To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — Wake County School administrators are stressing the need for magnet schools to promote diversity.

The new proposal comes after Superintendent Tony Tata revealed to the Board of Education Tuesday that a trial of the newly introduced student assignment plan showed parents want their kids in neighborhood schools.

Tata welcomed teachers from a handful of schools before the new year begins Wednesday morning. It is a day after he revealed new information about the student assignment plan.

Among the crowd was Dana King, the principal of Millbrook High School. At the school, 15 percent of the student population applied to attend for the magnet program.

"I suspect that number will grow each year until there is a certain percentage,” said King.

It could change if the school board approves the Choice Assignment Plan Tata proposed. The magnet program could see changes to keep some of them from turning into high-poverty schools, specifically in Southeast Raleigh.

King's school is not in Southeast Raleigh but understands the changes could affect all magnet schools.

"I think we're just seeing publicly how complicated this process really is,” said King.

Under the new choice based plan, Wake County administrators would divide magnet schools into different categories with different percentages of application students versus students who call that magnet their home base. Schools could have anywhere from 10 percent to 45 percent application students.

Administrators want to keep enough magnet seats at downtown or Southeast Raleigh schools to appeal to students looking for specialty curriculum. they hope some lower income urban students will choose to go to what the county calls high achieving schools.

"It helps prevent the extension of high poverty schools. It helps use resources in the best possible way across this vast county,” said Tata.

Wake County administrators say they plan to have the school board vote on the final assignment plan for the 2012-2013 school year by October. Tata will host public hearings beginning in October.