Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is preparing to redraw attendance boundaries to accommodate two schools that will open in the 2028-29 school year.

This is my favorite time of year: when education reporters finally get our hands on state accountability data.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education on Tuesday celebrated academic growth reflected in the district’s latest state test results while also acknowledging persistent achievement gaps among student groups.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill says the investigation that led to her two-month paid leave found no evidence she violated school board policy, acted illegally or behaved unethically. It's the most detailed account yet of the events that led to her suspension.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill says an investigation into allegations involving misuse of federal funds, a hostile work environment and conflicts of interest found no violations of board policy or law.

Together, the UNC and Duke collections encompass about 1.7 million specimens of plants, fungi and other organic material. The collection will be the third-largest university herbarium in the U.S. and the largest in the Southeast.

Union County Public Schools led North Carolina in state exam proficiency for the second consecutive year, while Cabarrus and Gaston County schools also reported significant gains in student performance.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools saw gains across all 18 state testing categories, according to data the state released Wednesday.

Across the U.S., nearly 230,000 students were referred to law enforcement during the 2017-18 school year. Black students and students with mental and physical disabilities were referred at nearly twice their share of the overall student population. That’s what a Center for Public Integrity analysis of U.S. Department of Education data found. In North Carolina and South Carolina, law enforcement was also brought in at higher rates when it came to Black and disabled students.