District staff presented six program‑choice recommendations to the board on Oct. 6 and asked the board to consider each recommendation at next week’s meeting after public comment. Recommendations include expanding STEM magnet kindergarten seats at Patriots, performing an evaluation of Wes Cabarrus high school’s IB program, targeted marketing and flexible enrollment for certain academies, launching a Pearl Innovation District partnership to pilot an AI‑health‑care micro‑school, creating a Concord Middle Academy to give middle‑school students pathways to earn high‑school credits, and piloting tuition‑based pre‑K classrooms at two sites.

On the Pearl proposal, district staff said the partnership would pilot a micro‑school cohort of 30 freshmen and 30 sophomores focused on information‑technology and health‑care applications — including data analytics and AI projects — with students spending regular time in the Pearl’s STEM lab and receiving industry‑aligned project experience. “Our proposal to you this evening is to launch and pilot for the first year 30 freshmen and 30 sophomores,” the district presenter said. Staff said the Pearl and its health‑care partners would provide grant funding and lab access; the district would be responsible for student transportation and coordination. Presenters estimated transportation for the pilot in the low tens of thousands of dollars and said the district could cover initial bus costs if needed, but asked the board to approve the partnership and allow staff to finalize an MOU.

Separately, Concord Middle staff described the newly designed Academy of Global Innovation — a schoolwide program built to prepare students for STEM and global‑studies options at the affiliated high school and to allow a middle‑school pathway that yields high‑school credits before ninth grade. The Concord Middle team said the approach relies primarily on existing staff and facilities and focuses on curriculum design to prepare students for high‑school academies.

On early childhood, staff recommended a tuition‑based pre‑K pilot at two sites to expand access and to respond to about 350 children currently on an NC Pre‑K wait list. Presenters said the pilot would be tuition‑driven and could accept vouchers; they emphasized they would not open classrooms unless tuition and voucher revenue covered operating costs. If approved, staff said they would open an application window, vet demand, and proceed only if the program is financially self‑sustaining.

Ending: The board slated each program‑choice recommendation for action next week so the public can comment; staff said any approved partnerships will be memorialized in MOUs and brought back for board review.