Henderson Co. Board of Education votes to defy state law, start school early next 2 years

HENDERSONVILLE - For the second year in a row, Henderson County Public Schools has voted to break the state law and start the school year two weeks earlier than the state mandates.

The Board of Education approved an early start for the 2024-25 school year and also the 2025-26 school year at its Jan. 8 meeting.

As the law stands now, the 2024-25 start on Aug. 12 will break the state statute, which states that the first day of school can be no earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26, 2024. There isn't a state mandate yet for the start of the 2025-26 school year.

In a repeat of last year's vote, it was once again a 4-3 split decision on Jan. 8, with Blair Craven, Jay Egolf, Robert Bridges and Stacey Caskey voting in favor, and Kathy Revis, Alyssa Norman and Shelia Dale voting against.

"I'm not willing to break state law over this," Norman said. "The law doesn't make sense to me. I think there are state legislators who will change this law in the future. I hear everyone, and I agree ... but ultimately unfortunately for me it's a no."

Revis said she also liked the benefits the calendar had for the students and the faculty, but she agreed with Norman that she couldn't go against the state law and vote for it.

"It all looks great except for one little thing ... it doesn't comply with the general statute. I do not take this lightly at all. I hope you respect my decision based on my ethical dilemma. I can't vote for it either," she said.

More: Henderson County Schools looking to break law again with 2024 early start

Dale said she, too, couldn't break her oath and vote for it.

"I agree with Alyssa and Kathy. Based on my oath, I just can't do this. If I break this law, what other laws will I break in the future?" she said.

The 2024-25 calendar has the Christmas holiday beginning Dec. 20, with students returning to school on Jan. 6. Spring break would be March 17-21, and the final day for students would be May 23. For the 2025-26 calendar, the vote was exactly the same, and it was approved. The first day of school will be Aug. 11, 2025. Christmas break begins Dec. 22, with students returning on Jan. 5. Spring break will be March 16-20, and the last day for students will be May 22, an early dismissal day.

Henderson County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Garrett presented the calendars at the Jan. 8 meeting and said that both calendars mirror the current 2023-24 school calendar.

"We finish our semester before the Christmas break, and everyone likes that," he said. "We did convene this past year for the first time a calendar committee that had representation from each of our school sites. There was a lot of robust discussion over the different options. I think it was a good learning experience for those who participated."

Garrett also said the calendars line up with the college calendars for Blue Ridge Community College.

"I spoke with officials at Blue Ridge Community College, and they are awaiting the decision here tonight before they make a decision on their calendars," Garrett said.

Last year, Henderson County wasn't the only one that voted to break the law and start early. According to past Times-News reporting, Polk County Schools and Avery County Schools started on Aug. 14; Jackson County Schools started on Aug. 16; and Madison County Schools, Swain County Schools, Graham County Schools, Haywood County Schools, Mitchell County Schools and Yancey County Schools all started a week early on Aug. 21.

More: Mike Edney's comments put wheels in motion to get NC's school start date law modified

There has been discussion among state legislators about possibly changing the law. Rep. Jake Johnson told the Times-News over the summer that he supports changing the law, as long as it is done through the right channels. He said it is still a work in progress.

"We passed this measure in the House that would allow for the school calendar flexibility, and we hope that we can all advocate for this in the Senate to avoid it ending up in a legal dispute when we all want what is best for the students," he said in a past Times-News article.

Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Breaking the law: Henderson Co. Schools to start early next 2 years