Wake County School Board Approves 2025-26 Enrollment Plan with Significant Impacts for Holly Springs
Residents of Holly Springs will experience notable changes as part of these adjustments.
The Wake County Board of Education approved the 2025-26 enrollment plan during its November 26, 2024, meeting. The plan includes opening four new schools and adjusting attendance zones, aiming to address overcrowding, enhance stability, and improve operational efficiency. Residents of Holly Springs will experience notable changes as part of these adjustments.
Key Components of the Enrollment Plan
New Schools:
Pleasant Plains Elementary: Located in southwestern Wake County, this school is designed to alleviate overcrowding at Buckhorn Creek and Holly Grove elementary schools. Operating on a multi-track year-round calendar, it offers approximately 924 seats—200 more than a traditional calendar would allow.
Rex Road Elementary and Bowling Road Elementary: Both schools will address local capacity needs and provide options for families in high-growth areas.
Felton Grove High School: The new high school will redistribute student populations to balance the district's enrollment.
Relief for Holly Springs Schools:
Holly Grove Elementary, currently over capacity and capped, will be relieved by new zones directing some students to Pleasant Plains Elementary.
The opening of Rex Road Elementary will provide cascading benefits, easing capacity issues at neighboring schools like Buckhorn Creek.
Stability and Calendar Continuity:
Stability transfer policies have been expanded. Families of rising 4th and 5th graders can opt to remain at their current schools and bring younger siblings, offering families greater flexibility.
Efforts are being made to align calendars between elementary and middle schools, particularly for families in year-round programs.
Community Engagement:
The planning process included multiple rounds of public feedback through meetings, surveys, and digital platforms. However, concerns persist about transparency and responsiveness to community input.
Community Reactions in Holly Springs
The changes have drawn mixed reactions. Many families appreciate the district's efforts to address overcrowding, especially at schools like Holly Grove Elementary. However, concerns were raised about frequent reassignments for some neighborhoods, particularly those impacted by changes to Apex Friendship Elementary.
During public comment sessions, parents from affected areas, such as the Woodbury and Jordan Point communities, voiced apprehensions about increased travel distances and disruptions to students' routines. District officials emphasized that these assignments provide long-term stability and prevent further reassignments in the coming years.
Next Steps
Families impacted by the new plan will receive notifications with detailed information on their options, including stability transfers and school choice applications. The district has committed to ongoing communication and support during the transition.
This plan represents the district's balancing act between accommodating growth, maintaining family stability, and using resources efficiently. For Holly Springs residents, the changes bring opportunities and challenges as they navigate the evolving educational landscape.