September 24, 2024 Board Vote Results

On September 24, 2024, the Board of Education voted to approve Phase 1 of the Comprehensive Review. Our school will be impacted by the plan outlined in Project #1: Creative Arts Expansion. Project #1 addresses the February 2023, Board Approved Capital Improvement Plan and the Successfully passed November 2023 Bond Referendum. The following recommendations will be implemented beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

University Park Creative Arts (UPCA) will become a full choice elementary arts magnet program serving students in grades K - 5. Students currently attending UPCA will be given the opportunity to remain through the lottery process. Our staff will work with families in this process.

PROJECT 1: 

• First Ward Creative Arts will become a full-choice arts middle school serving students in grades 6 - 8. 
  • Current 6th - 7th grade students attending Northwest School of the Arts will attend First Ward Creative Arts Middle School.
  • Rising 6th grade students will be accepted through the lottery process to attend First Ward Creative Arts Middle School.

•  Northwest School of the Arts will become a full choice high school arts magnet program serving students in grades 9 - 12. 
  • Current 8th grade students will remain at Northwest School of the Arts next year as freshmen
  • University Park Creative Arts and First Ward Creative Arts newly assigned neighborhood attendance boundary will be adjusted to Bruns Avenue Elementary School. Students will be able to participate in the STEM program at Bruns Elementary.

PROJECT 2:

The Board of Education voted to approve Phase 1 of the Comprehensive Review. As you are aware, your school is impacted by the plan outlined in Project #2: The Montessori Program Expansion. Project #2 addresses the February 2023, Board Approved Capital Improvement Plan and the Successfully passed November 2023 Bond Referendum.

The goal of this project is to move the existing secondary Montessori program at JT Williams to the existing Marie G. Davis facility. As you know, this will require a new assignment for students in grades K-8. Students who live within the ⅓ mile radius will be able to opt-in to the secondary Montessori program or attend their homeschool assignment. Policy S-ASGP/E1 states: The proximity area priority is applied to students living in the geographic area within 1/3 mile of a full school magnet.

The Board decisions for Project #2 are as follows:

• The Montessori program currently located at J.T. Williams Secondary Montessori will relocate to the Marie G. Davis facility at the time the Bond-funded school located on Park Rd. is opened, which is scheduled for 2026-2027. Current J.T. Williams Secondary Montessori students will remain at their current site for the 2025-2026 school year.
• There was no vote regarding the reassignment of students who are currently assigned to Marie G. Davis. With the adjusted timeline for J.T. Williams, there are other considerations that will be examined in future phases of the comprehensive review. 

PROJECT 3A

The Board of Education voted to approve Phase 1 of the Comprehensive Review. As you are aware, your school was included within the planning process for Project #3: Improved School Buildings & Facilities Utilization. Project 3 addresses school building conditions and facilities utilization.

Within Project 3, Project #3a addressed the February 2023, Board Approved Capital Improvement Plan and successfully passed the November 2023 Bond Referendum.

Davidson K-8 was originally designed as a K-5 school. With the rapid growth in the Davidson area, work was done at Davidson  to accommodate students in grades K-8. Currently, Davidson K-8 is over capacity and does not have any additional classroom space. In 2016, the General Assembly mandated class size restrictions which require more classroom space to serve students in grades K-3 than it does to serve students in grades 4-12. Aligned to these class size restrictions and the current overcrowding at Davidson K-8, the Board of Education approved the following recommendations effective for the 2024-2025 school year:

• Davidson K-8 will become a K-5 school beginning in the 2025-26 school year. 
• Students who would be assigned to Davidson for grades 6-8 will assigned to Bailey Middle beginning in the 2025-26 school year. 

PROJECT 3B

Project 3 addresses school building conditions and facilities utilization. The recommendation for Project #3b presented on August 13th remained the same and was approved last night by the Board of Education. Effective for the 2025-2026 school year:

• Dorothy J. Vaughan Academy of Technology and Parkside Elementary will become one attendance boundary.
• All students will attend school in the current Parkside facility.
• Once combined, all students (Dorothy J. Vaughan Academy and Parkside Elementary students) will receive STEM education.

While this project was recommended due to the condition of the building, we heard feedback from the community regarding the name “Dorothy J. Vaughan” and the STEM program. Dorothy J. Vaughan has a strong STEM program and the school has performed well. The relocation of Dorothy J. Vaughan to combine with Parkside, does not negatively impact the STEM program. By moving Dorothy J. Vaughan, the following will occur:

• All students attending school (combined Dorthy J. Vaughan and Parkside) will receive a high level STEM education with access to all the clubs, materials, and hands-on, experiential STEM program resources  that are currently being provided at Dorothy J. Vaughan. 
• The new school will allow neighborhood students and magnet students to receive the high quality education they deserve.

As a reminder, these changes will go into effect at the start of next school year, 2025-2026. We are committed to keeping you informed and will continue communicating specific next steps that impact your student. The expansion of the arts project within Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is an exciting change that will broaden opportunities for students and increase access to arts programs.

If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact the office of Student Programs, Planning, and Placement at the following email address: comprehensivereview@cms.k12.nc.us or by calling (980) 343-5335