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IMPORTANT UPDATE...July 21, 2010
HB593 is now law (Governor Purdue signed it)...and school calendars will be affected.
Please read the information below, then take a moment to email and call Governor Perdue (click here for email or phone 919-733-4240) as well as your Senator and your Representative (click here). While this bill has now become law, it won't hurt to let these folks know your feelings.
Here's a summary of what HB593 is about. First, note that this bill was on the front burner over a year ago then went away. It was resurrected in the waning days of this year's legislature. Sadly, the way the bill was handled virtually precluded any discussion and debate.
CLICK HERE to read the final version of this bill.
A couple of things to note:
- If you read the bill, there are some provisions tacked onto the end that have absolutely nothing to do with education or school calendars. This is just the way it works when a legislative session comes to a close and things need to get tucked in somewhere.
- The part that does pertain to school calendars basically goes like this:
- The provisions of the current School Calendar Law for an Aug. 25 start date and June 10 end still hold. But, there is a BIG "BUT" that now applies.
- Local school districts can still petition the State Board of Education for a waiver for the law-mandated begin/end dates if a history of inclement weather can be demonstrated. Basically if a school system has closed for eight or more days in four of the previous 10 years, that's grounds for asking for a waiver. Now, however, if weather causes a school to be closed for as few as two hours (examples would be late start or early dismissal or combination of the two), that constitutes an entire "missed day" for the purposes of the waiver requirements.
It doesn't take a lot of imagination to recognize the potential for abuse when it comes to this new law. The two hour provision will make it much easier for school systems to qualify for a waiver, and they will be able to choose a start and/or end date with just a few limitations.
One thing is certain, it will take quite a bit of "watchdog" activity to make sure that local boards do not exercise abusive practices. And it will be equally incumbent to watch the actions of the State Board of Education as waiver requests are processed. At least we can take solace by noting that if SOS-NC had not been actively involved, the outcome could have been worse.
Remember, please let your opinions be heard right away, because this issue will come back up next year.
- Talk with new candidates and make sure they know the truth about the 2004 school calendar law.
- Also, occasionally SOS-NC will send out a special email “blast” to its supporters. If you would like to be added to our contact list, please click here.
WHO ARE WE?
SOS North Carolina is a volunteer coalition of parents, grandparents, education professionals and others who seek to establish, protect and maintain a more traditional school calendar for elementary and secondary schools throughout the state. The objective is to preserve the summer months for outside-the-classroom childhood and family learning experiences and for valuable "real-life” opportunities.
 Snapshot Summary....HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
YOUR HELP IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED!
 SOS-NC is long past the days when it could rely solely on a hand-full of volunteers working a few months out of the year to carry out its mission. This grassroots organization now requires ongoing attention and planning on a large-scale basis. Every year, we have to play “watchdog” (in a major way), present research and data, offer viable suggestions, be present for votes on the House and Senate floors, and attend committee and one-on-one meetings. In other words, in order to keep the 2004 school calendar law from becoming history, SOS-NC has to stay on the front lines, not only through emails and phone calls, but by being a regular presence at the General Assembly.
Also, it is imperative that we continue to keep this website going, as it is the only place where citizens, businesses, etc. (both in and out of state) can go for comprehensive information on NC’s school calendar issues.
That is why SOS-NC asks you to consider a contribution. Just weeks ago, on the floor of the NC House of Representatives, opponents openly vowed to do away with the 2004 school calendar law in next year’s session. They are passionate about doing just that. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MORE AND CONTRIBUTE!
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