Latest news with #CrystalHill
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Charlotte Mecklenburg School Board to vote on superintendent's budget
The Charlotte Mecklenburg School Board will vote on the superintendent's budget on Tuesday. Some school advocates and educators said it doesn't give enough money to teachers, according to the Charlotte Observer. Advocates said they want to see a 10% increase. However, Dr. Crystal Hill's budget only includes 8% more for teacher salaries. ALSO READ: This is all contingent on a 3% state salary increase, with both the county and state projecting budget shortfalls. At the state level, House Bill 192 calls for an average educator salary increase of 22% over two years. However, that is stuck in committee. Governor Josh Stein's budget proposal lists an increase of 10.6% over the same time period. VIDEO: CMS $1.95B operating budget aims to increase teacher pay, improve literacy
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CMS parents to weigh in on proposed budget
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Charlotte-Mecklenburg School leaders will hold two public engagement sessions Wednesday about the for the 2025-2026 school year. District officials will hold a at 1 p.m. An in-person session is set for 6 p.m. at J.M. Alexander Middle School on Tuesday evening. The funding package would provide raises for teachers, approximately $8 million for an average of a 5% increase. It also includes a 3% increase assumption for all staff based on indications from state lawmakers. Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill said it would be a 'tight' budget cycle but would focus on maintaining the quality of education, according to an open letter signed by Hill and Board of Education Chair Stephanie Sneed. 'We have reduced or eliminated funding for programs and expenses that have less direct impact on student outcomes or district goals to free up resources for initiatives with stronger alignment and measurable results. Additionally, we are closely monitoring news about potential federal funding cuts, which pose significant risks to vital programs that directly support CMS students and staff,' they wrote. The proposed budget for FY2026 is a roughly 1% increase from the current operating budget. CMS board passes budget that increases teacher pay, invests in facilities The main sources of funding would come from Mecklenburg County (34%), the state (55%) and federal funding (6%). Sneed and other board members reached out to local U.S. Representatives to express concern over outlined in the Continuing Resolution the House of Representatives passed. The upcoming year will be the first since 2020 without pandemic-related relief funds for schools. The CMS Board of Education will vote on the budget on April 22. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CMS $1.95B budget aims to increase teacher pay, improve literacy
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill has proposed a new budget that aims to raise the minimum teacher salary to $50,000, but it comes at the cost of not filling 40 positions. The proposed budget for the next school year amounts to $1.95 billion, which is less than a percent increase from last year's budget. It prioritizes improving literacy, math performance, and post-graduation readiness while ensuring fiscal responsibility. 'While this budget is certainly tight, I believe that this recommendation reflects a balanced approach,' said Superintendent Crystal Hill. The budget proposal assumes a 3% increase in state-funded salaries, and CMS is closely monitoring state legislative actions. House Bill 192 suggests a 22% salary increase over two years, while Governor Stein's budget proposal includes a 10.6% increase. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Teacher says subs are getting overlooked in proposed CMS budget Kelly Kluttz, CMS Chief Financial Officer, noted that both state proposals would raise the minimum state teacher salary to $50,000, which would enhance recruitment and retention efforts. To manage costs, CMS plans to save $3.4 million by not filling 40 positions and an additional $3.8 million by repurposing central office resources. These savings will help enhance pay for assistant principals, specialists, and the professional development platform. Beth Thompson, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, stated, 'We've taken those dollars and are contributing it toward other things in the district.' Superintendent Hill emphasized that the goal is to maintain the student experience without impacting the workforce, stating, 'So any cut that we've made, students will not feel it, families will not feel it.' The CMS Board of Education will hold a public hearing on the recommended budget on April 8th, with a vote scheduled for April 22nd. The proposed budget aims to balance fiscal responsibility with the district's educational goals. VIDEO: Teacher says subs are getting overlooked in proposed CMS budget
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Yahoo
Charlotte-Mecklenburg School leaders update communication protocols following recent school threats
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — School leaders are sharing an update on improvements to their communication protocols following recent threats made toward schools last month. Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Dr. Crystal Hill, along with other executive staff, posted a video on YouTube on Monday, detailing the steps school leaders have taken to assure better internal and external reporting of threats. On Feb. 24, in a video posted to YouTube, Dr. Hill addressed recent concerns following threats of mass violence made against several Charlotte-area schools. Parents were notified days after a man allegedly threatened to kill people on multiple CMS campuses. In the past two weeks, CMS reported several fights and multiple weapons were found on CMS campuses across the Charlotte area. Following these incidents, a team of safety and communication leaders reviewed the current protocol to determine where they could add new and improved practices. Last week, the team presented their findings before the executive staff, including all building and central office leaders. Starting Monday, March 10, the enhanced communication protocols will go into effect for all schools. Chief Communications Officer Dr. Shanna Spickard says parents will notice an increase in the number of notifications keeping them informed but notes that due to privacy laws and the integrity of investigations, there are times that the schools are limited in what information they can share. Chief Operating Officer Tim Ivey says that from the 21-22 to the 23-24 school year, the district has seen a 7.7 percent reduction in the total number of criminal acts as well as an 8.3% decrease in acts of crime per 1,000 students, according to the NCDPI. The school district reports a 49 percent decrease in possessions of weapons other than firearms and a 69 percent reduction in firearms (from 29 to 9) in the 23-24 school year. On top of ensuring better safety practices within the schools, school leaders are emphasizing the need for families to work with schools, saying, 'School safety is truly a shared responsibility.' 'We need a strong partnership with our families to reinforce behavior expectations at home and to help address issues before they come to school,' Deputy Superintendent Dr. Melissa Balknight said. 'Whether you're a student, a parent, a staff member or community member, we all play a role in creating a safe environment where students can thrive.' Dr. Balknight encourages families to talk to their children about the importance of thinking before they act and understanding that a 'harmless joke' can have serious and lasting consequences. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Math performance has improved for CMS students since pandemic; reading, absenteeism worsened: Report
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Data from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools was included in the latest Education Recovery Scoreboard that demonstrates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning in North Carolina. The report was released Tuesday by the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University and The Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University. Check out the top performing schools in your North Carolina district in 2023-24 According to the report, CMS students demonstrated measurable progress in math recovery between 2022 and 2024, narrowing the gap created by the pandemic. However, reading scores, mirroring national and state trends, continued to decline. CMS officials say this finding reinforces the urgent need for sustained intervention and strategic work around literacy. Key findings from the report include: Math Recovery: CMS students saw an improvement of 0.26 grade equivalents in math from 2022 to 2024, demonstrating efforts to close the learning gap. However, scores remain 0.90 grade equivalents below 2019, pre-pandemic levels. Reading Challenges: Reading performance declined by 0.18 grade equivalents from 2022 to 2024, bringing the total decline since 2019 to 0.89 grade equivalents. Chronic Absenteeism: Student absenteeism has increased significantly since 2019, reflecting a broader challenge that must be addressed alongside academic recovery. CMS Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill addressed how the district is taking action based on the report. 'The pandemic's impact on education is undeniable, but our focus remains on providing targeted interventions to support student growth,' she said. 'Although we have made strides in math, we recognize the continued need to invest in literacy initiatives and combat chronic absenteeism. We cannot do this work alone, so we are calling on community leaders, policymakers, and families to work alongside us in ensuring every child has the resources to succeed.' To accelerate student recovery, CMS has implemented the following initiatives: High-Impact Tutoring Programs targeting students who need additional support in reading and math Extended Learning Opportunities such as summer enrichment programs and after-school academic interventions. Community Partnerships to reduce chronic absenteeism through mentorship and engagement efforts. The Education Recovery Scorecard is in its third year of reporting on the pace of academic recovery in district's nationwide following the global pandemic which began in 2020. Data was collected from 43 states. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
