The Burke County Board of Education looked at the proposed calendar for the 2025-26 school year at its meeting Monday night, discussing whether to follow North Carolina’s school calendar law.
The proposed calendar, presented by Keith Recker, human resources director for Burke County Public Schools, would see students return to the classroom on Aug. 25. Summer break would begin May 29, 2026. There would be 20 teacher workdays, 10 vacation days and 11 legal holidays.
The first semester would end on Dec. 19. High school students would be able to take end of semester exams before winter break begins, but the first semester would be a little shorter than the second semester (77 days compared to 92 days).
Board member Brad Camp said he would like to see the school year begin early, on Aug. 11 for teachers and Aug. 19 for students, but doing so would violate state law.
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NC General Statutes require school calendars to start no earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and end no later than the Friday closest to June 11.
Chris Campbell, attorney for the board, said multiple school districts in the state have decided to approve calendars that go against the calendar law by starting earlier than the required date.
He said there aren’t any consequences laid out in state law for districts that violate the school calendar law.
There have been at least two incidents in the state where people have filed injunctions with the court after school districts approved calendars that violated the state’s calendar law, Campbell said. After those injunctions were filed, the school districts reverted to calendars that adhere to the law.
“That’s a practical consideration that I think a lot of the school boards have faced that even if you were to start early, you could face a lawsuit. You could decide to then change your calendar and you’ve now, to some degree, inconvenienced families and parents who have made plans, potentially, on another calendar,†Campbell said.
Board Chair Tiana Beachler said when she first joined the board a few years ago, she supported a calendar that went against the state law. Now, she said she has had a change of heart.
Beachler said she’s worried if the board approved an illegal calendar with an earlier start date, families who plan their vacations around that calendar could lose money and time if the calendar was challenged in court.
“I do not feel that this fight lies with us,†Beachler said. “The General Assembly needs to allow us to have control over our calendars. We need to voice those concerns and those frustrations with the people who have the authority to undo all of this, because it is asinine.â€
Board member Leslie Taylor said she believed members would be violating their oaths of office if they voted to violate the calendar law.
“As elected officials, we took an oath to uphold the law and until this law changes, we would be violating our oath of office if we decide to violate legislation,†Taylor said.
The board added the calendar to the agenda for its meeting on Monday, Feb. 3.
Middle College calendar the exception
Burke Middle College students get an earlier start than traditional schools because of an exception written into state law for innovative schools.
Students there would return to the classroom on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
The last day of school would by May 26, 2026. They start a week before Western Piedmont Community College to give teachers time to help the students learn their way around the college campus and better understand the expectations of their college coursework.
Kristen Edwards, director of digital teaching and learning, said Burke Middle College is considered an innovative school by the state, which allows it to align its schedule more closely to the community college.
She said there is a specific application process schools must go through to be considered an innovative school. While students at traditional high schools can take some college courses, those schools do not meet the requirements to be considered innovative schools, said Mike Swan, superintendent of Burke County Public Schools.
Both calendars are expected to be on the school board’s agenda for its regular meeting Monday, Feb. 3, at 6 p.m. The board meets at the Olive Hill Resource Center, 509 W. Concord St., Â鶹´«Ã½. There will be an opportunity for public comments at the meeting.
