CMS plans to reopen closed schools to ease overcrowding

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools plans to reopen a school it closed during the budget crisis to help relieve overcrowding at two nearby schools.
 
But some parents want to bring in other schools to offset what they say is a severe economic imbalance.

Starmount was one of 15 schools CMS closed for budget reasons in 2011. Now, the district will reopen it to relieve overcrowding at nearby Huntingtowne Farms and Montclaire Elementary schools.
 
With Starmount set to reopen as an elementary school next school year, some parents and community members want board members to balance the socioeconomic mix at the schools.
 
"The distribution of economically disadvantaged students across elementary schools in our part of the county is unacceptable," Carol Johnstone, a Huntingtowne Farms neighbor, said at Tuesday's board of education meeting.
 
Johnstone is one of many who spoke out about how to move students to the new school to make a fairer economic playing field.
 
Speakers recommended to the board that it move students to Starmount not just from Huntingtowne Farms and Montclaire, but also from schools farther away because of the number of economically disadvantaged students.

"Please keep the principle of diversity in mind when reshaping the elementary school boundaries in our area," said Nathan Spokas, of the Montclaire Neighborhood School Task Force.
 
Huntingtowne and Montclaire have a much higher percentage of disadvantaged students. It's 83.7 percent at Huntingtowne Farms and 89.6 percent at Montclaire.
 
At Beverly Woods, the rate is 19.1 percent.
 
School board member Eric Davis said he has heard from parents at Beverly Woods who don't think their kids should have to move.
 
"Others acknowledge the challenges at Huntingtowne Farms students face and recognize them as our neighbors. Our world is larger than our school boundaries," Davis said.
 
In an email, Beverly Woods' PTA president said they plan to meet with board members to understand their options.
 
Another school in CMS, Oakhurst Elementary, which also closed during the budget crisis, will reopen in the 2015-16 school year.
 
They are the first two schools to reopen since the closures. The board will issue final approval on how to repopulate the schools in November.

WSOC