Magnet schools play a big role in redistricting plan

There was a surprising turn of events in the New Hanover County schools redistricting debate.

At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, members voted to take 2 of the 3 redistricting plans off the table. The two redistricting options that were eliminated included busing plans to take children to other school districts to help even out the schools economic diversity. Because those plans are no longer being considered, parents and the school board only have one option left to tweak.

The two redistricting maps would have diversified Rachel Freeman School of Engineering, a magnet school. 86 percent of its students are on free and reduced lunches. The school did not reach its adequate yearly progress targets last year. Principal Elizabeth Miars said since her school is a magnet school, it will still be able to diversify with the one redistricting option left. “I am a principal of a magnet school that wants to increase our diversity and be a success within the community,” Miars said.

Miars also said since her school is magnet, it will still be able to diversify with the one redistricting option left. “I believe in option 4, the board is considering increasing lottery applications for the magnet schools and lottery applications give us an opportunity to diversify.”

To break down what this lottery process means, this year the school had 100 spaces available for students from across the county attend. The redistricting option that is left will allow 322 students from across the county to take advantage of Freeman’s resources.

The idea is that it will add diversity, something parent and PTA member Suzanne Smith believes will improve the school. “We struggle each year trying to help with the books and maybe with more diversity it would be easier for the PTA to reach it’s goals to help the school.”

Smith believes the diversity may help increase parental involvement and broaden the student’s cultural horizons, but that diversity will not necessarily change test scores. “I believe the test scores will improve this year and I know the test scores are where I want them to be,” added Smith.

New Hanover County Board of Education Chair Don Hayes, who voted against taking the two redistricting maps off of the table, said he did this out of principle. The board promised to keep the three maps up through three public forums. Last night’s decision left only one map.

That plan will be up for discussion at a public forum on October 21, 2008, at :00 p.m. at Freeman School of Engineering.