Under current law, GS 115C-84.2(d) sets the parameters within which local boards of education must determine the opening and closing dates of public schools under subdivision (a)(1) of this statute and limits the opening date for students to be no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26 and the closing date for students no later than the Friday closes to June 11, unless a school was a year-round school or a showing of good cause resulted in a State Board of Education (Board) waiver allowing the local board of education to set an opening date no earlier than the Monday closes to August 19, as long as school calendars could provide sufficient days to accommodate anticipated makeup days due to school closings.

Amends GS 115C-84.2(d) by allowing, in alternative to the above, the opening date for students to be earlier than the Monday closest to August 19 with no mention of the Board waiver, so long as there are an equal number of days in the spring and fall semester, and requiring that the closing date for students cannot be later than the Friday immediately preceding the last Monday in May. Makes technical changes to some language and formatting in the subsection.

Moves the permission for a local board of education to revise the scheduled closing date to new subsection (d1) and amends this by permitting the revision only with approval of the Board and if a school experienced closures caused by severe weather, energy shortages, power failures, or other emergencies (was, revision permitted if needed to comply with minimum requirements for instructional days or instructional time only without Board approval or parameters around cause for closure).

Adds new subsection (d2) that provides exceptions to these required opening and closing dates which are already allowed under current law for modified calendars and year-round schools.

Adds new section to Part 2 of Article 8 of Chapter 115C, which does the following:

(1) Enacts GS 115C-84.2A making it a duty of the local board of education to ensure local school administrative units comply with school calendar requirements in Part 2 and deeming (1) negligent failure to ensure compliance as misfeasance and (2) willful effort to prevent compliance as malfeasance.

(2) Enacts GS 115C-84.2B requiring the Board to ensure public school units compliance with Part 2 and requiring investigation of compliance by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (Superintendent) and notice to the Board if the Superintendent receives information from the listed sources that a public school unit has not complied. Details requirements for the Superintendent to report the findings to the Board and for the Board’s consideration of the report. Provides instruction for the Board on when to find a public school unit has not complied with Part 2 of this Article. Provides instruction to the Board and the governing body of the public school unit if a majority vote of the Board finds that the governing body has not complied with Part 2 of this Article. Mandates that, in the event of noncompliance, the Board must withhold the local school administrative unit’s central office administration allotment until it determines the local board is no longer noncompliant. Requires the Board to report such withholding action to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee within 60 days and requires the NCGA to consider the future governance of the identified public school unit no later than the next session of the NCGA.

(3) Enacts GS 115C-84.2 that allows a person, as defined in the statute, residing in or maintaining a place of business in the boundaries of a local school administrative unit to bring a cause of action against the local board of education if it does not comply with Part 2 of this Article. Details the judgment, relief, and award a could must issue if they find noncompliance and permits the court to impose civil penalties against the board up to $10,000.

Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.