Union County Parents Sue Over School Calendar Change
There’s a North Carolina school calendar law that requires most school districts to begin the year in late August and end no later than the Friday closest to June 11. According to The Charlotte Observer, the calendar strives to support the tourism industry. However, several Charlotte area districts recently ignored this, starting the school year earlier. They give various reasons, including trying to match up with community colleges. But, on December 13, Union County school board held a special meeting and approved a start date of August 9. This is nearly three weeks earlier than allowed by law. The board unanimously approved the decision. And now, as two union county parents sue over the calendar change, we’re finding out their objections. Dominique Morrison is a stable owner and parent who offers riding lessons and camps. She claims the earlier calendar start hurts her business and ability to feed horses and stay open, costing her $30,000 in lost revenue. Union County parent and plaintiff Francis Ward is also against the earlier start date. They want the calendar declared invalid.
Other districts, including Gaston, Cleveland and Rutherford counties opened earlier than allowed this year. Cabarrus County voted to do so as well. And, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools discussed making similar votes. However, they chose to remain in compliance with the school calendar law. Parents allege the district gave no advance warning of the early start option. So, two Union County parents sue as we wait to see what happens. According to general counsel to the state board of education, the law does not provide for sanctions against districts defying it. Superintendent Andrew Houlihan says there was positive feedback on the plan in December.
List: Top 25 Best High Schools In North Carolina
Choosing the right school for your child can feel like the most important decision in the world. It’s a factor in where you purchase a home. Should you shell out the big bucks for private school education? How can you set your child up for success? So many parents stress about these decisions for years and years. Good thing Niche.com is here to help with rankings of schools and universities across the country. They recently released their 2023 rankings of schools. This includes K-12 as well as higher education. You can play around with the filters and view the rankings based on a variety of factors. One of the more intriguing, and important levels of schooling is high school. Preparing for college, gaining admission to the best colleges, and even getting credit hours under your belt is so important. So what are the best high schools in North Carolina? Let’s find out.
For this list, we are looking at both public and private schools. The good news the number one spot on this list is a public school. Though it’s a specialized one. The rest of the is mainly private schools (and multiple in Charlotte!) with a couple of public schools mixed in. You also will see two Charlotte area public schools in the Top 25. But where did these rankings come from you may ask? According to Niche:
The 2023 Best High Schools ranking is based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, grade school ratings, and the overall quality of the school district. Read more on how this ranking was calculated.
If you’re struggling with where to send your child to school hopefully this list will help you narrow it down. These are the 25 best high schools in North Carolina.
Debbie Nance is the afternoon co-host along with her husband on "The Charlie and Debbie Show" at WSOC, Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has been with the station for 18 years. Debbie is a CMA Award winner for Radio Personality of the Year. And, she has worked in radio for 40 years. Before her current afternoon position, Debbie spent more than a decade as co-host on morning shows in several markets across the Southeast. As a content creator for Country 1037, Debbie writes articles about food, new restaurants in the Carolinas and travel experiences.
