BY KARISSA MILLER

The Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education delayed a vote on the school calendar last month because members could not decide whether to implement a calendar that violates North Carolina’s school calendar laws.

The school board is expected revisit this matter and adopt a calendar on Monday during their regular meeting at 6 p.m. at the Career Academy and Technical School, 350 Old Murdock Road in Troutman.

I-SS schools opened August 14 this year, which was not in line with North Carolina’s school calendar law. The law requires public schools to start “no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26 and end by the Friday closest to June 11.”

For the 2024-2025 school year, I-SS Director of Accountability, Testing and Student Information Laura Elliot presented two calendars for the board last month:

Option 1: The school year will begin on August 12, 2024, and the last day of school would be May 23, 2025. The first semester would end prior to the winter break. Students would attend school for 176 days or 1,056 hours.

Option 2: The start date would be August 26, 2024, and the last day of school would be June 10, 2025. The first semester would end after the winter break in mid-January. Students would attend school for a total of 179 days or 1,074 hours.

In the past, the district, with the support of the Iredell County Board of Commissioners, has requested that the General Assembly allow local boards of education authority to set their own school calendar.

School officials argue that existing state law forces students to take their final exams after winter break and causes misalignment for early college high school students.

OTHER BUSINESS

Also, during Monday’s meeting, the board will:
• Recognize Lake Norman High School cheerleading, South Iredell High School’s FFA students and North Iredell High School’s livestock evaluation; and
• Recognize schools that have met or exceeded growth

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