WS/FCS will use federal grant to update attendance zones and foster diverse schools

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools was one of two North Carolina districts to receive a federal grant intended to foster more diverse schools. 

The two-year planning grant is for a total of $943,688. Those funds will support Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in creating a comprehensive plan to modernize school choice and residential zones. 

WS/FCS Chief Officer of Equity and Access Effie McMillian said the project is rooted in long-running community conversations about school integration. 

“We know, and many who've lived in this community for a very, very long time, know that our pupil assignment plan, student zones, and all of that has not really been addressed in any significant way in about 30 plus years," McMillian said during a school board meeting last week. 

She said the project will involve analysis around historical trends in student enrollment, the socioeconomic status composition in each residential zone, and magnet and choice participation. Staff will also look at housing patterns and transportation efficiency under the district’s current plan. 

Then, McMillian said the goal is to engage with at least 5,000 people to talk about their options.

“And so at the end, what we plan to deliver to our stakeholders across the community are vetted models for modernizing our attendance zones," she said. "There will be opportunities for lots of maps to be designed and the community to look at those maps and have some engaging conversation and work around that.”

McMillian says at the end of the two-year planning process, it will ultimately be up to the school board to consider implementing the new models. 

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.