvious to me that these were the first essential steps to a better WCPSS. It is my belief that we have to make these changes. If you love your community, you will work for this.

This was written in 2005.