CMS Is Cutting Magnet Themes From 16 to Six: What Families Moving to Charlotte Need to Know

The short version

In August 2026, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board approved an overhaul of the district's magnet programs. Most changes take effect in the 2027-28 school year, which is the year families moving to Charlotte this winter and spring will be applying for.

• Magnet themes drop from 16 to six.
• Some arts and STEM magnets are ending, and a few schools are gaining new ones.
• Three of CMS's four Middle Colleges become Early Colleges.
• More decisions are still coming: an IB merger proposal in December and possible attendance boundary changes this fall.

Why CMS is doing this

CMS says its magnets grew up around "school choice," where families used the lottery mainly to get out of an assigned neighborhood school. The district wants to move to "program choice": fewer, stronger themes, each with a clear path from kindergarten through high school and free transportation within its transportation zone.

What's ending in 2027-28

• Performing arts magnets: Crestdale Middle, Greenway Park Elementary and Long Creek Elementary. CMS says these schools will still offer arts education.
• STEM magnets: Northeast Middle, Walter G. Byers K-8, Whitewater Middle, Wilson STEM Academy and Harding University High.
• Harding's Law & Social Justice magnet. CMS says students can still reach that program through career and technical education (CTE) pathways and dual enrollment.

What's new or changing

• New STEM magnets: Grove Park Elementary (2027-28) and Second Ward High, which opens in 2028-29 as a full magnet school with countywide transportation.
• Early Colleges: Levine, Harper and Merancas switch from Middle Colleges, which start in 11th grade, to Early Colleges, which start in ninth grade. Cato Middle College stays as it is.
• World languages: Garinger High gets a world languages magnet, and several language academies now feed into specific high schools. The Japanese program at South Academy of International Languages and South Mecklenburg High stays countywide.
• CTE: some career programs leave the magnet lottery, but CMS plans for every school to offer at least six CTE pathways.

What's still undecided

• IB and Learning Immersion/Talent Development: a proposal to merge these programs comes back to the board in December. If it passes, the final six themes would be visual and performing arts, Montessori, world languages, STEM, Early/Middle Colleges, and the combined IB/LI-TD program.
• Attendance boundaries: CMS is expected to consider boundary changes this fall.

What this means if you're relocating

1. Your address still decides your home school. Every Mecklenburg address is guaranteed a seat at its assigned elementary, middle and high school. Magnets are extra options through the lottery. See our guide to how CMS school assignment works.
2. Don't buy for a magnet without checking 2027-28. If a specific magnet is why you like a neighborhood, confirm it will still exist next year and which high school it feeds into.
3. Watch December and the boundary discussion. If you're under contract or touring this winter, check the CMS school locator again before closing.
4. Plan the lottery timing. CMS's School Choice lottery opens each winter for the following fall, and you need a CMS student registration to apply.

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