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The journey of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) from “a system of schools to a school system,” as one district leader put it, is not simply a story about adopting curriculums. It is also a story about what a district had to build—structurally, culturally, and financially—to make those curriculums work for every student across more than 180 schools. This case study traces that journey, with particular attention to how CMS hardwired its routines and practices to ensure lasting progress: systematizing supports, building internal expertise, and reducing dependence on external vendors to sustain implementation through leadership transitions, a global pandemic, and years of institutional change.