CMS, lawmakers have heated discussion over smaller class sizes

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Districts across North Carolina are scrambling to meet a state mandate for smaller class sizes next school year.

The changes aimed at improving reading levels affect kindergarten through third grade, which currently have an average class size of 21.

Kindergarten would be required to cap classrooms at 18 students, first grade would be limited to 16 students and second and third grades could have a maximum of 17 students per classroom.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials said they would have to make serious financial and logistical sacrifices to make it work, which is why they made a desperate plea to local lawmakers to help slow it down.

"Unless you lower class sizes significantly; five, seven kids, the real impact of lowering class sizes to one or two kids is negligible," Union County Rep. Craig Horn said.

Voters approved a $922 million school bond in November, and part of that would allow the district to remove dozens of classroom trailers.

However, with the new classroom size changes, CMS would have to add even more.

In order for CMS to comply with the mandate, the district would have to spend $23.3 million to hire 353 more teachers.

A district official said classroom trailers would have to be purchased for $20 million.

CMS officials said they would also have to eliminate special education programs at elementary schools, along with art and physical education.

It would also require them to increase fourth and fifth-grade classroom sizes. The overall impact would be felt with student assignment.

CMS superintendent Clayton Wilcox said he doesn't want to cut programs in order to fulfill the new requirements.

"We are absolutely committed to the arts here,” Wilcox said. “You're not going to see me as superintendent recommend to the board that we eliminate art, music or PE, but I will let class sizes swell."

Wilcox and other CMS leaders are hoping lawmakers make changes before the budget is due to the county May 15.

"There are a lot of things we need to do, and working together is how we do it," Horn said.

Most lawmakers present at the meeting said they were willing to discuss possible solutions.

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