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Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Charlotte, NC|Independent Local News
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Crystal Hill

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For Nine CMS Programs, This School Year Is the Last

The Charlotte Mercury·

CMS opened the 2026-27 school year Tuesday. At eight schools, the board's August 11 Program Choice votes make it the final year for nine magnet and choice programs, with replacements arriving on a slower clock.

The $400 Million Mecklenburg Covers for the State Is Sixteen Cents of Its Tax Rate

The Charlotte Mercury·

At Mecklenburg County's May 20 budget overview, Budget Director Adrian Cox put a number on what the county spends covering the state's share of CMS: more than $400 million — about sixteen cents of the property-tax rate. The recommended FY27 budget holds the rate flat by shifting a penny between funds, but the structural gap remains.

After Ten Months Without a Budget, NC Republicans Found a Framework. Most State Workers Get a Raise Below Inflation.

The Charlotte Mercury·

Senate Pres. Pro Tem Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall announced a budget framework Tuesday afternoon, ending a ten-month standoff. Teachers get an 8 percent raise and a $48,000 starting floor. Most state employees get 3 percent — below the 3.8 percent inflation rate reported the same morning. The income tax steps down through 2034, and a constitutional amendment capping the rate at 3.5 percent goes on the November ballot.

CMS Board Unanimously Approves Hill's Amended Budget — Two Weeks After Denying It 8-1

The Charlotte Mercury·

Two weeks after rejecting Superintendent Crystal Hill's $2.1 billion budget 8-1, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education unanimously approved her amended version on Tuesday. The same operating envelope now carries six negotiated changes — including the elimination of the $2.4 million Capturing Kids Hearts contract and the reinstatement of all four CMS-DSS educational liaison positions. The state budget remains the variable holding everything else still.

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