About Public Schools In Charlotte

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg community treats education as its most precious resource, and the Board of Education is dedicated to ensuring that CMS provides “all students the best education available anywhere, preparing every child to lead a rich and productive life.”  CMS is recognized nationally for academic excellence. CMS won the 2011 Broad Prize, which is presented annually to four school districts in the country for elevating their achievement levels. As a winner, the district received $250,000 in scholarships. CMS was a finalist for the Broad Prize in 2004 and 2010.  CMS recently renewed its district accreditation from AdvanceEd, the world’s largest education network. CMS was the first large urban district in N.C. and in the country to earn accreditation more than a decade ago.  CMS serves 142,612 students in pre-K through 12th grade. As the 18th-largest district in the country, CMS has 160 schools and more than 18,000 employees. CMS is big, but its national reputation comes from the outstanding education provided to each student in the district. CMS realizes that what works for one student may not work for another.  CMS class size conforms to state requirements. The Equity Plus program in CMS lowers class sizes in schools with higher percentages of students living in poverty.  

 CMS employs 9,180 full-time teachers and approximately 1,161 administrative staff. More than 3,500 of the district’s certified teachers have advanced degrees. CMS ranks fourth nationwide and second among school districts in N.C. for newly certified National Board teachers. For the 2012-2013 school year, 1,237 CMS teachers were National Board certified. Equivalent to the CPA exam for accountants or the bar exam for lawyers, the National Board certification documents a teacher’s skills. 

 CMS sets high expectations for students and challenges them to reach their fullest potential. Thus, academic rigor and access to challenging courses are top priorities. In 2013, five CMS high schools were ranked among America’s top 1,000 high schools surveyed by Newsweek Magazine.  Enrollment in AP courses increased from 4,079 students in 1995-96 to 12,349 in 2011-2012. As a result of the district’s commitment to academic excellence, CMS was selected as one of 28 school systems across the country to award the first AP diplomas. CMS has increased the number of exams taken from 2,200 in 1995-96 to 8,416 in 2012-2013. Of the 249 IB Diploma candidates, 102 students earned the IB Diploma in 2012-2013. 

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