CMS board talks Tuesday about student assignment, budget

For everyone who’s been watching and wondering what the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board will do about student assignment, Tuesday’s meeting provides a first glimpse.

Talks have been going on for months in committee meetings held during the work day. Tuesday’s 6 p.m. meeting, which is broadcast live, will be the first full-board airing of broad goals for the process designed to yield results for 2017-18.

The goals include reducing high concentrations of poverty, preserving and expanding successful programs, providing equitable access to options and dealing with overcrowding. The four listed items aren’t ranked by priority, and the toughest work will come as the board decides how to meet the goals, especially when one priority collides with another.

Tuesday’s meeting does not include public comments, but the Feb. 9 meeting will feature a public hearing on the goals. And an online survey of public opinion about assignment options is scheduled to launch Friday.

The school board meeting will also include a staff report on early planning for the 2016-17 budget.

This story was originally published January 25, 2016 at 2:55 PM with the headline "CMS board talks Tuesday about student assignment, budget."