The bulk of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ plans to overhaul its magnet programs, reducing the number from 16 to six, became official Tuesday.
The CMS school board voted Tuesday at its regular meeting to approve plans for the magnet shuffle. CMS currently has 16 magnet programs across 71 of the district’s total 184 schools, and approximately 20,000 students apply for program choice in the district each year. The proposed new model, which would go into effect during the 2027-28 school year, would reduce the school system’s offerings to six main pathways, with multiple campuses in different parts of town offering different choice programs.
“School choice often creates competition for limited seats, uneven enrollment, transportation challenges and resource limitations,” CMS Deputy Superintendent Melissa Balknight told the CMS board in February when she first presented the proposal. “This approach ensures families are choosing what students learn, rather than what school they can access, while preserving neighborhood connections and promoting equity.”…