CMS district leaders held a town hall to connect with families and find ways to close the education gap.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Graduation isn't easy for some students, but the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District has the data to prove it.
“In some schools, the classes are so big that the teachers can't make time for you,” a Latina CMS sophomore told WCNC Charlotte.
According to the latest census data, the fastest growing race or ethnicity in the United States is Hispanic or Latino.
This statistic holds true in North Carolina, which is why school districts like CMS work to ensure our communities have the same opportunities as any other group.
On Monday night, the district held a town hall for the Spanish-speaking community to engage with families and discuss plans to close the remaining achievement gap.
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“We're going to be very late,” said former CMS parent company Ilan Macias.
Macias is calling on district leaders to better meet the needs of all children. She says a big part of that is also her connection to her parents.
“As a parent, it's hard to catch up on so much information and not have the language skills to understand it all,” Macias says.
Macias says it starts at home, and when parents are gone, there isn't much help.
“Part of the answer is to empower parents,” Macias said. “You can't isolate children from their parents. Parents are also part of their education,” Macias said.
Related: CMS deploys aggressive strategy to fill faculty vacancies
Parents like Angela Conchade-Hernandez also expressed concerns about barriers in the classroom.
“Teachers talk to them, but they have no idea what they're saying,” Concha de Hernandez said. “It's a culture shock, it's a language shock, and they need more support. “Every school should have some kind of connection.”
Angela said she is pushing for more staff to help with translations so students and parents can be more involved.
They said connections are the key to career and success. That's why they want to be part of the solution.
“We're here because we need to know how to help so we can be part of the solution,” Macias said.
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CMS leaders said they are working on solutions to build connections with the growing Spanish-speaking community.
This includes increasing early literacy skills from Kindergarten to Grade 2, ensuring all children have a solid foundation in Mathematics 1, and ensuring all students are ready for school or employment upon graduation. It is included.
The district hopes to achieve these standards by 2029.
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