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By Stephanie Maxwell
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools discussed a controversial plan Thursday to reassign thousands of students.
The controversial decision that could affect thousands of students across the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district could be made by the community.
The discussion at the Government Center was about a draft of a survey to go to parents, students and others in the community to get a pulse on what’s important as the board decides what to do about student assignment in the next few years.
They’re trying to iron out what to ask to gain valuable information, as the board determines what’s best for CMS.
Carol Sawyer with OneMeck said the survey never asks the question if students be shuffled into new schools.
“I didn’t see a question that said ‘would you favor pupil assignment plan that will work to improve achievement for all children,'” Sawyer said. “We’re not asking that. Why not?”
Committee chair Tom Tate worries it may not give an accurate view of who is taking the survey.
“That’s a difficult thing to say, ‘This is what the community says,'” he said.
Beyond the survey, school leaders are looking at three options: building on the foundation of home and magnet schools, students to attend a school choice near their homes or re-drawing boundaries to achieve more diversity.
“We have a lot more Latino/Hispanic students and that’s something we really need to look at, that they have the opportunity to learn in a much more diverse environment,” CMS board member Ruby Jones said.
The board is looking at putting the survey online and rolling it out at the beginning of the year.