Wake County School Board Discusses Draft 2026–27 Enrollment Plan: New Schools, Shifts, and Parent Input
Draft enrollment plan adds Hilltop Needmore Elementary, adjusts Apex feeder patterns, and offers stability transfers, with families invited to give input before November decision.
Holly Springs, NC, Sep. 3, 2025 — The Wake County Board of Education received and discussed the initial draft of the 2026–27 school enrollment plan (website link, document) during its board work session held yesterday. The plan, prepared by the Office of Student Assignment, reflects updated forecasts, community feedback, and a focus on striking a balance between growth, stability, and efficiency.
District staff emphasized that the draft builds on years of rising enrollment and sharper crowding forecasts. The plan looks to relieve pressure in growth corridors such as Fuquay-Varina and western Wake, while aligning feeder patterns and calendars. Superintendent Taylor and board members heard that the work is rooted in the district’s strategic plan goals for family engagement and operational effectiveness.
“What we hope you’ll find today is that as we walk through the recommendations that are included in this initial draft of the 2026-27 enrollment plan, you can hear me underscore for you that the recommendations are going to reflect both the data that we carefully evaluated and the feedback that we’ve collected from our families and community members,”said Susan Pulliam, Director of Student Assignment
Note: Parents and families can use the newly launched enrollment proposal website (link) to explore maps and look up proposed assignments based on addresses.
Local Impacts in Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, and Apex
1. Hilltop Needmore Elementary (Fuquay-Varina)
The new elementary school is the major driver of reassignment in southern Wake.
It will open on a Track 4 year-round schedule in 2026–27, with the ability to expand to multi-track if enrollment demands it.
The new base area will draw students from Banks Road, Ballentine, West Lake, Middle Creek, Oak Grove, and Vance Elementary Schools.
Middle Creek ES currently operates with 13 classroom trailers, highlighting the urgency for relief.
2. Middle Creek and West Lake (Fuquay-Varina/Holly Springs area)
West Lake Middle will receive some reassigned students to align calendars and feeder patterns.
Middle Creek High School will take students reassigned from the overcrowded “Little Spring” High, strengthening a K–12 feeder pattern anchored by Hilltop Needmore ES and West Lake Middle.
3. Oak Grove & Vance Elementary (Fuquay-Varina)
Portions of Oak Grove and Vance ES will be reassigned to Hilltop Needmore, both to relieve crowding and to balance long-term growth.
4. Apex Area Adjustments
The draft includes follow-up on changes from 2025–26 that affect families previously moved into Botham Elementary (from Olive Chapel or Salem).
These students will now feed into Apex Middle, creating a traditional-to-traditional K–8 calendar alignment.
At the high school level, Apex High will serve as the feeder, providing better continuity with Apex Middle and Botham Elementary. Staff said this also helps balance growth between Apex Friendship and Felton Grove High.
Stability Rules for Families
Acknowledging parent concerns, staff recommended expanded stability transfer rules. Families with rising 4th and 5th graders, plus their siblings, could stay at their current schools during transition years—though without transportation. Similar rules would apply at the middle and high school levels.
Staff underscored that these transfers must be requested during a November–December stability window, giving families time to decide whether to remain in place or move with their new base assignment.
Renovations and Timing
The plan also accounts for recent campus renovations. For example, Swift Creek Elementary’s expansion will be allowed to “settle” for a year before any attendance area changes are proposed. Similar delays will follow for Fuquay-Varina Elementary. Staff said this approach gives communities time to adjust before new assignments are considered.
Parent and Family Feedback
Community engagement was a central theme. Nearly 1,100 participants joined the most recent ThoughtExchange, contributing over 18,000 ratings. Parents emphasized:
Proximity to home.
A strong sense of school community.
Stability in assignments.
These themes align with the board’s guiding policy pillars—student achievement, proximity, stability, and operational efficiency.
“We’ve learned from our families—just do it all at once. Don’t chip away at it. Let’s get this done.” (Susan Pulliam, Director of Student Assignment.)
Get Involved And Be Heard
WCPSS encourages parents and families to provide feedback, which can also be provided to the board and the Office of Student Assignment by using an online form found here.
Additionally, WCPSS has scheduled three virtual information sessions to answer questions families may have.
Sep. 9th from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: Hilltop Needmore Elementary and other related proposed changes. (Attend virtually)
Sep. 11th from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: Apex area proposed changes. (Attend virtually)
Sep. 17th from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: Eastern area proposed changes and a general overview. (Attend virtually)
WCPSS will also host an open house for families affected by the plan to learn more about their new school(s), as well as other resources available to them and their students.
Sep. 24th from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: In-person open house at Hilltop Needmore Elementary, to meet staff at your new school and learn more about our district's resources for families and students.
Other important dates for parents and families:
October 21, 2025 – Board public hearing and review of revisions.
November 18, 2025 – Final Board vote on the 2026–27 plan.
Throughout the presentation, district staff stressed that the recommendations presented are part of an initial draft, not the final plan. Families still have opportunities to weigh in before the Board makes its final decision in November.
Related Source Documents: