CMS board grills staff on tech contract in 1st meeting since Hill put on leave
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board questioned – but passed – a controversial tech contract at its first meeting since Superintendent Crystal Hill was placed on leave.
Instead of the proposed two years, the board only approved a one-year term.
In recent weeks, parents have questioned the use of technology in CMS schools, especially early on in elementary school and particularly a digital program called i-Ready, which CMS has used for the past two years. Students spend approximately 90 minutes a week on the platform, which has digital reading and math assessments and lessons.
District leaders said the tool allows students to receive personalized lessons while allowing teachers to see performance data for each student.
The proposed two-year contract would’ve cost CMS around $9.7 million. For one year, it will cost approximately $4.4 million. The school board initially placed the contract on its consent agenda, which is used for items without opposition, before moving it to the regular agenda ahead of the start of Tuesday’s meeting.
Board members said they received numerous concerns from CMS parents about the platform and the amount of in-school screen time in general.
“I’m concerned about the amount of tech in schools overall,” said Board member Cynthia Stone. “I recognize the need for a tool, but I have questions about i-Ready.”
Stone questioned whether i-Ready could be taken out of kindergarten through second grade classrooms or whether parents could opt out of the program.
CMS Deputy Superintendent Melissa Balknight, who has taken on additional duties with Hill placed on paid leave, said the district could “work with parents” but said she believed student achievement gains would take a hit without the use of i-Ready.
District leaders also argued that without the platform, CMS would have to contract with several other services to replace it.
“If CMS were not to use iReady, CMS would still need to adopt a different universal screener,” CMS Chief Academic Performance Officer Kimberly Vaught said. “It’s just one piece of the puzzle but certainly a very important piece of the puzzle when we think about all of the functions it performs every day.”
Vaught said CMS determined that students spend an average of five to eight minutes on the platform each day. She said the district is working on ways to decrease in-school screen time during the 2026-27 school year.
Still, board member Liz Monterrey Duvall said she doesn’t see why the other assessments CMS gives students throughout the year that track student performance were not sufficient for gauging students’ abilities and growth.
“How many screeners do we need?” Monterrey Duvall said. “I’ve talked to so many educators, and I just don’t feel like this is making their lives easier.”
But, other board members expressed a concern with dropping i-Ready without a suitable replacement identified. The district’s current contract with i-Ready expires June 30.
The board ultimately passed the proposal in a 7-2 vote, with Stone and board member Shamaiye Haynes voting “no.”
Superintendent on leave
Tuesday night’s meeting was the first since the CMS board announced June 17 that Hill had been placed on leave pending an investigation involving “administrative and operational oversight,” The Charlotte Observer reported.
Board Chair Stephanie Sneed previously told the Observer the decision was driven by allegations that required further review, but she did not detail what those allegations were. Outside law firm, Brooks Pierce, is conducting the investigation, and it’s not yet clear how long it will last.
The board did not address Hill’s status during Tuesday’s meeting. Balknight occupied Hill’s typical seat at the dais Tuesday night and delivered the usual superintendent’s reports.
