School Calendar Compliance Act (SB 499) Summary

• Allows any resident of a local school administrative unit or the Superintendent of Public Instruction to bring a declaratory judgment action against a school board for adopting a calendar that violates statutory requirements under G.S. 115C-84.2(d).

• Successful plaintiffs in calendar compliance lawsuits may recover a minimum of $10,000 in damages plus declaratory relief, injunctive relief, reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, and other appropriate relief.

• Authorizes a 5-year remote instruction flexibility pilot program for school years 2023-2024 through 2027-2028, allowing 10 selected local school administrative units to use up to 5 days or 30 hours of remote instruction at high schools to complete fall semester examinations by December 31.

• Requires participating school boards to annually report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction on pilot participation, calendar designations, instructional methods, academic outcomes, and identified advantages and disadvantages.

• Superintendent must provide annual reports summarizing pilot data to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee from September 15, 2024 through September 15, 2028.