text: What You Need to Know about the CMS School Choice Lottery
  CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS offer a variety of choices for families with magnet programs, or theme-based learning environment, specifically designed to capitalize upon and nurture and enhance student's abilities, aptitudes, interests and talents.
  If your child has an interest or talent in STEM, languages, leadership, visual and performing arts or if you want to explore Montessori or other learning and education options provided by CMS, here are the steps to entering the School Choice lottery. The deadline is Feb. 14, 2017.
  Step 1 - Get enrolled in CMS.
  Families new to CMS who want to apply for the lottery need to enroll their children by Jan. 24, 2017.
  Step 2 - Research CMS School Choice.
  Step 3 - Visit the schools.
  Find out more by visiting schools and attending information sessions to experience all that these schools have to offer. Meet and talk with teachers, principals, and other parents and students.
  Step 4 - Decide your top three options.
  Choose up to three schools that best match your child's interests.
  Step 5 - Submit your application.
  Online applications to the CMS School Choice lottery are due by Feb. 14, 2017.
  Below are a few answers to questions regarding the School Choice lottery.
  A: No. Applying to the lottery is free and open to all CMS families.
  Q: When will I know if my child has been offered a seat?
  A: Notification of acceptances will be sent by mail in early March 2017.
  Q: If my child is not assigned to a magnet, will he or she have another chance?
  A: Yes, all applicants who are not assigned a seat during the lottery process will be "wait listed" for their first choice option. If students decide not to take their lottery seat, students on the wait list will be seated in the order they are listed.
  Q: Can a student residing outside of Mecklenburg County apply for the CMS magnet lottery?
  A: No. If your address falls outside Mecklenburg County, you cannot apply to the CMS School Choice lottery.
  Go to CMSchoice.org for forms, to see a list of school choices, and more information.
  ‪After careful deliberation and community guidance, the CMS Board has selected Dr. Clayton Wilcox as incoming superintendent. Welcome!!‬