State approves budget, CMS employees one step closer to raises
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools employees could finally see three percent pay raises if Mecklenburg County commissioners agree to give the school district money allotted for raises.
The board of education unanimously approved a raise plan for its 18,000 employees at its June 26 meeting
The N.C. General Assembly overrode Gov. Bev Perdue’s veto of the $20.2 billion state budget Monday, July 2, giving the school district the state money needed to approve the raises. Money from the state and county will also allow the district to hire additional high school teachers, public relations, communications and technology support workers.
Commissioners need to release $18.5 million of restricted funds, which, earlier this month, commissioner Karen Bentley said will be given to the district if it can prove that it plans to use the money for raises.
If all money gets approved as planned, the school district will operate on about a $1.2 billion budget for the 2012-13 year. The board will vote on the final budget later this summer.

Davidson College announces partnership with charter school network
Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) schools, a national network of college-preparatory public charter schools, announced it will partner with Davidson College to increase college graduation rates for young people in low-income communities.
More than 95 percent of KIPP’s 33,000 students in 20 states and Washington, D.C. are minorities and 85 percent qualify for federal free and reduced-price meal programs. In North Carolina, KIPP has one charter school in Charlotte, two in Gaston County and another that will open in Gaston County this summer.
Davidson College, the third college in the nation and first in the state to sign onto the program, hopes to recruit and enroll a qualified class of KIPP alumni beginning in the 2013-14 school year. Davidson will support mentoring opportunities between upper classmen and KIPP graduates enrolled at the school. Ten rising KIPP high school seniors will also participate in a Davidson pre-college summer program, July Experience, this summer.
“All young people deserve not just a college education, but the college education for them,” Carol Quillen, Davidson College President, said. “Davidson strives to make equal opportunity real through simultaneous aggressive commitments to academic excellence and to access for all talents students, regardless of financial circumstances.”
Duke University will also actively recruit eight to 12 KIPP students each year for possible enrollment in the university. Duke will provide those students with a range of services, beginning with a pre-orientation program, that are designed to help them succeed as Duke students.
“Duke and Davidson are incredible schools,” said Tiffany Flowers-Washington, CEO of KIPP Charlotte. “We are grateful to their commitment to our schools and look forward to working together over the next several years to get more KIPPsters on the path through college and towards a better future.”