Three local community meetings to focus on education

Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina, a nonprofit group that says it supports parental school choice, is holding a public town hall forum to talk about the political realities for making that happen in North Carolina.

The forum is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the North Raleigh Hilton, 3415 Wake Forest Road in Raleigh.

Several state leaders, including Rep. Paul Stam, R-Wake, Rep. Marilyn Avila, R-Wake, Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, and Sen. Malcolm Graham, D-Mecklenburg, are expected to participate in the discussion, the group says.

Also, happening at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh, 3313 Wade Ave. in Raleigh, is the annual meeting of WakeUP Wake County, a nonpartisan group of business leaders, educators, and citizens concerned about the future of Wake County.

The group says local officials will talk about what to expect in 2011 at the General Assembly, Wake County Board of Commissioners and the Wake County Board of Education.

Scheduled speakers include Sen. Neal Hunt, R-Wake, Rep. Jennifer Weiss, D-Wake and County Commissioner Joe Bryan.

Finally, at 6 p.m. at Cary High School, 638 Walnut St. in Cary, the Wake County school board will hold the last of four public hearings on proposed changes to the district’s 2011-12 reassignment plan, which could affect the placement of more than 4,700 students.