Education

The CMS school board meeting had a surprise ending Monday night. The board released a draft of guiding principles for student assignment. This is a big step that took more than a year of discussion to make. The draft includes continuing the policy of guaranteeing access to “home schools” and makes socioeconomic status a factor in magnet lotteries. 

More dogs are showing up on college campuses – and not just service dogs. Some students want to bring comfort pets to campus because they say they need them, and federal housing laws require colleges to make exceptions to their no-pet policies for these students.

Governor McCrory is proposing an average pay raise of 5 percent for teachers next year. The governor revealed a list of education budget priorities in a speech in his hometown of Jamestown Tuesday.

The CMS student assignment debate has generated a lot of discussion. School board meetings have been packed. Board members have also hosted forums in their own districts. We recently aired a discussion from one meeting in north Mecklenburg. Now we hear from a forum at West Charlotte High School.

A plan by state lawmakers to reroute lower-performing students otherwise bound for UNC schools through community college has garnered a lot of concern from university leaders. NC GAP is aimed at making it cheaper for students to get a college diploma. A recent report compiled by both systems found it would do that, but would also likely result in fewer students graduating with bachelor’s degrees.