Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
7 <br /> RES-2019-009 DRAFT Attachment 3 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> RESOLUTION SUPPORTING LOCAL CONTROL OF SCHOOL <br /> CALENDARS <br /> WHEREAS, the North Carolina General Statutes give local boards of education powers <br /> of supervision and control of local school systems; and <br /> WHEREAS, local control over establishing school calendars is an integral component of <br /> school system supervision and administrative powers with which local boards of education have <br /> been vested; and <br /> WHEREAS, in 2004 the North Carolina General Assembly seized control of setting <br /> school calendars and imposed a one-size-fits-all mandate on how school calendars are to be set; <br /> and <br /> WHEREAS, the current one-size-fits-all school calendar start date is no earlier than the <br /> Monday closest to August 26 and the end date is no later than the Friday closest to June 11; and <br /> WHEREAS, the State mandated late August start date means high schools do not <br /> complete the first semester until mid to late January; and <br /> WHEREAS, the current law essentially requires high school students to take first <br /> semester exams after the winter break, which negatively impacts test scores, according to <br /> students and educators; and <br /> WHEREAS, the second semester for high schools starts two to three weeks later than <br /> community colleges and universities; and <br /> WHEREAS, superintendents report that the calendar misalignment makes it nearly <br /> impossible for high school students or recent winter graduates to take courses at a nearby <br /> community college or university during the second semester; and <br /> WHEREAS, exams for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes are <br /> given on the same day nationwide, and the current calendar law shortens the amount of time <br /> North Carolina's students have to learn the material before test day; and <br /> WHEREAS, it is well-documented through multiple studies that children will experience <br /> a phenomenon known as summer learning loss, which has a disproportionate impact on low- <br /> income children; and <br /> WHEREAS, long summer breaks can also negatively impact child nutrition, as low- <br /> income children who have access to regular meals at school through the free and reduced priced <br /> meal program may not have access to regular meals at home; and <br />