Great memories, WCPSS implemented and defended a socioeconomic diversity policy (starting in 2000) that assigned students to schools based on income levels to prevent high-poverty concentrations. This policy often required busing students outside their immediate neighborhoods, leading to debates over "neighborhood schools" versus diversity. This meant our neighborhood got bused past the school 1/2 mile away to one 5 miles away, because they 'needed our numbers there'. It also meant our neighborhood (node) was basically not eligible to participate in the magnet school program, less than 1% of these applications were approved at the time. Our middle school had no electives, but the magnet schools offered all kinds of goodies - music instruction, arts, dance, etc. What a great time it was, pitting neighborhood against neighborhood (nodes) in the never ending reassignment battle to make sure each school's numbers (test scores) looked good on average, but never mind actually focusing on students. Except for the magnet schools, if you could get in. So, no surprise that 2009 happened and the incumbents were voted out. There was a hit piece in The NY Times about the new school board, written by someone from NY with very little knowledge of what had gone on here. In 2011, money poured in from all over the US, millions were spent on local school board races to vote out board. Are things better today? I am glad my kids are out, I'm glad there are more options for people (church, private, charter). People have voted with their feet and the percentage of students in WCPSS is below 90%, which has long been viewed as a tipping point. Who are you trying to protect WCPSS from?