WCPSS presenter outlines Eastern Wake enrollment growth, new schools and limits on transportation

Susan Pulliam, presenter with the Office of Student Assignment, told residents that growth in Wake County is increasingly concentrated in the eastern portion of the district and that staff are updating attendance plans to respond.

Pulliam said the district’s annual forecasts provide both one- and 10-year outlooks and that the latest update shows continued growth concentrated in Eastern Wake but at a somewhat slower pace than prior projections. “We’re still a growing district, and much of it is coming to this part of the county,” Pulliam said, and staff are using that data to time new school openings and renovations.

Why it matters: concentrated growth changes where students are assigned and can require new schools, temporary classrooms and staff shifts. Pulliam outlined near-term capacity moves — multitrack scheduling at one elementary school and temporary modular classrooms at others — and longer-term capital projects that add permanent seats.

Details from the presentation: Pulliam said Lake Myra Elementary will operate all four tracks on a multitrack, year-round calendar beginning in 2026–27 to provide additional seats in the area. She also identified Marshburn Road Elementary and Little Creek Elementary as two planned new elementary schools in the region: Marshburn Road will serve as swing space during Wendell Elementary’s renovation and is scheduled to open with its own attendance boundary in 2031–32; Little Creek is planned to open in 2032–33. Major renovation projects cited included Lockhart Elementary, a full renovation of East Wake High School and phased work at Zebulon Middle once East Wake’s project allows swing space.

Capacity and student assignment rules: Pulliam reviewed board policy 4150’s four pillars — student achievement, stability, proximity and operational efficiency — which staff balance when drawing boundaries. She also explained the district’s current stability-transfer practice: transfers for students rising into grades 5, 8 or 12 can be approved with minimal board action, but these stability transfers are “all without district transportation,” Pulliam said, warning families that bus service will no longer be provided to the previously assigned school.

Transportation and staffing constraints: Several attendees asked whether the district can add an express bus stop to serve Broughton High School from Wendell. Staff advised that bus routing is the transportation department’s responsibility and that driver shortages constrain adding new routes, though they will forward the request to transportation and the magnet team for consideration. Eric (the session host) clarified that the district is not partnered with NCDOT for local school routing questions.

Long-range outlook: Pulliam noted earlier forecasts had projected larger districtwide growth — at times as high as an estimated 175,000–180,000 students by 2035–36 under prior trends — but said new data point to a more gradual rate of growth. She said the district will continue updating forecasts annually and use them to inform the capital improvement schedule and assignment plans.

What’s next: Staff urged families to post questions and feedback through the ThoughtExchange (open through April 30) and said a summary of community input will be presented to the board during a June work session. Community members were told to check the assignment planning webpage for the FAQ, updated timelines and project charts.