Polk approves resolution for schools to determine own calendar 

 

COLUMBUS—The Polk County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution this week for the school system to control its own calendar instead of the state.  

Commissioners met Monday night and heard from Polk County Schools Superintendent Aaron Greene.  

Greene said in 2004 the North Carolina General Assembly took control of the school calendar, with school not starting until late August and being done by June 11.  

Greene discussed that this calendar year Polk Schools has already used all its snow days and fitting 180 days in the state’s timeline, plus holidays makes it difficult.  

“That constricts those days,” Greene said. “Fitting 180 days in there, all your holidays, is a difficult proposition to say the least.”  

Bills are being introduced to the North Carolina House of Representatives and Polk County can either introduce its own bill or join with other counties to encompass all counties.  

Greene said Polk students have a growing opportunity to take college courses and Polk does not finish its first semester until the end of January, making it difficult to align with the community college calendar.  

Greene also said Polk County does not want to shorten summer break. He said they want to get that 10 weeks in.  

“We feel like our local board of education is the best equipped to make this decision,” Greene said.  

Commissioner Jake Johnson said while at a recent North Carolina Association of County Commissioners conference, an issue of a lawsuit in Union County came up between the county and school board.  

“We don’t have problems like that here,” Johnson said. “We trust them and they trust us. We are just extremely lucky here. I’m all in favor, so certainly trust them to do what’s best.”  

 

Resolution of the Polk County Board of Commissioners supporting local control of school calendars 

WHEREAS, the North Carolina General Statutes give local boards of education power of supervision and control of local school systems; and  

WHEREAS, local control over establishing school calendars is an integral component of school system supervision and administrative powers which local boards of education have been vested; and 

WHEREAS, in 2004 the North Carolina General Assembly seized control of setting school calendars and imposed a one-size-fits-all mandate on how school calendars are to be set; and 

WHEREAS, the current one-size-fits-all school calendar start date is no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26 and the end date is no later than the Friday closest to June 11; and 

WHEREAS, the state mandated late August start date means high schools do not complete the first semester until mid to late January; and  

WHEREAS, the current law essentially requires high school students to take first semester exams after the winter break, which negatively impacts test scores, according to students and educators; and 

WHEREAS, the second semester for high school starts two to three weeks later than community colleges and universities; and  

WHEREAS, superintendents report that the calendar misalignment makes it nearly impossible for high school students or recent winter graduates to take courses at a nearby community college or university during the second semester; and  

WHEREAS, exams for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classed are given on the same day nationwide, and the current calendar law shortens the amount of time North Carolina’s students have to learn the material before test day; and 

WHEREAS, it is well-documented through multiple studies that children will experience a phenomenon known as summer learning loss, which has a disproportionate impact on low-income children; and 

WHEREAS, long summer breaks can also negatively impact child nutrition, as low-income children who have access to regular meals at school through the free and reduced priced meal program may not have access to regular meals at home; and  

WHEREAS, with little flexibility built in to the calendar, scheduling make-up days with unpredictable weather is extremely challenging; and 

WHEREAS, fall sports and band begin August 1, schedules for extracurricular activities have not changed to coincide with the state-mandated school calendar; and  

WHEREAS, local boards of education are best equipped to understand the balancing act of meeting the community’s needs and maximizing student access; and 

WHEREAS, restoring local control of school calendars will allow local boards of education to best meet the calendar preferences of the families, educators and businesses in our community while allowing for innovative experimental approaches to improve student achievement.  

THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Polk County Board of Commissioners hereby requests the North Carolina General Assembly to restore local control of school calendars to best meet the calendar preferences of the families, educators and businesses in our community while allowing for innovative approaches to improve student achievement.