Education

Two CMS schools are now operating monthly food banks to help feed students and their families. Shamrock Gardens and Albemarle Road elementary schools received a grant from Target for new libraries and books. That also included a monthly drop-off of food from the Second Harvest Food Bank. Both schools have high numbers of kids from needy families.

UNC Charlotte and the Charlotte School of Law will soon offer a joint law-business degree. The new program will allow students to earn both a JD and a Master of Business Administration in eight semesters. Pursued separately, those degrees would take an extra two semesters beyond that. Denise Spriggs is the Charlotte School of Law's interim dean. She says many law students have requested the program because it gives them more flexibility in their careers. "People in business recognize the value of having someone with legal expertise on their staff," says Spriggs. "It's kind of getting a two-for-one. I'm getting a lawyer, someone who has that background, but who also has the business skills that I need." Students will have to apply separately to each school. The joint-degree program will launch in the fall of next year.

Public school children in South Carolina are caught in the middle of the high-profile debate over stimulus funding. Gov. Mark Sanford plans to reject money the school system says could save 700 jobs. 

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Peter Gorman says teachers calling for administrative layoffs have their facts wrong. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Association of Educators yesterday organized a protest of teacher layoffs and called for "pruning the top" instead. 

(1/19/06) The charter school lobby group, North Carolina Students for Equitable Lottery Funding held concurrent news conferences yesterday seeking a piece of the state's lottery revenues. WFAE's Simone Orendain spoke with Todd Havican who's a member of the executive committee of NC SELF.

(1/12/06) The task force on improving Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools concluded its first round of public forum meetings Wednesday night in Matthews - where a year ago, the community was calling for deconsolidating the system.

(10/28/05) Mecklenburg County voters will decide on November 8 whether to approve a $427 million school bond package. County voters have rejected just two bond referenda since 1966. But this is one of the larger amounts in recent years that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Scools is requesting. WFAE's Simone Orendain explores what's at stake for those who support it and those who oppose it.