HIGH SCHOOL INFORMATION

CMS provides Driver Education to all eligible students in Mecklenburg County. The program is offered after school, during school vacations and during the summer at several locations. All CMS high schools have a Driver Education site coordinator that assists in the coordination of the program. CMS currently contracts licensed commercial driving schools to administer the program. To be eligible, a student must: 

• Be at least 14-1/2 years old (by class starting date) 

• Be actively enrolled in public, private, charter or licensed home school in Mecklenburg County 

• Comply with the CMS Code of Student Conduct 

Proficiency tests are offered to students who are at least 16 years of age or have transferred from another state and possess a valid learner’s permit. Any eligible student may enroll in the classroom phase; however, the Division of Motor Vehicles will determine which students will be allowed to take behind-the-wheel training. Students removed from the program for disciplinary reasons or who drop out for any reason will have to make arrangements to finish their training privately through another source at their expense.

Additional information: 

For additional information on the Driver Education program, please contact your student’s school or visit https://bit.ly/2RDuXLv. 

Driver’s License Guidelines 

Once students have completed driver education and desires a learner’s permit, they must take the necessary documents to the NC DMV (listed on the Driver Education Completion Certificate) and complete the NC licensing requirements.

Driving Eligibility Certificate 

One of the documents required by the NC DMV is the Driving Eligibility Certificate (DEC). This is a printed document that is issued by the school principal or the principal’s designee. The DEC certifies that the student has demonstrated adequate academic progress toward graduation in school and is not in violation of NCGS 2011(n1) listed below.

Students affected by the Driving Eligibility Legislation 

Under NCGS 20-11(n1), this legislation is directed to all North Carolina students under the age of 18 who are eligible for a driving permit or license. This includes public school, federal school, home school, private school and community college students.

Students not affected by this legislation 

Students who have attained a high school diploma, a GED or an adult high school diploma as issued by a community college are not affected by this legislation. In addition, students who received a driving permit or license prior to the Graduated Driver’s License program (before 12/1/97) are not affected.

Requirements for a Driving Eligibility Certificate (Students Under the Age of 18) 

The DEC will be issued only if the student: 

1. Has demonstrated adequate academic progress in the previous semester; is currently enrolled in school and making progress toward obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent or has passing grades in 70 percent or more of his/her classes. Adequate academic progress will be evaluated at the end of the first semester and at the end of the school year.

2. Has not dropped out of school.

3. Is enrolled and in good standing with his/her school and not in violation of NCGS 20-11(N1) legislation listed below.

4. The DEC is only good for thirty (30) days. Students must be 15 years of age to receive this certificate.

Student Ineligibility 

Students not making adequate progress or who have dropped out of school are not eligible to receive a DEC. 

Under N.C.G.S. §20-11(n1), some students are ineligible to receive a DEC. Students expelled, suspended or placed in an alternative educational setting for more than 10 consecutive days for possessing or selling alcohol, illegal or controlled substances on school property; bringing, possessing or using a weapon or firearm on school property, pursuant to NCGS §115C-391(d1); or assaulting any school personnel on school property are ineligible. 

Note: A student’s learner’s permit/license will be revoked if the student does not maintain adequate progress, drops out or violates N.C.G.S. §20-11(n1). 

Hardship Rules 

Principals and/or DEC representatives are able to issue DECs to students based on hardship. Students must have already been issued a driver’s permit/license in order to request a hardship. Cases of hardship must reflect specific circumstances that are beyond the control of the student, his or her parents or the school. In all cases of hardship, documented proof must be submitted. 

Student Eligibility for Hardship 

1. Students who have already received a permit/license. 

2. Students who cannot make progress toward obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent. 

3. A substantial hardship would be placed on the person or his/her family if the student’s license was revoked for non- compliance with this legislation. Cases of hardship must reflect specific circumstances that are beyond the control of the student, his or her parents or the school. In all cases of hardship, document proof must be submitted. The specific hardship circumstances are divided into three categories and are listed below under “Hardship Guidelines.” 

Hardship Guidelines 

1. Medical Considerations 

   1. Student-documented proof must be submitted to the school from a doctor (on letterhead) citing reasons why the student missed school, dates of illness, etc. 

   2. Parent-documented proof must be submitted to the school as to the parent’s medical illness or impairment. Evidence must demonstrate the absolute necessity of the student to have a driver’s license. 

2. Work-related Considerations 

   1. Student must demonstrate that he/she requires transportation to/from a job that is necessary to the family’s financial welfare and is unable by any other means to do so. 

   2. There should be documented proof that the student is working and that the student’s earnings go directly to support the basic needs of the family. In addition, there must be proof that the student is unable by any other means to get to and from work. 

3. Exceptional Children Considerations 

   1. A DEC can be issued to a student when it has been determined that the student is unable to make progress toward obtaining a diploma/ certificate. This ruling is not intended to apply to exceptional students who have the ability to obtain a high school diploma. 

   2. Input from the IEP committee and other sources should help guide in the decision. 

Notice Under the Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA) 

The current DEC requires parents, guardians or emancipated juveniles to provide their written irrevocable consent for a school to disclose to the Division of Motor Vehicles when a student no longer meets the conditions under N.C.G.S. §20-11. 

A Driving Eligibility Certificate cannot be issued without the parent’s written consent. 

Student Locker Assignment 

Students and parents are required to read the following information and sign the student locker assignment form in the Student Forms booklet. 

Schools will collect locker fees not to exceed $2. Students should understand that the locker is the property of the school and is assigned to the student only upon the student’s agreement to the following terms and conditions: 

• The student is responsible for all property placed in the locker. The locker shall be used only for storage of such property as is reasonably necessary for the student’s school activities such as school books, school projects, gym clothes, etc. 

• No guns, explosives, tasers, stun guns or any other weapons are permitted to be stored in the locker nor to be brought onto the school grounds. No alcoholic beverage or any other drug not prescribed by a physician nor any other contraband is permitted to be stored in the locker and is not permitted on the school grounds. It is a violation of Rule 29 of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Code of Student Conduct to possess any guns, rifles, knives, metal knuckles, razors/ cutters, mace, pepper gas, explosives, martial arts weapons or any blunt or sharp-pointed instrument that may be capable of inflicting bodily injury (to include using or threatening to use to inflict injury).

• In consideration for the school’s assignment of a school locker to the student, the student and parent/guardian grant permission to school authorities to open and search the assigned locker and its contents at any time and to remove unauthorized articles described above or any other items which may endanger the health, welfare or safety of students or school personnel.

• The student will leave with the principal of the school the combination of the assigned locker or a key which will open the locker before the assignment of the locker becomes effective. If the student changes the lock, it must be with the permission of the principal at which time the student will list the new combination of the locker with the principal or leave a new key with the principal. In the event the student fails to leave the correct combination or key with the principal, then this default shall constitute permission for the principal or his/her authorized agent to break the lock, open the locker and remove its contents for safekeeping. Any violation of the rules regarding locker assignment will result in the termination of this locker privilege.

Student Locker Assignment

Students and parents are required to read the following information and sign the student locker assignment form in the Student Forms booklet IF a school locker is assigned.

Schools will collect locker fees not to exceed $2. Students should understand that the locker is the property of the school and is assigned to the student only upon the student’s agreement to the following terms and conditions:

• The student is responsible for all property placed in the locker. The locker shall be used only for storage of such property as is reasonably necessary for the student’s school activities such as school books, school projects, gym clothes, etc.
• No guns, explosives, tasers, stun guns or any other weapons are permitted to be stored in the locker nor to be brought onto the school grounds. No alcoholic beverage or any other drug not prescribed by a physician nor any other contraband is permitted to be stored in the locker and is not permitted on the school grounds. It is a violation of Rule 29 of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Code of Student Conduct to possess any guns, rifles, knives, metal knuckles, razors/ cutters, mace, pepper gas, explosives, martial arts weapons or any blunt or sharp-pointed instrument that may be capable of inflicting bodily injury (to include using or threatening to use to inflict injury).
• In consideration for the school’s assignment of a school locker to the student, the student and parent/guardian grant permission to school authorities to open and search the assigned locker and its contents at any time and to remove unauthorized articles described above or any other items which may endanger the health, welfare or safety of students or school personnel.
• The student will leave with the principal of the school the combination of the assigned locker or a key which will open the locker before the assignment of the locker becomes effective. If the student changes the lock, it must be with the permission of the principal at which time the student will list the new combination of the locker with the principal or leave a new key with the principal. In the event the student fails to leave the correct combination or key with the principal, then this default shall constitute permission for the principal or his/her authorized agent to break the lock, open the locker and remove its contents for safekeeping. Any violation of the rules regarding locker assignment will result in the termination of this locker privilege.

High School Athletics (Grades 9-12) 

The vision of CMS Athletics is to ensure all student-athletes become responsible citizens and demonstrate a spirit of generosity, sportsmanship and teamwork as effective participants in the arena of society. 

Responsibilities of Parents and Student-Athletes 

• Must adhere to all North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) and CMS athletic eligibility regulations 

• Must complete and sign all NCHSAA and CMS required athletic eligibility participation forms 

• Must provide proof of medical or accident insurance 

• Must pay the participation fee or meet waiver criteria prior to the first 

• contests in each sport season 

• Student-athlete must pass a health screening once every 395 days by a duly licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant 

• Student-athletes and parents must sign the Student-Parent Honor Code 

• Must attend a required preseason meeting at the school prior to the 

• sport season (fall, winter and /or spring) 

• Student-athletes and parents must sign the concussion form 

• Must not accept prizes, merchandise, money or any item that can be exchanged for money as a result of athletic participation 

• May not, as an individual or as a team, practice during the school day or on a Sunday 

• May only attend summer camps to which the athlete or his/her parents pay the fees 

Athletic Eligibility Requirements 

Only students in grades 7-12 may participate in interscholastic athletic competition (North Carolina Board of Education Regulation). In order to qualify for public school athletic or extra-curricular participation, a student must (at a minimum) meet the eligibility requirements outlined in this section. Please note that additional requirements may apply. 

Requirements for Participations (Grades 9-12) 

9th Grade 
A student who is promoted from the eighth grade to the ninth grade automatically meets the academic requirements for the first semester. To maintain eligibility, the student: 

• Must meet local promotion standards 

• Must have earned a 2.0 GPA from previous semester (beginning second semester) 

• Must have passed a **minimum load of work during the previous semester (beginning second semester) 

• Must be currently enrolled in at least one-half of the minimum academic course load 

• Must be in attendance at school for at least one-half of the instructional day 

• Shall not participate if he/she becomes 19 years of age on or before August 31 of said school year 

10th–12th Grades 

• Students in grade 10-12: 

• Must meet local promotion standards 

• Must have earned a *2.0 GPA from previous semester 

• Must have passed a minimum load of work during the previous semester* ƒ Must be currently enrolled in at least one-half of the minimum academic course load 

• Must be in attendance at school for at least one-half of the instructional day 

• Shall not participate if he/she becomes 19 years of age on or before August 31 of said school year 

*High School: For athletic eligibility purposes, a minimum load is defined as passing a minimum of three out of four courses on a 4 x 4 format (or six out of eight courses in the A/B format) of block scheduling during the traditional school day. 

Exceptional Children 

• The 2.0 eligibility rule will be waived if (1) IEP goals are being met; (2) satisfactory progress is being made in mainstream classes and (3) has the principal’s recommendation. 

Extended Year 

• A student interested in participating in athletics should speak with the school counselor AND school athletic director prior to enrolling in a credit recovery or summer school class.

• Student-athletes who take classes in the summer to make up credits should be aware that they will not earn letter grades in credit recovery courses. These courses are graded “pass/fail.” This means that credit recovery courses do not affect a student’s GPA positively or negatively: a “P” in a credit recovery course will not help to improve a 2nd semester GPA that is below a 2.0. Credits are awarded for passing these courses. So a credit earned in a credit recovery course will count towards the NC High School Athletic Association’s minimum course pass count requirement and towards local promotion credit requirements.

• Grades (letter/numeric) received in summer school that are repeated for failed year courses may be substituted for 2nd semester grades when computing the athletic grade point average (GPA) and the NCHSAA minimum load of work eligibility requirements for fall semester.

Athletic Participation 

• Students must be enrolled at the school to which they are properly assigned under CMS student assignment rules.

• Student-athletes establish a “sports school” at which they are eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics. The sports school for new students and 9th graders is the school in which the student is enrolled on the official first day of school.

• For other students, the sports school will usually be either the school attended the previous 365 days or the student’s home school. There are exceptions to this general rule. Contact the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Athletics Department for detailed information at (980) 343- 6980. 

• A student-athlete who changes schools after establishing a sports school, unless the new school is the student’s home school, is ineligible for 365 days. (A “home school” is the school that serves the area where the student lives.)

• A student-athlete is prohibited from playing the same sport at two schools during the same sports season, even if the second school is the student’s home school.

• No student may be eligible to participate at the high school level for a period lasting longer than eight (8) consecutive semesters, beginning with the student’s entry into the ninth grade or participation on a high school team, whichever occurs first. For students who skip the ninth grade and advance directly to the 10th from the eighth, the year prior to entering the 10th grade is considered the first year of entry into ninth grade for athletics. The principal shall have evidence of the date of each player’s entry into ninth grade. The North Carolina cumulative record is sufficient.

Note: Senior student-athletes not enrolled in a full load during a semester must meet minimum load requirements to be eligible to participate in athletics the following semester. (A student-athlete must be enrolled in and pass the minimum load requirement from fall semester to be eligible to compete in a winter and/or spring sport.) 

CMS has two (2) methods of anonymous communication for individuals to report suspected violations of athletic eligibility requirements: 

1. playfair@cms.k12.nc.us 

2. (980) 343-1098 

For more information about athletic-eligibility rules and the consequences for violations: wearecms.com 

Additional Information 

Athletic information included in this Parent-Student Handbook is provided as a resource. Specific questions or clarifications of athletic information and/or eligibility should be addressed to the school’s athletic director. For additional information, visit the CMS Department of Athletics website at www.cmsathleticzone.com  or call (980) 343-6980.

Calendars

All calendars for the 2025-2026 school year can be found at www.cmsk12.org/calendar

In compliance with federal law, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools administers all education programs, employment activities, and admissions without discrimination against any person on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, national origin, age or disability.