Rep. Howard files bill in North Carolina House to align school calendars with community colleges

A new bill filed by State Rep. Julia C. Howard in the North Carolina House seeks to provide scheduling flexibility for certain county schools to better coordinate with community colleges, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 33 on Feb. 3 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘SchCalFlex/Yadkin, Davie/CC.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill allows Yadkin County Schools and Davie County Schools to align their academic calendars with those of Surry County Community College or Davidson-Davie Community College. It overrides the usual requirement that public schools open no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26 and close no later than the Friday closest to June 11, thereby granting flexibility in scheduling to match community college timelines. The changes are designed to facilitate better coordination between secondary and post-secondary educational institutions within the specified counties. This act takes effect upon becoming law and applies starting with the 2025-26 school year.

Howard proposed one other bill during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Howard graduated from Salem College in 2003 with a BA.

Howard, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2019 to represent the state’s 77th House district, replacing previous state representative Harry Warren.