AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n
Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n The number of North Carolina school districts defying the state\u2019s school calendar law is increasing with a record number choosing to begin the school year in early to mid-August.<\/p>\n Read more NC red meat allergy cases are rising due to tick bites. Here\u2019s what to know<\/a><\/p>\n A News & Observer analysis of a new report presented to the State Board of Education<\/a> on Wednesday shows 33 of the state\u2019s 115 school districts plan to start next school year earlier than allowed under state law. That\u2019s three more districts than<\/a> this school year.<\/p>\n School officials say starting earlier in August helps high school students take final exams before Christmas. A late August start means finals are either held after winter break or schools have to significantly shorten the fall semester to get the tests done in December.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody, they just do it, and they do it for the right reasons,\u201d interim Anson County Superintendent Brian Ratliff said before the district became one of the newest to defy the calendar law. \u201cAnd that is to make sure we do exactly what we just said that we\u2019re all about doing, and that\u2019s providing the best instruction for our kids.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s a trend that was decried by the state\u2019s tourism industry that helped push for the school calendar law.<\/p>\n \u201cThe question is not whether the law should change,\u201d Vince Chelena, executive director of the North Carolina Travel Industry Association, said in an interview Tuesday. \u201cThe question is whether local boards should follow the law that exists today.<\/p>\n \u201cThe law was put in place by the General Assembly, and that\u2019s the same body that gave governance to school boards to begin with. It just surprises me that those people who are in charge of that continue to disobey the law, whether there are penalties or not.\u201d<\/p>\n The school calendar law was passed in 2004 amid complaints about the summer vacation season being shortened by schools holding classes in early August. There have been no major changes to the law since it went into effect despite lobbying by school districts who say they want more control over setting their calendars.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019re involved in is trying to protect families that depend on tourism \u2014 particularly along the coast and in the mountains \u2014 who have a short period of time in which to make their livelihood,\u201d Chelena said. \u201cAnd there\u2019s also parents, especially with children, who use August as a prime vacation time, so we\u2019re defending that.\u201d<\/p>\n Currently, the state\u2019s traditional public schools can\u2019t open sooner than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 or close later than the Friday closest to June 11. That means most schools are supposed to start next school year no earlier than Aug. 24.<\/p>\n The calendar law doesn\u2019t apply to private schools, charter schools, year-round schools, restart schools, early college high schools, the Rowan-Salisbury school system and nine districts that have waivers from the State Board of Education due to past weather issues.<\/p>\n The state House annually passes bills to give school calendar flexibility. But they\u2019ve died in the Senate, drawing frustrated complaints from school board members across the state.<\/p>\n \u201cTeachers across the whole county want the early calendar because it just makes sense,\u201d Iredell-Statesville school board member Cindy Haynes said before the board\u2019s Feb. 9 vote to continue defying the calendar law. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s just common sense. So, why do our state representatives not see it?\u201d<\/p>\n Last year, the Senate passed what was described as a compromise bill that would let school districts start a week earlier in August<\/a> if they finish classes before Memorial Day. But the N.C. School Boards Association doesn\u2019t back the Senate bill because hey say it could shorten the school year too much.<\/p>\n The House hasn\u2019t yet acted on the Senate bill.<\/p>\n The Senate will be under new leadership next year after Senate leader Phil Berger lost his re-election bid in the March Republican Primary. A school calendar bill may be something that\u2019s handled next year by lawmakers, according to Bruce Mildwurf, director of governmental relations for the School Boards Association.<\/p>\n Read more Top alcohol distributor closing Charlotte, Raleigh sites and laying off over 50<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe look forward to once again trying to sit down with all stakeholders and see what we can get done,\u201d Mildwurf said in an interview Wednesday. \u201cWe\u2019re focused on a student-centered calendar. We believe we can have a calendar in the best interests of students, and one that does not hurt the tourism industry.\u201d<\/p>\n Frustrations about the lack of legislative action have caused a growing number of school leaders to defy the calendar law.<\/p>\n \u201cI voted no for the last four years on this thing because it\u2019s against the law and I took an oath and I don\u2019t like breaking oaths,\u201d Iredell-Statesville school board chair Doug Knight said on Feb. 9 before voting to not follow the calendar law. \u201cBut the reality is, you know it\u2019s the right thing to do ultimately. Unfortunately I\u2019m going to vote for it this time.\u201d<\/p>\n The 33 districts starting before Aug. 24 without state permission represent 28% of the state\u2019s school districts.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you to the 72% that are complying with the law and being good examples for the students that are under their care,\u201d Chelena said.<\/p>\n Anson, Caswell and Graham counties opted to sidestep the calendar law this fall after having followed it this school year.<\/p>\n Anson County will start classes on Aug. 12, nearly two weeks earlier than allowed. Ratliff, the district\u2019s superintendent, tried to reassure school board members that there\u2019s little chance of being penalized.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not running rogue here,\u201d Ratliff said at the board\u2019s Nov. 24 meeting. \u201cBut we are following suit with many, many, many other school districts in order to do exactly what we need to get done there.\u201d<\/p>\n The calendar law doesn\u2019t have an enforcement mechanism, unlike the version passed by the Senate.<\/p>\n But Chelena said people in those 33 school districts can take action if they don\u2019t like the early start to the school year.<\/p>\n In recent years, the Carteret County, Davidson County and Union County school systems dropped plans to defy the calendar law after being sued.<\/p>\n \u201cAnybody who becomes disappointed with an early calendar date can bring a suit against that particular school district, and they have won three times already,\u201d Chelena said. \u201cThe courts have already ruled that it\u2019s state law.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 10:17 AM<\/span> with the headline “More NC school districts going \u2018rogue\u2019 to defy the calendar law. See which ones.” <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n