North Carolina Lawmakers To Study School District Break-Ups

 North Carolina lawmakers are set to study the idea of breaking up some school districts.

The News & Observer reports a newly formed joint legislative study committee is scheduled to report by May 1 on whether to recommend passing legislation to divide previously merged districts.

Primary sponsors of the bill to create the committee are Republican Reps. Bill Brawley and John Bradford of Mecklenburg County and Rep. Chris Malone of Wake County, also a Republican.

Supporters of the bill say the state should look at what's the most effective size for school districts while opponents say it could lead to resegregation of schools.

Wake County is the nation's 15th largest school system and the state's biggest with 160,429 students. Charlotte-Mecklenburg is second in the state with 147,000 students.