Lisa Cline, CMS Board of Education District 5 candidate, answers our questions
To help inform voters in the Nov. 4, 2025, election, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The Charlotte Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Lisa Cline
Age: 65
Campaign website or social media page: Clineforschoolboard.com
Occupation: 39 year educator; retired from CMS after 29+ years
Education: Clemson University B.A. Secondary Education History, Minor French. Master of School Administration University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought or held):
I was elected in 2022 for District 5 School Board.
Please list your highlights of civic involvement:
District 5 School Board Representative, Charity League of Charlotte, Rotary of South Charlotte, Served on the PTA Boards of Olde Providence, Carmel and Myers Park High School
What are the most important issues in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools today, and how would you address them?
Learning loss, school safety, and continue to improve the educational experience by supporting the relationships between students, parents, and school staff. For the past three years, I have listened to families and students share their experiences. I direct them to the people who can help them, or I make the contact myself and facilitate the process so that any problems are addressed. We have a long way to go to address learning loss and safety in our schools, and I am just getting started.
How can the district improve student performance, close achievement gaps and get schools off the state’s low-performing list? (There were 56 CMS campuses on the low-performing list during the 2023-24 school year and 32 in the 2024-25 school year):
In 2023, CMS adopted the SOFG Goals and Guardrails model to guide improving student performance. At each Board meeting, we review a goal and discuss strategies teachers and staff are implementing to meet it. While this is important, it is not enough. To truly move the needle, we must work hand-in-hand with the communities of our low-performing schools so that learning continues beyond the classroom. Together, we must ensure that our children are prepared to achieve their highest potential.
How should the school system handle decisions by the federal government that you may disagree with or that negatively affect the district? And how should the district communicate with the public about the effects of those decisions?
This year, CMS will receive about 6% of it’s budget from the federal government meaning 94% is from state and local. Fiscal responsibility is critical and we must prepare for future challenges. Yet this isn’t enough. We need strong relationships in Raleigh to secure resources our students deserve. As a member of the IRC committee has allowed me to be speak directly with lawmakers, making it clear funding CMS is not just a local priority, but a statewide investment in the North Carolina child.
Teacher shortages remain a challenge across North Carolina and the nation. What do you believe CMS needs to do in order to attract teachers and keep experienced ones in the classroom?
First, CMS must continue to fight for higher supplement pay for all teachers a fight I took on this past year. Unfortunately, the superintendent did not include the recommended percentage increase in her budget proposal, and historically, more experienced teachers have been left behind with smaller raises. That is unacceptable. Every teacher, regardless of years of service, deserves fair and competitive pay. We must also work with the business community to address critical needs like affordable housing for new teachers, while ensuring all educators have a safe environment to do the job we hired them to do, teach. We should be supporting their professional expertise, not forcing them to parrot scripted lessons for the sake of uniformity. Teachers need the freedom to use their knowledge, creativity, and passion to inspire students. When we respect and empower teachers giving them the pay, the housing support, the safety, and the professional freedom they deserve—our students will flourish and succeed.
What separates you from your opponents and makes you the best choice on November’s ballot?
I am running for re-election because I want to continue the work I have started in the last three years. My years as a teacher, administrator and leader in the district has allowed me to build relationships with our community to address the needs of our children. Three years ago, five of us came on board to initiate change, we are beginning to see those changes and I want to continue representing the families who will benefit from the improvements happening in their children’s lives.
