WFAE reports that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have 465 fewer students than a year ago.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has seen its first significant enrollment drop, according to a report posted Monday. And the district’s Hispanic enrollment hit a milestone as well.

CMS has 146,687 students this year, down by 465 from last year. That’s a decline of less than half a percent, but it’s the first significant slump since enrollment began leveling off two years ago. (Last year CMS initially reported a slight gain, then revised later to say it was down by seven students.)

This is a huge deal for a district that added well over 27,000 students between 2005 and 2015.

The increased availability of educational options likely plays a role, although we will not know for sure until charter school enrollment figures are released over the next two months.

 

H/T: ER