CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools superintendent Dr. Clayton Wilcox said his schools are not flush with cash.
“We’re not able to keep up with growth through new construction,” Dr. Wilcox said.
Overcrowding is a huge issue, forcing the board to once again approve the addition of more mobile classrooms and restrooms Tuesday, this time at Billingsville Elementary and Albemarle Road Middle School.
“We’re going to have to, for the foreseeable future, add mobile classrooms, mobile bathrooms, rearrange some on different campuses. That’s just a fact of life in CMS today,” Dr. Wilcox added.
Currently, there are more than 150 mobile restrooms scattered throughout the district.
Some parents less than pleased with the setup, while others only demand they be clean.
“As long as they’re clean, I don’t really have an issue with it. As long as they’re sanitary and clean and safe for the children, it should be fine,” one father said.
Despite the approval of a more than $900 million bond package, Dr. Wilcox said it will only cover 29 projects within the district. Some schools won’t get the attention they need.
Millions more would be needed to keep up with sustained growth and money for a more permanent solution isn’t in the budget.
“Today the construction of these portable classrooms and portable restrooms is very different than what a lot of people might imagine. They’re very costly fixtures. They’re well designed. They’re well built,” Dr. Wilcox said.
CMS continues to wait for county commissioners to approve next year’s budget.