CMS lowers some academic goals as it heads to vote on upcoming goals and guardrails for 2024: Wednesday, Oct. 11

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board is getting closer to voting on its upcoming district goals for academic achievement for the next four years.

For weeks, the board has debated on what goals the district should set out to both challenge the district and have a guiding light to shape board directives that are student-focused.

Every five years, CMS centers itself around new goals and guardrails that can range from increasing literacy among elementary school students to ensuring a safe environment for its students at school activities.

CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill made a final recommendation on four goals for the 2024 through 2029 school years.

First, students in kindergarten through second grade scoring at or above grade level in early literacy will go from 67% to 91% by 2029. It was previously at 97% percent before board members knocked this goal down at a previous meeting.

“There is absolutely no way we can require our staff to have 97% in anything, we're just setting them up to fail," CMS Board Member Melissa Easley said at a previous board meeting.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-academic-goals-guardrails-2024/275-4faa0988-296e-4956-910a-4a615ba85b6e

Western & Southern Open, a tennis tournament sought after by Charlotte officials, will stay in Cincinnati despite a bid for a new stadium and facility in west Charlotte.

Beemok Capital, the family office of Charleston-based businessman and philanthropist Benjamin Navarro, announced Tuesday the decision to keep the tournament at the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, just outside Cincinnati, for another 25 years.

Instead of paying nearly $300 million on building a new state-of-the-art facility in Charlotte's future River District, Beemok will instead invest $200 million in upgrades to its current Mason facility.

“The leaders in Charlotte and the state have been incredible partners as we’ve evaluated our options. This was a very difficult decision, and we are deeply appreciative of the time, energy and resources that were invested alongside us,” Navarro said in a released statement. “We have strong ties to the area and will look for ways to invest in the community and local tennis development in the future.”

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/tennis/west-charlotte-loses-bid-tennis-tournament/275-9a3520bb-8781-464f-bd47-162a811d2c07

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