Wake County staff recommends converting two underused year‑round elementary schools; public and staff oppose change

Wake County Schools staff presented a recommendation at the board’s Aug. 5 work session to convert North Forest Pines and Pleasant Union elementary schools from multitrack year‑round calendars to a traditional calendar or single‑track (track 4) beginning in the 2027–28 school year.

The recommendation, presented by Mister Carraso (staff member), cited a 10‑year enrollment forecast showing the northern area near the airport and Capital Boulevard has persistent underutilization. “These decisions are not taken lightly,” Carraso said, and he told the board that state and federal funding does not cover all multitrack operating costs. He asked the board to schedule a final vote on the change for the Sept. 2 board work meeting to allow families and staff two years to plan.

Why it matters: converting a multitrack multitrack year‑round school to a traditional or single‑track calendar reduces the district’s locally funded operating months for some positions (two fewer pay periods for some employees) and frees operating funds the district says can be reallocated to high‑growth areas that require multitrack capacity or to reduce the frequency of new construction. Staff presented a rough order‑of‑magnitude elementary school construction cost of about $95 million and said four multitrack schools can postpone building a fifth, while also noting multitrack operating costs add to the district budget (presenter cited roughly $130,000 in additional operating costs in examples on slides).

Public and staff response: public engagement included a ThoughtExchange for each school. For North Forest Pines, 133 participants generated 167 thoughts and 3,399 ratings; for Pleasant Union, 189 participants generated 273 thoughts and 6,685 ratings. Carraso summarized results: “No matter what feedback you're gonna get from staff or from parents … there is strong opposition to converting these schools from multitrack to traditional calendar.” Families and staff repeatedly cited child‑care disruption, mental‑health and academic concerns, and staff retention as primary themes. Staff respondents flagged burnout, financial strain and logistical challenges; some staff suggested single‑track (track 4) as a less disruptive alternative to full conversion.

Enrollment and utilization data: Carraso read school‑level projections for the area: Pleasant Grove 48% utilization (multitrack), Briar Creek 89% (multitrack), Sycamore Creek 85% (multitrack), Leesville Road 80% (traditional), Barton Pond 82% (traditional), Pleasant Union 81% (multitrack), Baileywick 82%, Brassfield 86% (multitrack), Wakefield 75%, Forest Pines 74%, North Forest Pines 78% (multitrack), Richland Creek 86%, Durant Road 75% (track 4 only), Wake Forest 82% and Herridge 73% (multitrack). Staff argued that projected long‑term crowding in this corridor is low and therefore multitrack capacity is not needed there.

Budget and staffing impacts: staff said converting would reduce locally funded months of employment at affected schools and thereby lower pay for employees in positions funded for the additional months (examples included lead secretary and student information/data manager roles and potential impacts to child nutrition and some special education supports). A slide cited a combined operating savings of about $197,000 for the two schools (presenter attributed that figure to the slide shown). Staff also said the district lacks robust empirical data linking calendar type to student or staff mental‑health outcomes and that staff turnover impacts after conversion have not been reliably tracked since 2006; the district plans to track turnover and other effects over the next two years.

Alternatives and next steps: staff told the board that converting to single‑track (track 4) or to a traditional calendar produce similar payroll savings; track 4 was presented as a compromise the community and staff might accept if a change is required. Carraso recommended the board choose a date for a final decision and proposed Sept. 2 during a board work meeting to give families and staff time to plan. No formal board vote on calendar conversion occurred at the Aug. 5 session.

Board questions emphasized transportation, transfer and stability rules for students, likely utilization after conversion (staff estimated roughly a 20–25% capacity increase at the converted school, bringing North Forest Pines near 100% and Pleasant Union to about 105% if no student moves), and the district’s use of reassignment, capping and targeted new construction as alternative levers. Several board members asked staff to return with additional data on prior conversions (Pleasant Grove and Pine Hollow were cited) and to monitor teacher turnover and program impacts.

What remains unresolved: no board decision was taken on Aug. 5. Staff asked the board to place the item on the Sept. 2 agenda for a vote. Staff will continue public engagement and said it will track teacher retention and other post‑conversion metrics if the board approves the change.

Ending note: Board members and staff repeatedly framed the recommendation as a difficult fiscal and community tradeoff — balancing long‑term facility funding and the district’s capital plan against the disruption a calendar change can cause for families and employees.