School calendar bill passes in NC Senate. Why law may change after years of debate
A compromise school calendar bill that has received the support of schools and the tourism industry could become North Carolina law this year.
School calendar flexibility bills historically pass the state House but die in the Senate due to the lobbying of the tourism industry. But on April 30, the state Senate voted 39-7 to approve a bill that would let school districts start a week earlier in August in exchange for creating penalties for violating the school calendar law.
“We have 25% of the school districts in North Carolina that have adopted school calendars which are not in compliance with the school calendar law,” said Sen. Amy Galey, an Alamance County Republican and one of the primary sponsors of the bill. “Therefore, I worked with different stakeholders. ... After weeks of discussions, we came up with a new alternative.”
Senate Bill 754 will make it easier for schools to schedule high school final exams before winter break. The bill will cost the tourism industry a week of August business but could deter schools from holding classes in early August.
Senate leader Phil Berger, who historically has blocked calendar bills, was also one of the bill’s primary sponsors. If it becomes law, it wouldn’t go into effect until the 2026-27 school year.
Will House approve Senate bill?
The “School Calendar Flexibility: A New Alternative” bill now goes to the House. The question is whether the House will take the Senate bill or try to add its own changes.
The House voted 111-2 on May 6 to pass a school calendar flexibility. Unlike the Senate bill, House Bill 121 would let school districts set their own opening and closing dates.
“It’s probably not going anywhere but we’re going to try it,” state Rep. Larry Potts, a Davidson County Republican, said before the April 29 House K-12 Education Committee vote.
Rep. Donny Lambeth, a Forsyth County Republican, suggested that the leaders of the House Education Committee form a working group on how to respond to the Senate bill. Rep. Tricia Cotham, a Mecklenburg County Republican and a co-chair of the Education Committee, assured Lambeth they have a plan.
“Every once in awhile they [Senate] send us something good and they surprise us, and so I think that’s happened this session,” Cotham said.
Final exams before winter break
The school calendar law was first passed in 2004 amid complaints about the summer vacation season being shortened by schools holding classes in early August.
Currently, the state’s traditional public schools can’t open sooner than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 or close later than the Friday closest to June 11. The calendar law doesn’t apply to private schools, charter schools, year-round schools and early college high schools.
Galey said 30 of the state’s 115 school districts have found a way to follow the current calendar law while holding final exams before winter break. But the majority of districts hold final exams in January because they’d have to significantly shorten the fall semester to get the tests done before Christmas.
“There’s been concerns expressed, as you may have heard over the years, about whether or not that offers enough flexibility to local school districts to meet local needs,” Galey said.
End school year by Memorial Day
Under the new Senate bill, school districts can start the Monday closest to Aug. 19 as long as they end the school year by the Friday before Memorial Day. Schools would have to have an equal number of days in the fall and spring semester if they use this option.
Districts can also choose to continue to follow the current start and end date requirements.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools sent a letter backing the Senate bill, saying “it will allow CMS to accomplish our primary goal of completing the first semester before winter break.”
“Allowing students to complete the first semester before the winter break offers numerous benefits,” the CMS school board wrote in a letter to the Mecklenburg County legislative delegation supporting the Senate bill. “It allows students to take their finals while the material is still fresh in their minds, providing a more accurate assessment of their knowledge and skills.
“Additionally, it allows students who wish to enroll in college in the second semester the opportunity to do so. Without the looming pressure of upcoming exams, students and families can enjoy the break with friends and family.”
Penalties for violating calendar law
Statewide, a quarter of North Carolina’s school districts are defying the school calendar law by starting in mid-August.
Some districts have cited a 2022 state Supreme Court ruling upholding the Leandro plan, which included more funding for schools and school calendar flexibility. But most school districts have been reluctant to cite Leandro because of concerns the Supreme Court will overturn the ruling in an upcoming decision.
The current calendar law doesn’t have an enforcement mechanism.
But under the Senate bill, the State Board of Education would withhold central office funding to school districts that are not following the calendar law. Districts get state funding to help cover their central office costs.
In addition, the legislation says business owners living in a school district that’s not following the calendar law can file a lawsuit. The court can issue an injunction against the school district, award the business owner attorney fees and costs, and impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000 on the school board.
Tourism groups have attended legislative committee hearings to voice their support for the bill’s enforcement mechanism.
“It’s time for us to put this school calendar debate to rest,” Berger said in a news release. “Stakeholders have come together to find a workable proposal for students, families, and local businesses. This was no small task, and I’m glad to see this bill pass the Senate with bipartisan support.”
This story was originally published April 30, 2025 at 6:05 PM.
