Robeson County board adopts K–8 2025–26 calendar, directs administration to craft high‑school calendar that allows exams before Christmas

The Public Schools of Robeson County Board of Education on March 17 adopted a 2025–26 K–8 school calendar and unanimously directed the superintendent and calendar committee to produce a high‑school calendar that complies with state law and schedules end‑of‑semester exams before the Christmas break.

The board’s action followed a lengthy discussion about two competing calendars: one proposed by the district’s calendar committee and a modified calendar based on Cumberland County’s schedule that would put high‑school exams in December but — as presented — reduce first‑semester instructional days by 11. Bobby Lockley, who presented the item, summarized the legal requirements the district must meet: “we must start the Monday closest to August 26…dismiss students no later than the Friday closest to June 11…We must cover at least 9 calendar months, and we must have a hundred and 85 days or a thousand and 25 hours.”

Why it matters: board members and staff said the difference between calendars affects instructional time, employee pay and scheduling for…