School districts in several states are making significant changes to their 2026 school calendars.
North Carolina
Pender County Schools in North Carolina will begin its school year for students on August 10 in 2026, 15 days earlier than the August 25 start date in 2025.
The change goes against current state law, which states that schools should not start before the Monday closest to August 26, WECT News 6 reported. A Senate bill was introduced earlier this year to allow local boards of education to set an opening date no earlier than the Monday closest to August 19.
“One of the most important factors in the decision was aligning the first semester to end before the holiday break, a priority expressed by many stakeholders who were concerned about students taking exams after returning from winter break,” Pender County Schools told WECT…