James Farrell
Education ReporterJames Farrell is WFAE's education reporter. Farrell has served as a reporter for several print publications in Buffalo, N.Y., and weekend anchor at WBFO Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Most recently he has served as a breaking news reporter for Forbes.
Farrell has an undergraduate degree from Boston College and a master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of Journalism.
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A week into the new school year, CMS has a staffing rate that officials say is the best the district has seen at this point in years. -
CMS officials say there were no major hiccups — at least not beyond what would be expected. -
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has signed a new contract with an education consulting firm whose $500,000 contract with the district prompted questions from some school board members last year. -
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools says it plans to create a more comprehensive, districtwide approach to intervening when students are chronically absent. -
A new report shows Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools saw improvement in its early literacy scores last school year — but not enough for the district to meet the targets set by its Board of Education. -
The Republican tax and spending bill didn’t spell out any major changes to national school lunch programs. But changes to SNAP benefits and Medicaid could still affect access to free school lunches. -
The 2025-26 school year at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools began on Monday, Aug. 25. -
We are quickly approaching the first day of school on Aug. 25, unless you are one of the scofflaw school districts that’ve started classes already with nary a care for North Carolina’s calendar laws.This past week’s Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board meeting was marked by tensions around immigration enforcement, which is sure to be a continued issue throughout the year as educators and immigrant advocates alike continue to monitor for ICE activities at and near schools, now possible, after the Trump administration lifted guidance that once considered schools protected from enforcement. More on that shortly. -
Teachers in Union County are getting ready to welcome students back to class on Monday. -
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is adopting a new safety protocol from a national foundation ahead of the new school year, which starts on Monday. The “I Love U Guys” protocol is used by schools across the country.
