New enrollment plan in the works for Wake schools

District officials estimate more than 3,200 new students will enroll each year within the next few years. To help accommodate, five new schools will open in 2016.

The updated plan will, among other things, focus on proximity, stability and efficiency.

"And one of the things we are working on this year, that we did not have last year is a better predictor model that will look at current student and parent behavior and choice," said Michael Miller, director of the Institute for Transportation Research and Education at North Carolina State University.

The plan comes as the district recently approved its $1.4 billion budget, which includes a request for $34.6 million more in funding from county commissioners.

While the budget gives the school system its largest one year increase – more than 10 percent over the previous year – it is $13 million short of what the district asked for.

School board members put the blame on state lawmakers.

"I think we are fortunate to live in a county that has the where withal to provide more than our state is willing to provide over the last couple of years,” board member Tom Benton said.