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. Public Schools of North Carolina . . State Board of Education . . Department Of Public Instruction .

SCHOOL CALENDAR

LEGISLATION SUMMARY FOR LEAS

 

EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2013

2012 Senate Bill 187 (Session Law 2012-145), applies beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, rewrites a portion of the calendar law (General Statute 115C-84.2). Legislation: Session Law 2012-145, Senate Bill 187, Sectio n 7A.11.

School Calendars must meet the following requirements:

  1. Start date no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26 and end date no later than the Friday closest to June 11 (unless a weather related calendar waiver has been approved, year-round school, charter school or cooperative innovative high school.) If waiver is approved the start date can be no earlier than the Monday closest to August 19.
  2. There are no educational purpose waivers for exemption of the opening and/or closing dates.
  3. All schools within the district must be closed all day for purposes of determining eligibility for a weather related waiver (delayed starts or early dismissals of two or more hours no longer apply).
  4. Covers at least nine calendar months.
  5. Must have a minimum of 185 days OR 1,025 hours of instruction.
  6. Must have at least ten (10) teacher workdays. Note: In years when Christmas is on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, nine (9) days shall be designated as teacher workdays.
  7. Local Boards shall designate two (2) workdays on which teachers may take accumulated vacation leave. Local Boards may designate the remaining workdays as days teachers may take accumulated vacation leave.
  8. Have a minimum of ten (10) annual vacation leave days.
  9. Have the same or an equivalent number of legal holidays occurring within the school calendar as those designated by the State Personnel Commission for State employees.
  10. School shall not be held on Sunday.
  11. Veterans Day shall be a holiday for all public school personnel and for all students enrolled in the public schools.

Note: Charter schools must meet the requirements of 185 days or 1,025 hours of instruction.

 

EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2011

2011 House Bill 200 (Session Law 2011-145), effective July 1, 2011, rewrites a portion of the calendar law (General Statute 115C-84.2). Legislation: Session Law 2011-145, House Bill 200, Section 7.29, Increase Number of Instructional Days

School Calendars must meet the following requirements:

  1. Start and End dates of August 25 and June 10 (unless waiver has been approved, year-round school or Charter School).
  2. School Calendar shall consist of 215 days, all of which shall fall within the same fiscal year.
  3. Covers at least nine calendar months.
  4. Must have a minimum of 185 days and 1,025 hours of instruction.
  5. Must have at least ten teacher workdays.
  6. Local Boards shall designate two (2) workdays on which teachers may take accumulated vacation leave. Local Boards may designate the remaining workdays as days teachers may take accumulated vacation leave.
  7. Have a minimum of 10 annual vacation leave days.
  8. Have the same or an equivalent number of legal holidays occurring within the school calendar as those designated by the State Personnel Commission for State employees.
  9. School shall not be held on Sunday.
  10. Veterans Day shall be a holiday for all public school personnel and for all students enrolled in the public schools.
  11. If the State Board of Education finds that it will enhance student performance to do so, the State Board may grant a local board of education for an LEA or Charter School a waiver to use up to five of the instructional days as teacher workdays. For each instructional day waived, the State Board shall waive an equivalent number of instructional hours.

Note: Charter schools must provide instruction for at least 185 days and are not subject to the 1,025 hours requirement.

 

CALENDAR RESOURCES FOR LEAS

  • 185 Day Waiver Requests Status 2012-13
    (xls, 57kb)  UPDATED 5/30/12
  • Make-up Days FAQ
    (pdf, 15kb)   UPDATED 7/11/11
  • LEAs with Calendar Waivers (Weather) 2013-14
    (pdf, 15kb)   POSTED 2/26/13
  • LEAs with Calendar Waivers (Weather) 2012-13
    (pdf, 21kb)   UPDATED 7/25/12
  • History - LEAs eligible for a Calendar Waiver
    (pdf, 227kb)   UPDATED 2/26/13
  • Use of Workdays Table
    (pdf, 48kb)   UPDATED 6/25/12
  • Attorney General's Ruling on School Calendar
    (pdf, 78kb)
  • History of the School Calendar
    (pdf, 64kb)   UPDATED 8/31/12
    • History Grid
      (pdf, 52kb)   UPDATED 4/4/13

 

CALENDAR TYPES

  • Traditional: A school has one track in operation for at least 185 days, with a long summer break (approximately 10 weeks.)
  • Year Round: A school that remains in session for the entire calendar year. (School calendar covers at least 11 months)
  • Modified Year Round: A school has only one track in operation for at least 185 days, with longer Fall & Spring breaks (approximately 2 weeks each) and a short Summer break (approximately 6-7 weeks.)
    Note: At this time, a school may not open with or convert to a modified calendar. Pre-existing modified calendar schools from 2003-04 are exempt. Legislation states that the "the required opening and closing dates shall not apply to any school that a local board designated as having a modified calendar for the 2003-04 school year or to any school that was part of a planned program in the 2003-04 school year for a system of modified calendar schools, so long as the school operates under a modified calendar."
  • Traditional and Year Round Combination: A school that offers two or more calendar types.

Note: LEAs and charter schools are responsible for entering a calendar type for each school in EDDIE.

 

 

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