Hundreds of elementary school students in Wake County's southern half would be affected by a proposed student reassignment plan next year, presented to the school board Tuesday.
The district is also planning to make changes to some Apex and eastern Wake County schools, based on enrollment levels in those areas.
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Overall, the changes would affect 24 schools. A handful of those schools wouldn't lose any students but would gain them from other schools.
The changes would go into effect for the 2026-27 school year.
The school board will provide feedback to the district's first draft, and affected communities will be able to provide feedback, as well. The school board don't plan to vote on the proposal until Nov. 18, on the current estimated timeline.
Families would be reassigned out of Ballentine, Banks Road and West Lake elementary schools to fill Hilltop Needmore Elementary in Fuquay-Varina. Hilltop Needmore would open as a multi-track year-round school in July 2026, meaning it would have four groups of students track in and out of the school at different times of the year -- a tactic that increases a school's capacity and that is often used in the district's fastest-growing areas.
The reassignment for Hilltop Needmore will also have a trickle effect on other schools. Some students would move from Vance Elementary to fill the open seats at Banks Road Elementary. Students would move from Middle Creek Elementary would be moved into Oak Grove and West Lake elementary schools.
Other changes will reduce crowding.
Some students from Hebert Akins Road Middle and Dillard Drive Middle would move to West Lake Middle, primarily to reduce crowding at Herbert Akins Road. Dillard Drive Middle isn't overcrowded, officials said, but some of its students elementary school siblings are on different calendars that would be more compatible with Herbert Akins Road Middle.
Some students from crowded Willow Spring High would move to Middle Creek High.
Several more changes will come to Apex and other western Wake schools.
Some students from Lufkin Road Middle and Salem Middle would move to Apex Middle and some students would move from Apex Friendship High to Apex High -- both moves an effort to make the feeder pattern to high schools consistent for Baucom Elementary families.
Some students would move from the overcrowded White Oak Elementary -- which is currently capped to new students -- to Turner Creek Elementary.
Some students from overcrowded Mills Park Elementary would move to Salem Elementary.
A few eastern Wake schools would also be affected.
Some students from crowded and growing Zebulon Magnet Elementary would move to Carver Elementary.
Some students from Zebulon Magnet Middle would move to Wendell Magnet Middle, an effort to make feeder patterns more consistent for the schools' elementary counterparts.
The district is opening just one school next year, Hilltop Needmore Elementary in Fuquay-Varina.
The district is hosting three virtual information sessions on the plan, one for each affected area:
- Sept. 9, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for families affected by Hilltop Needmore Elementary and related proposed changes
- Sept. 11, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for families affected by proposed changes in the Apex area
- Sept. 17, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for families affected by changes proposed in the eastern part of Wake County
The district will also host an in-person open house with district officials on Sept. 24 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Hilltop Needmore Elementary
The school board will host a public hearing on the proposal during its regular board meeting scheduled for Oct. 21.
People can find out more information about the proposal and look up whether they are affected here: https://www.wcpss.net/Page/58486