The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education voted 8-1 Tuesday night to deny adoption of Superintendent Crystal Hill's proposed $2.1 billion budget for the 2026-2027 school year. Hill has until May 12 to bring back a revised version. The board did not say in open session what it wants changed.
Key takeaways for Ballantyne families
- The vote was 8-1. At-Large board member Monty Witherspoon was the lone vote in support of the budget as proposed.
- What's in the rejected ask: $699 million from Mecklenburg County — about $31.1 million more than last year — including $8.8 million for an average 5 percent raise to the local teacher salary supplement, around $8.1 million in obligations to area charter schools, and a one-time $6 million for student device replacement.
- The state piece is still unknown. The plan assumes a 3 percent state-driven raise to teachers' base salary. The North Carolina General Assembly has not passed a state budget.
- CMS is hiring fewer this year. Roughly 200 fewer employees, citing a roughly 1.7 percent drop in enrollment.
- What's next: Revised budget due May 12. A special-called meeting is likely before then.
After the vote, Hill asked the board four times for direction on what specifically to amend. Chair Stephanie Sneed declined to discuss specifics in open session, then adjourned.
For the full reporting on the dais exchange and what the rejected budget contains, read the lead in The Charlotte Mercury:
CMS Board Denies Hill's $2.1B Budget 8-1, Gives Her Two Weeks Without Saying What to Change