Kevin Corbin
Raleigh – A revised bill that looks to allow for more flexibility in Western North Carolina schools planning their annual calendars has been submitted at the state level.
Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Macon) pitched Senate Bill 170 – “An Act to Provide Local Boards of Education Flexibility in Adopting the School Calendar in Multiple Counties” to his colleagues March 1.
Corbin spoke with The Graham Star about the bill, with the former House of Representatives member revealing that the concept for the action was first tossed about when he served on the Macon County Board of Education in the mid 2000s. At that time, legislation was passed in Raleigh that looked to curb the trend of starting school in early-August.
Under N.C. G.S. 115C-84.2(d), the current guidelines stipulate that an academic year must not begin any earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 – nor end any later than the Friday closest to June 11.
“There was a group called ’Save our Summers,’ which basically campaigned for school to start closer to Labor Day, so kids could be out all summer and everything would be uniform,” Corbin explained. “Most schools would tell you they like to start earlier, but on the other side of that, the law causes the midterm of the year to be after January 1.
“Most educators feel that it’s hard to get kids back (from Winter Break) and go to class for two weeks, then switch over for the new semester.”
The statute also provides a waiver for local boards of education that can push the start date back one week, the Monday closest to Aug. 19 – provided the state board of education gives the green light.
Corbin admitted that inclement weather played a role in the bill’s presentation, which spans Asheville City Schools and systems in Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and Transylvania counties. The mountainous region of Western North Carolina that Corbin represents is often subjected to unexpected weather events, such as snow and ice. Even high winds have forced closings in recent years.
The Franklin-based Senator pointed out that he attempted to have the bill passed while he served as District 120 in the state House of Representatives, but to no avail.
“It would always pass the house, but not the senate,” Corbin said. “That’s been the law and we have a lot of people in the senate that look at it and say, ‘Well, we have a law on when the school year starts – and that’s just when it is.’ And that’s normally the end of the discussion.
“But if you don’t ask, you won’t get it. A number of my school systems have continually requested this, so I asked for it.”
The revision calls for local boards of education to use their discretion on when a school year should begin and conclude, even if that means later end dates to ensure the minimum requirements for both instructional days and times are met.
“I come from a background of being a former school board member, so I do believe it should be a locally-controlled decision,” Corbin added.
Graham County Schools Superintendent Angie Knight provided The Graham Star with a statement in support of the motion. Knight alluded to the bill’s introduction when the district presented its 2023-24 draft calendar at its March meeting.
“I fully support S.B. 170,” Knight said. “The General Assembly should trust each school district to set an academic calendar that maximizes opportunities for students. Our current calendar laws force a misalignment with the community college schedule, which potentially could have high school students finishing EOC (end-of-course) tests and beginning a new community college class at the same time.
“As a district, we have historically received a weather waiver to allow school to begin a week early.
“This allows us to squeeze in classes and exams at the high school before Christmas. With mild winters and the pandemic, the weather waiver will not continue to apply to us.
“It is time that the school calendar decisions return to local control.”
If the bill passes, it would go into effect for the 2023-24 school year.