North Carolina Senate Leader Phil Berger is backing a bill to give public schools more calendar flexibility. The state's current law requires schools to start at the end of August, to support the state's summer tourism. Berger told reporters this week that the new bill would let schools start up to a week earlier. He said that should appease school boards who say the current calendar is bad for students because it pushes the fall semester past winter break.
"I think it represents a significant compromise on the part of the travel and tourism folks," Berger said. "It is a bill that should address what I understand is the excuse that we hear from the schools: that they want to align with community colleges, they want to do exams before Christmas break."
The bill also has new enforcement measures. Schools that break the law could have their central office funding cut, and would be more vulnerable to lawsuits from local residents. Last year, a quarter of school districts defied the calendar law, but only two have faced lawsuits.