Why does the budget proposal increase spending for magnet schools?
Wake County Schools’ largest area of reduction in federal funds is the Magnet Grant. We received $3.4 million in Magnet Assistance funding in 2000-2001. This grant is about to end. One million dollars of costs for employees previously employed through this grant have been shifted to the local base budget. We have applied for a new Magnet grant called “Gateways”, but we do not yet know if our grant application will be successful. Funds have been built into the expansion budget to begin these programs if the new grant is not approved. If it is approved, $693,332 can be budgeted for other purposes. Wake’s Magnet schools benefit our entire system. The magnet schools fill seats on older campuses in downtown Raleigh – schools that would probably be closed if only a neighborhood were assigned to attend there. By using these older schools, the magnet program saves millions in construction costs. Traditional schools are less crowded because of the students who opt to attend magnet schools. Magn
