Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is slowing down a planned overhaul of its magnet school offerings, saying it wants more input from families and the community before moving forward.
The district had planned to hold a public hearing on the proposal this past Tuesday, ahead of a May 26 vote by the school board. That hearing did not take place. In a message to families, CMS said it is taking additional time to collect public feedback, and opportunities to share feedback would be available “over the coming weeks.”
“We believe meaningful dialogue is essential to this process, and we want to ensure that every voice has the opportunity to be heard before decisions are made,” the message said.
Some residents raised concerns about the proposal during public comment at the May 12 school board meeting. Some had been concerned about changes to feeder patterns and transportation access. Others questioned a plan to combine the International Baccalaureate magnet program with the Learning Immersion/Talent Development programs.
Among those who spoke was Richard Maximov, a student at Levine Middle College, who opposed a plan to convert the district’s middle colleges into early colleges.
“All I ask is very simple: come to our schools for feedback, and instead of replacing us, learn from us,” Maximov said.
Last month, CMS board members expressed concern that district leaders did not collect demographic information at previous feedback sessions, making it difficult to identify gaps in engagement. CMS had held around two dozen community engagement sessions at all of the district’s high schools — each was open to anyone in the county.
Superintendent Crystal Hill has said the delay could push implementation of the magnet overhaul to the 2028-29 school year. The proposal would reduce the number of magnet themes offered by the district from 16 to six.
CMS said the goal is to streamline its magnet offerings, create clear K-12 pathways in each transportation zone and focus on quality over quantity.
