CMS Program Choice Changes

Changes approved by the CMS Board of Education on or before August 11, 2026. Here we summarize what changes and when, along with the magnet theme continuation pathways that CMS shared as a part of these changes.

Review the CMS School Board Presentation

What Is Changing and When

On August 11, 2026, the CMS Board of Education approved changes to magnet programs. Most begin in the 2027-28 school year and a few begin in 2028-29. None of the changes affects the current 2026-27 school year.

The CMS magnet choice lottery for the 2027-28 school year opens in the fall of 2026, so families planning to participate in the lottery should review these changes carefully. Check CMS Key Dates for updates. For the full timeline, see RYSE’s CMS Magnet Lottery Key Dates.

School level

Kind of change

Magnet theme

Beginning in 2027-28

the first year covered by the lottery that opens in fall 2026

15 changes

Crestdale Middle
Program ending
middleVisual and Performing Arts
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, the Visual and Performing Arts choice program will no longer be offered at Crestdale Middle. CMS has said that arts enrichment opportunities will remain available at all schools.
Greenway Park Elementary
Program ending
elementaryVisual and Performing Arts
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, the Visual and Performing Arts choice program will no longer be offered at Greenway Park Elementary. CMS has said that arts enrichment opportunities will remain available at all schools.
Long Creek Elementary
Program ending
elementaryVisual and Performing Arts
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, the Visual and Performing Arts choice program will no longer be offered at Long Creek Elementary. CMS has said that arts enrichment opportunities will remain available at all schools.
Northeast Middle
Program ending
middleSTEM
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, the STEM choice program will no longer be offered at Northeast Middle.
Walter G. Byers School
Program ending
elementary, middleSTEM
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, the STEM choice program will no longer be offered at Walter G. Byers School.
Whitewater Middle
Program ending
middleSTEM
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, the STEM choice program will no longer be offered at Whitewater Middle.
Wilson STEM Academy
Program ending
middleSTEM
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, the STEM choice program will no longer be offered at Wilson STEM Academy.
Harding University High School
Program ending
highSTEM and Law and Social Justice
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, the STEM choice program and the Law and Social Justice choice program will no longer be offered at Harding University High School.
Grove Park Elementary
New program
elementarySTEM
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, Grove Park Elementary will offer a STEM choice program. Students at Grove Park will have access to Northridge Middle in the same theme.
South Academy of International Languages
Transportation zone changing
elementary, middleWorld Languages
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, South Academy of International Languages programs for Chinese, French, and German will no longer serve the Violet transportation zone. They will serve the Blue and Green transportation zones. The Japanese program will remain a county-wide magnet program and will continue to serve all three transportation zones.
Will serve the Blue and Green zones
Garinger High School
New program
highWorld Languages
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, Garinger High School will offer a World Languages choice program. CMS has named Spanish and says a second language will be determined at a later date.
See additional changes at Garinger High School beginning in 2028-29.
Levine Early College
Transportation zone changingProgram changing
highMiddle College to Early College
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, Levine Early College will transition from a Middle College to an Early College, so the school will add 9th and 10th grades rather than starting enrollment in 11th grade. It will serve the Green transportation zone, and CMS says transportation will be provided within that zone.
Will serve the Green zone
Harper Early College
Transportation zone changingProgram changing
highMiddle College to Early College
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, Harper Early College will transition from a Middle College to an Early College, so the school will add 9th and 10th grades rather than starting enrollment in 11th grade. It will serve the Blue transportation zone, and CMS says transportation will be provided within that zone.
Will serve the Blue zone
Merancas Early College
Transportation zone changingProgram changing
highMiddle College to Early College
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, Merancas Early College will transition from a Middle College to an Early College, so the school will add 9th and 10th grades rather than starting enrollment in 11th grade. It will serve the Violet transportation zone, and CMS says transportation will be provided within that zone.
Will serve the Violet zone
Cato Middle College High School
No change
highMiddle College
On August 11, 2026, the CMS Board of Education reviewed the Middle Colleges and approved that Cato Middle College will remain a Middle College with no program changes.
CMS transportation is not provided to Middle College programs. Contact the school directly for more details.

Beginning in 2028-29

two years out

2 changes

Second Ward High School
New program
highFull magnet, STEM
Second Ward High School will open in the 2028-29 school year and will operate as a full magnet program serving the Blue, Green and Violet transportation zones. Students in the STEM theme will have access to either Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology or Second Ward High School.
Serves the Blue, Green and Violet zones
Garinger High School
Program ending
highCambridge and Exercise Science
Beginning in the fall of 2028, Cambridge and Exercise Science will no longer be included in Garinger High School's Program Choice offerings.
See additional changes at Garinger High School beginning in 2027-28.

2027-28 Magnet Theme Continuations

Magnet theme pathways allow students to continue in the same magnet theme at their next school. Which specific magnet school your child will have access to often depends on their transportation zone, which you can see on the RYSE platform or on CMS’ transportation zone webpage.

See these pathways in the board presentation

The 2027-28 STEM and World Languages pathways come from the August 11 board action. The unchanged arts continuation is also checked against CMS Visual and Performing Arts guidance.

Jump to a theme

STEM8 World Languages7 Visual and Performing Arts1

Your transportation zone

2027-28 STEM Continuation Pathways

8 pathways

Violet transportation zoneSTEM
Elementary · K-5
Bruns Avenue Elementary
Middle · 6-8
Coulwood STEM Academy
High · 9-12
Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology
Violet transportation zoneSTEM
Elementary · K-5
Dorothy J Vaughan Academy at Parkside
Middle · 6-8
Coulwood STEM Academy
High · 9-12
Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology
Violet transportation zoneSTEM
Elementary · K-5
Paw Creek Elementary
Middle · 6-8
Coulwood STEM Academy
High · 9-12
Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology
Violet transportation zoneSTEM
Elementary · K-5
Gov's Village STEM (Lower)
Middle · 6-8
Gov's Village STEM (Upper)
High · 9-12
Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology
Green transportation zoneSTEM
Elementary · K-5
Oakhurst STEAM Academy
Middle · 6-8
McClintock Middle
High · 9-12
Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology
Green transportation zoneSTEM
Elementary · K-5
Grove Park Elementary
Middle · 6-8
Northridge Middle
High · 9-12
Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology
Blue transportation zoneSTEM
Elementary · K-5
Rea Farms STEAM Academy
Middle · 6-8
Rea Farms STEAM Academy
High · 9-12
Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology
Blue transportation zoneSTEM
Elementary · K-5
Winget Park Elementary
Middle · 6-8
Kennedy Middle
High · 9-12
Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology

Beginning in the 2028-2029 school year, all STEM pathways will also have access to Second Ward High School, which will serve all three transportation zones.

2027-28 World Languages Continuation Pathways

7 pathways

Violet transportation zoneWorld Languages
Elementary and Middle · K-8
North Academy of World Languages
High · 9-12
North Mecklenburg High School
Violet transportation zoneWorld Languages
Elementary and Middle · K-8
Oaklawn Language Academy
High · 9-12
North Mecklenburg High School
Green transportation zoneWorld Languages
Elementary and Middle · K-8
Charlotte East Language Academy
High · 9-12
Garinger High School
Green transportation zoneWorld Languages
Elementary and Middle · K-8
South Academy of International Languages
High · 9-12
South Mecklenburg High School
Blue transportation zoneWorld Languages
Elementary and Middle · K-8
Collinswood Language Academy
High · 9-12
South Mecklenburg High School
Blue transportation zoneWorld Languages
Elementary and Middle · K-8
South Academy of International Languages
High · 9-12
South Mecklenburg High School
All transportation zonesWorld Languages
Elementary and Middle · K-8
South Academy of International Languages Japanese program
High · 9-12
South Mecklenburg High School

2027-28 Visual and Performing Arts Continuation Pathways

1 pathway

Auditions are required for admission into some arts programs. Please review each school's website or contact them directly for current information.

All transportation zonesVisual and Performing Arts
Elementary · K-5
University Park Creative Arts
Middle · 6-8
First Ward Creative Arts Academy
High · 9-12
Northwest School of the Arts