The Pinellas School Board’s insistence on a key last-minute change to its new student assignment plan may end up derailing the plan for another year, Superintendent Clayton Wilcox said today.

"There are just too many unanswered questions for us as an administrative team," Wilcox said at a hastily called news conference just minutes before the board’s regular meeting at 5 p.m.

The board asked for the change at an afternoon workshop, and it raised a number of new issues, the superintendent said.

The change that sparked the delay: Four board members, a majority, said that a certain percentage of students who live close to all magnet and fundamental schools should get priority over other students during the admissions process.

He said there was a "real likelihood" the plan would be delayed until the 2009-10 school year. It was to start next school year, with assignments being made starting in February.

Wilcox said he would ask the board tonight to schedule a meeting next Tuesday.

- Thomas C. Tobin, Times education reporter