Fairfield school officials are meeting with parents from McKinley Elementary School Wednesday to discuss a voluntary racial balancing plan that was approved by the school board.

The percentage of minority students at McKinley is higher than at other elementary schools in the district. The state recently ordered the Fairfield Board of Education to balance the number of minority students in the school. The plan, approved Tuesday, calls for parents to voluntarily withdraw their children from McKinley in favor of placing them in other schools.

Officials hope the meeting will give them a better idea of how many parents are willing to take part in the program. In order to meet state requirements, the school district needs to take about 16 minority students out of McKinley and replace them with 16 majority students.

While some parents are interested in learning more about the plan, some say they don?t believe enough parents will pull their children out of the school. The school recently upgraded its facilities, and some say that is a draw for students to remain at McKinley.

If more parents participate than the district needs, students will be put into a lottery. Every student, no matter what race they are, is eligible to take part in the plan.

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