"There's Never a Bad Time to do the Right Thing": Char-Meck School Board Grapples with Recent Findings of Superintendent Investigation
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
Meeting Summary - August 25, 2026
"I'm sick and tired of hearing that sometimes the board doesn't care... I sit here every day and I see nothing but effort." Inchara Gopinath - Student Advisor
I. Call to Order
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) Board of Education meeting on August 25, 2026, was called to order with all members present in the chamber.
II. Consent Agenda
What is a Consent Agenda?
A group of routine items, like past meeting minutes, standard bills, and minor personnel updates, that are combined and approved in a single vote. To ensure transparency, any board member can easily "pull" an item from the consent agenda to discuss and vote on it separately.
The Board unanimously (9-0) approved the consent agenda.
The consent agenda included reimbursement contracts for NC Pre-K providers, cell phone tower lease extensions with Verizon and Duke Energy, and several joint-use agreements with local municipalities and a $2.5 million dollar investment by the Town of Huntersville.
Consent Agenda Items
Meeting Minutes
Special Virtual Meeting Minutes for July 22, 2026
Contract Approvals
Architectural Services for Garinger High School (2023 Bond) - $3,147,700
Architectural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and civil engineering services for the planned addition (kitchen/cafeteria, specialty classrooms and gym) at Garinger High School provided by Morris Berg Architects
Construction Services at Dilworth-Latta Elementary School - $22,795,487
Renovation to repurpose the existing campus into a middle school. Services include architectural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing and are provided by DA Everett Group
Construction Services at Huntersville Elementary School - $966,688
Architectural, plumbing, electrical and site work for the installation of a 45-classroom modular classroom building provided by Swinerton
Program Management Services for Albemarle Road Middle School (2023 Bond) - $3,745,075
Provided by LeChase Construction Services
Program Management Services for Cornelius Elementary School (2023 Bond) - $2,791,228
Provided by LeChase Construction Services
Program Management Services for Harding High School (2023 Bond) - $7,444,036
Provided by LeChase Construction Services
Program Management Services for Steele Creek Elementary School (2023 Bond) - $2,859,671
Provided by LeChase Construction Services
Additional 2026-2027 Expenditures Against the Pro-Vision Solutions LLC Master Contract - $125,000
To account for the increase in Mecklenburg County’s sales and use tax rate increase. The original contract was approved on 04/14/26, total cost for the contract now totals $575,000
Contract Award to City Wide Exterminating, Inc. - $125,000
To provide pest control for kitchens
Melmark 2026-27 contract - $1,700,000
To provide out-of-district educational and behavioral services for students with extreme behavioral, emotional, and/or cognitive disabilities.
NC Pre-K Reimbursement Contract
Brown Road Kindercare - $1,026,000
The Learning Collaborative - $304,000
Nana’s Place University - $342,000
Childcare Network #325 - $513,000
Learning Jungle Lambeth-1 - $684,000
Little Learners - $513,000
Childcare Network #52 - $513,000
Childcare Network #91 - $684,000
Childcare Network #96 - $855,000
First Ward CDC - $342,000
Howard Levine - $342,000
Learning Jungle Harris - $684,000
Mallard Creek Learning - $684,000
Marizetta Kerry CDC - $513,000
Sunshine Daycare - $342,000
University CDC Highland Ck - $684,000
The Early Learning Ctr - $342,000
General Business
Extend Delta Dental Supplemental Benefits 2027
Maintains dental benefits with Delta Dental through December 2027 with a with a premium increase of 2% ($.37-$.77 pre-tax)
Cell Tower Lease Amendment at Ardrey Kell High School - $5,000
Five year extension of current lease agreement. CMS will receive a one-time payment of $5,000 and rent will begin at $3,530.07 per month with a 3% increase annually, totaling about $200k over the life of the lease
Cell Tower Lease Amendment at Quail Hollow Middle School - +$15,000
Five year extension of current lease agreement. CMS will receive a one-time payment of $15,000 and rent will begin at $6,057.81 per month with a 2% increase annually, totaling about $340k over the life of the lease
Surplus Declaration for a Remnant Property Behind J.T. Williams Montessori School
A 2.855 acre plot of land at J.T. Williams Montessori near Tipton Drive. Estimated tax value is $630,400
Surplus Declaration and Sale for a Portion of the Villa Heights Elementary School Property - +$19,725
An adjacent property owner has offered $19,725 for an 1,800 SF portion of the property.
Surplus Declaration and Sale for a Property at 511 Yellowstone - +$5,686,700
The property is being sold to Mecklenburg County for $5,686,700
Joint Use Agreement at Hough High School with the Town of Cornelius
For Town use of athletic facilities
Joint Use Agreement at Davidson Elementary School with the Town of Davidson
For Town use of gymnasium
Joint Use Agreement and Greenway Easement at Huntersville Elementary School with the Town of Huntersville - +$2,500,000
For town use of athletic facilities and an easement on the north side of the property. The town will fund a fund a full-size gymnasium and soccer field up to $2.5 million
Access Easement at Northwest School of the Arts to PeakNet, LLC (Duke Energy) - +$20,880
A 30-foot easement across the parking lot at the property. CMS will receive a one time payment of $20,880.
"For me, this is a performative action... I want to work with my board towards this, but without the information I need, I can't vote yes". Board Member Monty Witherspoon - At-Large During the discussion of wether or not to release information from the recent investigation
III. Public Engagement
The board conducted the first reading for five policy modifications. Many of the modifications were proposed in response to recent state legislation. This includes the elimination of race and gender preferences in contracting for government projects as well as a requirement to excuse absences for off-site religious instruction during the school day.
No individuals spoke at the public hearing.
Policies Read
Modify Policy O-MWSB Minority, Women, Small Business Enterprises Program
Renames the policy to O-SEB, Small Business Enterprise and replaces women and minority specific language
Modify Policy F-PRCH Purchasing/Contracting
Removes the terms “historically underutilized businesses” and “minority owned and women owned” from contracting language.
Modify Policy S-ATT Attendance Monitoring/Accounting
Adds “Released Time Religious Instruction” section. Allows students to be excused from school for up to 4 hours in a calendar week to attend off-site religious instruction
Modify Policy S-HLTH Student Health
Requires suicide/crisis lifeline and peer warmline info on all student IDs (Grades 6-12), websites, and devices.
Modify Policy S-COMM Community Involvement in Education & Retire Exhibit S-COMM/E Community Involvement in Education
Retires an old policy and outlines procedure for appealing a declined community involvement request.
IV. Reports
Why are there reports?
The section of the meeting is dedicated to informational presentations by the superintendent, staff, or board committees on district progress, finances, and special projects. Votes are not always required for reports.
The District presented reports to the board on student outcomes around Goal 1 (K-2 Literacy) Financial reports and budget amendments for July 2026 were also presented.
Student Outcomes Focused Governance Goal 1, Interim Measure 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 Progress Monitoring Report
Presented by Superintendent Hill the report summarized end of year data for Goal 1, K-2 literacy. The report indicated that 76% of K-2 students are at or above benchmark, a 9% increase over the 22/23 baseline, but significantly short of the 83% annual target. To reach next year's goal, the district must achieve a seven-percentage-point growth, a task Dr. Hill described as "Herculean."
During the discussion of the report Board Member Stone highlighted that CMS continues to outperform state and national scores in K-2 literacy.
""Public schools are grossly underfunded. That is not a secret." - Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill When asked if the school district is fully resourced and funded to achieve it's K-2 literacy goals.
V. Action Items
What are Action Items?
Action Items are the are specific proposals that require the school board to take formal action by holding a public debate and casting a vote.
Discussion About Action Items
To comply with North Carolina Session Law 2026-41, the board was presented with a fast-track policy modification to rename the program to the O-SBE (Small Business Enterprise) Program and remove all explicit references to minority- and women-owned businesses
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Board Member Hatch emphasized that while the board is legally bound to align policy language with state law, the district's underlying moral commitment to providing an equal playing field for local, historically underrepresented businesses remains unchanged
Vice Chair Rankin voiced his dismay for the surmounting legislative pressure, describing the mandate as a "continued attack against public education [and] diversity equity inclusion... coming from Raleigh"
Parallel to Policy O-MWSB, this fast-track update sought to strip all minority and women-owned business terminology from the district’s purchasing and contracting regulations to satisfy the same state statute
Board Member Monterrey Duvall labeled the proposed changes a "big waste of time" and a "very poor use of taxpayer money" that has no bearing on student success. She urged community members to remember these legislative overreaches when exercising their civic duty at the ballot box.
Aligning with North Carolina General Statute 115C-47.45, the modified Policy S-AT establishes the formal opt-in procedures, required signatures, and time limits (up to four hours weekly) for off-campus religious instruction during the school day
Board Member Stone raised severe concerns, calling the measure a "violation of civil rights" and a direct impediment to student learning due to the substantial loss of weekly instructional time.
Board Member Monterrey Duvall echoed these concerns, warning of unintended consequences.
Board Member Hatch provided a critical point of clarification, noting that the local policy itself does not establish the state law, but rather ensures a structured, barrier-free excused absence process for students who do participate.
A motion introduced by Board Member Hatch directed the board to compile and release a public summary report by the end of September 2026 detailing the process, lessons learned, and recommended governance improvements resulting from a recently completed investigation.
Board Member Hatch argued that accountability requires closing the loop with families and staff who waited patiently, stating, "Confidentiality does not have to mean silence"
Board Members Haynes and Monterrey Duvall agreed that proactive transparency is vital to restore public confidence
Board Member Witherspoon strongly objected to the timing, calling the immediate vote a "performative action" and stating he could not support a motion introduced that same day without deeper board deliberation or closer legal counsel
An initial motion, made by Board Member Hatch, to implement a 12-month payroll distribution option for eligible 10- and 11-month employees.
Board Member Hatch wondered wether the District was compliant with state statue around teacher pay distribution.
Vice Chair Rankin cautioned against ordering immediate implementation before receiving an administrative feasibility report
Board Member Monterrey Duvall resolved the division by introducing an amendment changing the directive from "implement" to "review," which requests draft timelines, draft communication plans, and administrative solutions by September 22.
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Closing
The meeting adjourned after the final vote at around 8:30 PM.
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