CMS delays moving dozens of students ahead of 1st day

CHARLOTTE — Thousands of students in Mecklenburg County could be sent to new schools next school year.

In addition, another group could be moved before the start of this year.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board members on Tuesday night delayed deciding a significant upheaval for the district’s English language learners.

It impacts the Personalized Academic Command of English Academy (PACE), which is currently housed at E.E. Waddell High School in southwest Charlotte.

The superintendent was recommending that it be moved to Garinger High School in east Charlotte.

After questions of concern from some school board members about the timing of such a move, the board voted to postpone making a move until school board members can get more information.

The 89-student PACE Academy, launched last school year, offers a traditional public school setting for ninth and 10th graders who have been in the U.S. for less than two years and have low English proficiency while they learn English.

By moving PACE, district officials said it will be a better use of district resources while also giving students a more comprehensive high school experience, such as athletics and clubs.

CMS officials are also recommending major student assignment changes for 2025-2026 school year.

District leaders got their first look Tuesday night at a massive reassignment plan, which could potentially impact more than 6,500 students.

The plan would be implemented in three phases and Phase 1, if approved, would begin in September.

“Phase 1 actualizes action that the board has already taken with the 2023 bond,” said Superintendent Crystal Hill.

The comprehensive plan involves the historic and highly regarded Dorothy J. Vaughan Academy of Technology in University City.

“I think it might be difficult for families to understand the transition, but if you walk around the building, it’s not a good building space,” said Hill.

Dorothy J. Vaughan, as a school, would no longer exist, Hill said.

The students who attend the academy and STEM program would merge into Parkside Elementary in north Charlotte.

“You’re still going to get this great, same great programming,” Hill said. “Everything is the same. It’s just going to be in a nicer facility.”

The district would also create its first K-12 creative arts pipeline.

University Park would become a full-choice elementary feeding into First Ward Creative Arts, which would be shifted to grades 6-8, and then feeding into Northwest School of the Arts.

Northwest would change from grades 6-12 to grades 9-12.

Students who opt out of the arts program would attend their newly assigned home school Bruns Avenue Elementary, which is opening a new facility this year.

“We’re not making this change and now parents are handcuffed,” said Hill. “They actually have a lot of options.”

CMS Deputy Superintendent Melissa Balknight said getting the information out now is crucial.

“We need to make sure that we’re complete so that as families are doing the lottery this fall, they’re informed about the changes,” Balknight said. There would be big changes for the Montessori Program at JT Williams and the IB World Program at Marie G. Davis K-8 as part of the comprehensive plan.

The district will hold community engagement meetings on this comprehensive plan on Aug. 22 and there will be a public hearing on Aug. 27 before the board votes in mid-September.

The district said Davidson K-8 will become a K-5 school.

Grades 6-8 will go to Bailey Middle School.

Also, they’re expanding the middle college program to an early college program, which opens it up for students from grades 9-12.

Students must enter in the ninth grade to complete the program.

Current 11th and 12th graders in middle college will be grandfathered in.

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