NC S373

Authorizes the State Board of Education to waive the standard school calendar opening date requirement (no earlier than Monday closest to August 26) to allow local boards to set opening dates as early as the Monday closest to August 19 when implementing enhanced career technical education or college transfer certificate programs developed in collaboration with community colleges.

Permits calendar modifications only when necessary to align school opening and closing dates with community college course schedules for qualifying educational programs established under G.S. 115D-20(4)a.2. or G.S. 115D-20(4)a.3.

Requires the State Board of Education to find that the waiver is necessary to accomplish the program's purpose and is not an attempt to circumvent existing calendar requirements or accommodate general class scheduling preferences.

Effective beginning with the 2013-2014 school year.