Each year, CMS schools start at the end of August, which is much later than surrounding states. There is a North Carolina law that has restricted schools from starting early, setting the start date to the closest Monday after the 26th, which was the 29th this year. In Gaston, Cleveland, and Rutherford counties, schools started on the 17th due to pressure from their communities, but there are supporters on both sides of this argument.
The School Calendar Legislation, which sets start dates, was originally passed in 2004. It was revised June 30, 2020 to accommodate for remote learning due to COVID-19. In 2020, CMS schools returned on August 17, more than 2 weeks earlier than usual. The decision for the School Calendar Legislation was made by the NC General Assembly to allow for a uniform end to summer tourism in North Carolina.
In 2020, the first semester concluded December 21, before the annual winter break. Students had finals for semester long classes and midterms for year long classes before winter break then started new classes upon return . School ended for students on May 28, a little under 2 weeks earlier than when we will end this year.
There are many people who oppose the calendar legislation, feeling that the decision should be made county to county. However, the reason the law stands is because of the summer tourism industry. Some supporters of the legislation claim that the late start supports tourism industries by allowing for extended summer vacations. There is also fear that changing the calendar may result in a more year round schedule, with losses of lengthy breaks and causing damage to the tourism industry in the beaches and mountains.
According to Ann Doss Helms in an article on WFAE, one of the biggest reasons people protest the school calendar is that semester long classes hold exams after winter break. The reason CMS schedules exams for after the break is because the semesters would be uneven if it ended before the break. Gaston County solved this problem by proposing a new schedule balancing the semesters. Schools in Gaston County are attending to this new schedule despite violating the state law.
Private schools in Charlotte set their own schedule, and many started a week or two before CMS. They don’t use funding from the state, and therefore have the freedom to appoint their schedule however they choose. Because CMS schools’ money comes from the state, they have to adhere to the state calendar legislation.
Additionally, several counties receive weather waivers and can start earlier. According to Helms at WFAE, as many as 12 counties in the mountains receive waivers due to the amount of days they have to take off because of weather. Additionally, some counties have found loopholes around the law. Part of the law states that year round schools have an exception to the start date. Some school districts claim their summer programs as a “year round school,” and lawfully start early.
High schools are probably most affected by the calendar legislation because exams tend to fall after the break. Additionally, students taking college courses have exams at different times from high school. Small schools who offer dual enrollment courses, have the option to sync their schedules with the courses. However, bigger schools, such as Myers Park, do not have that option.
It is important to find a balance between what is best for students and the tourism industry. If the legislation were to change, who’s to say that some counties may try to push it back even more, lengthening the school year? Additionally, there is no way to know the impact that it could have on the economy. Although, it could be beneficial for students to take exams before winter break, and teachers would not have to spend a week catching up, only to switch classes a few weeks later. At the moment, CMS has mentioned starting earlier next year, but there is no definite decision yet.