Board approves change to 2024–25 traditional‑calendar: January 3 set as teacher workday

The Wake County Board of Education voted to amend the 2024–25 instructional calendar for traditional calendar schools, making Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 a teacher workday.

District staff said state law requires a minimum of 185 instructional days or 1,025 instructional hours. The district’s current calendar counts 177 days and 1,062 hours of instruction, leaving approximately 37 banked instructional hours (the staff term) that can be used for closures or converted to non‑student days. The district also noted that a September 27 hurricane closure reduced the number of remaining banked days for some schools.

Staff explained that most traditional schools still had four or five banked days at the time of the vote; converting Jan. 3 to a teacher workday would reduce that bank by one day for most schools. Supporters of the change, including board members who moved the agenda amendment, said the shift helps teachers and avoids a low‑attendance instructional day immediately after the holiday break.

Several board members opposed the change on equity grounds and because the amendment was added to the agenda on short notice. Opponents warned about the childcare burden on working parents and families with students who have special needs and noted that the district calendar committee had previously considered and rejected the change. The motion passed; the chair recorded a dissenting vote.

Staff said they will continue to work with schools and families on communication and recommended the district use the remaining banked hours prudently for weather or emergency closures.