The North Carolina state Senate leader wants to give public education leaders more flexibility in starting their school year.
State law currently forbids public school districts from starting class instruction before the Monday closest to Aug. 26 — but nearly a quarter of the state’s districts broke the law last year. A bill filed by Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, attempts to strike a compromise between school leaders who want scheduling flexibility and businesses in the tourism industry that prefer longer summer breaks.
Senate Bill 754 would allow schools to start as early as the Monday closest to Aug. 19, though they would have to end no later than the Friday before Memorial Day.
But the bill would also pose punishments for…
