Wake County Schools - What's the Real Deal? (Raleigh, Durham: sales, chapel)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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So I've heard a lot of different things about Wake County schools. Even read the propoganda on their website. What is really going on? Are they all just too crowded or only in the city or fast growing burbs? And what is really happening with the magnet schools and the lottery? I am considering relocating to the area but certainly don't want my kids to bounce around like pinballs and have to drive them to schools that are 2 towns over when I have one down the street.
Some schools have crowding issues others not so much. It depends on where you are planning to purchase your house.
There is a lot going on with schools right now: new school board, new plans, lots of stuff in the works. Things could be very different by the time you actually move here.
FWIW, there are school buses so I don't see why you would be forced to drive your kids to school either way. Good luck!
I think, without living here, it is hard to get a complete understanding of wake county schools. Wake county is huge, and it encompasses MANY smaller towns, but also includes raleigh. So, within the wake county school system, you have raleigh, cary, apex, holly springs, wake forest, wendell, garner, roleville, fuquay varina, zebulon, and probably a couple I missed.
So, I can only speak for my situation, I have two children, both in elementary school in wake forest. They are in year round, which I love (and they love), but we had the option of a traditional calendar, which we chose year round. Yes, there are difficulties with the school system, but there has been and still is a tremendous influx of people moving into wake county on a daily basis, thus creating the need for new schools.
If you live in holly springs, most likely your kids will go to school there. The new school board is pushing strongly for neighborhood schools, so that will further emphasize the fact that kids will not go to school 3 towns away. You also need to understand that if you live in holly springs, but you are closer to, let's say, fuquay varina, your kids may go to school in fuquay, but that is usually because you are closer to that school than the one in holly springs.
I am sure you can search for MANY posts about wcpss. I am very very happy with the school my daughters attend. The staff and administration are fantastic.
Thanks for the insight. Due to the growth, it seems Wake County schools are in over their heads. I'm from the Chicago area and already signficantly overpay for property and sales taxes but our schools are good (for the most part). Wake County taxes are cheap so that may be part of it. Is there anywhere in the area where growth hasn't exploded the school system?
Thanks for the insight. Due to the growth, it seems Wake County schools are in over their heads. I'm from the Chicago area and already signficantly overpay for property and sales taxes but our schools are good (for the most part). Wake County taxes are cheap so that may be part of it. Is there anywhere in the area where growth hasn't exploded the school system?
Well, there's the rub...it's people (such as you) moving here who cause the growth that is overcrowding the schools in the first place. So it's quite ironic to not want to be where there is growth, yet by coming here you would be part of the very growth that caused this. I think they call it the "shut the door behind me" line of thinking? Not intended to be jumping on you as you are far from the only person with this catch-22--some might say almost hypocritical--way of thinking.
Anyway, I agree that if I had kids and were moving to this area, I would be nervous about the situation in Wake county for awhile. The county is simply too big for one system to oversee it, but this is not likely tochange (and if it did change, there would be another whole set of problems. There used to BE separate systems for Raleigh and the county, but they merged and are not likely to separate). I am hearing a lot of people talk about Johnston County schools being very good (the town being Clayton, just SE of the Wake county line) and that's still not a bad commute from Raleigh if your job was there. Durham, Orange, and Chatham counties are other neighboring communities here--though this area is experiencing rampant growth everywhere, so they may soon be where Wake is with overcrowding issues. But Wake is something like the 18th-largest school system *in the country*, so its problems are magnifed, but with the growth not slowing down in the near future, this will be a perpetual issue.
Well, there's the rub...it's people (such as you) moving here who cause the growth that is overcrowding the schools in the first place. So it's quite ironic to not want to be where there is growth, yet by coming here you would be part of the very growth that caused this.
We are planning on re-locating from the NE and honestly Francois is right - you do have to sort of "get over it". One of the reasons we are leaving is the high taxes - and I am willing to deal with the WCPSS to alleviate that problem. I no longer believe that I am getting what I am paying for with my $12,000 a year in property taxes. Only YOU can decide if you feel the same way.
That said, my sister also re-located 2 years ago and has been very happy with the schools, and as a Wake County school teacher she sees both sides. She has been impressed with the way the schools educate the children and she's happy with the education her own kids are getting (middle and HS age).
It's simply a different way of doing things. You do have to get used to it. There's a tradeoff, but there's also a payoff, IMHO.
So it's quite ironic to not want to be where there is growth, yet by coming here you would be part of the very growth that caused this. I think they call it the "shut the door behind me" line of thinking? Not intended to be jumping on you as you are far from the only person with this catch-22--some might say almost hypocritical--way of thinking.
I remember giving my mom a light-hearted hard time for the same thing. We'd moved out of Philadelphia into a smaller community that my parents loved, and several years later my mother was grousing about all the "city people" moving in and building new houses, using resources, etc. I pointed out that we were those people and she probably wouldn't have enjoyed being the recipient of that kind of thinking from the original locals.
I can understand that it's hard when you find a place that is a great fit for you and then, because it's a great fit for others, you experience the area's growing pains.
cdapel, while Wake Co as a whole had much to offer, as a parent I would be concerned with what is going on with the school system. My personal opinion is that there is going to be much upheavel before the dust settles. One person recommend Johnston Co, which may be a good option, being not too far from Wake Co. I too have heard good things about Clayton, but really don't know much about the town or the schools. I can tell you more about Durham, Orange and Chapel Hill-Carrboro areas (including school systems), if you want to PM me. Just as an fyi, Durham Co, while much smaller than Wake, is a single school district county (years ago having merged city with county districts). Orange Co., on the other hand, has a separate school district from the city schools of Chapel Hill-Carrboro (CHCCS). You may find it similar to what you are accustomed (including in taxes!) but on a much smaller scale. Just PM me if you want more details. Good luck!
Well, there's the rub...it's people (such as you) moving here who cause the growth that is overcrowding the schools in the first place. So it's quite ironic to not want to be where there is growth, yet by coming here you would be part of the very growth that caused this. I think they call it the "shut the door behind me" line of thinking? Not intended to be jumping on you as you are far from the only person with this catch-22--some might say almost hypocritical--way of thinking.
Before you point the virtual finger, I have not moved yet. That's why I'm asking these questions! I live in the Chicago suburbs and have seen similar issues here. I am in the same county as the city and while our schools are fine, we are faced with many burdens the city has. Seems very similar to Wake county and I'm not sure I want to be in that same situation again.
Also, our far out suburbs have growth issues as well. I don't blame the people moving there, as it really depends on how the cities manage that growth. Some allow builders to expand too fast without proper planning. Roads are 10 - 15 years behind where they should be and one town voted to approve a new school but denied the next option to actually fund for teachers and supplies! Funny how those don't go together... Now their property taxes rival ours and they don't get as much for their tax dollar.
And for perspective, our sales tax is 11% and our property taxes are 3 to 4 times of the most expensive in Wake county. I am very interested in the triangle area but want to avoid some of the things I am leaving behind. Growth is a good thing but only if it's planned properly.
Thank you all for your comments. It's hard to really know what's going on unless you're in the middle of it. The media doesn't really tell the true story either.
I have 4 children. Three have graduated from Wake County Schools and one is in high school so I have some knowledge of what has gone on. We have lived in the area for over 35 years so I've seen the growth, which started back in the 70s and not just the 90, as some of the newcomers seem to think!
If you look back at Morrisville, there was NOTHING there for many years except the airport and the industrys. Now it is thriving with new n'hoods. With that many new families and that many students, the county has the task of assigning these students to schools. With the overcrowding, new schools must be built. Once a new school is built, students must go there. Parents don't like having their students moved. Students don't seem to care as long as the n'hood and their friends go along.
Then add in the diversity policy and more students have to be moved.
We live in North Raleigh. We haven't been moved from school to school. Some of us are happy with the school system but I can understand why some are not.
Vicki
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I think they call it the "shut the door behind me" line of thinking? Not intended to be jumping on you as you are far from the only person with this catch-22--some might say almost hypocritical--way of thinking.
