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Superintendent recommends 2026–27 academic calendars after multi-language survey; board to hold public hearing in April
Summary
CMS presented the superintendent’s recommended 2026–27 calendars (traditional, CPCC early/middle college and UNCC-aligned early/middle college) shaped by a 9,585-response survey and advisory council feedback; the board will hold a public hearing in April and vote in April.
CMS Chief of Strategy and Innovation Beth Thompson presented the superintendent’s recommended academic calendars for 2026–27 on March 25, following a development process that included two draft calendars, a multilingual community survey and advisory council input.
Thompson said the calendar development process began in December 2024. The district received 9,585 survey responses in 10 languages between Jan. 28 and Feb. 13. Of the two traditional calendar options presented, 58% of respondents preferred option 2. Top stakeholder priorities cited in open responses included a full two-week winter break, timing of spring break (preferably the week after Easter), a Tuesday school start and teacher workdays before school starts to allow sustained professional development.
The superintendent’s recommendation included three calendars: a traditional calendar for elementary, middle and high schools with six teacher workdays before school starts, teacher workdays at quarter ends, and four early-release days for professional development; a CPCC-aligned early/middle college calendar; and a UNCC-aligned early/middle college calendar. Thompson noted draft teacher workday designations and early-release days would be published with the calendar materials pending the board’s April vote.
Board members asked about student access to the survey; Thompson said students were able to access the survey but staff did not have a student-response breakdown on hand and would provide that data later. Board members also discussed statutory constraints on the calendar: State law prevents starting earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and ending later than the Friday closest to June 11, and state/district requirements (Veterans Day holiday, required teacher workdays on election days) limit flexibility. Board members suggested future surveys include more open-ended options on calendar types (year-round models, extended day) and noted advocacy for state legislative changes to better align K–12 and higher education calendars.
Next steps: the board will hold a public hearing on the recommended calendars at the next Board of Education meeting in April and vote on April 8.
