NC Lawmaker Prepares Plan to Split Charlotte Schools

North Carolina Rep. David Willis, a Union County Republican, is preparing legislation to divide the roughly 140,000-student Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools into smaller districts. School board members say the plan could trigger new board elections, but its details and timing have not been released. The proposal comes amid state and federal investigations into CMS finances and oversight following the firing of Superintendent Crystal Hill; Willis says the scrutiny warrants a broader review. Some parents see potential benefits in more locally focused districts, while others worry about how resources and educational opportunities would be distributed. Breaking up CMS has been discussed before, including by Matthews in 2018.