Wake changes 2022-23 school calendar. See where early release days have been added.

Wake County is making last-minute changes to this fall’s school calendar to include six early release days where students will go home early so that teachers can get time in to receive training.

The Wake school board voted 7-1 on Tuesday to modify the 2022-23 calendars so that every student will get six early release days where they are dismissed two hours early. On those days, elementary school teachers will receive training in a new state-mandated literacy program, while middle and high school teachers will get training in other topics.

“We understand and certainly fully appreciate that early release days can pose a challenge for families who have childcare issues,” Drew Cook, assistant superintendent of academics, told the board on Tuesday. “We will be working with our community partners to ensure that after-school care options are available for those who may need it on days where school is dismissed two hours early.”

Board member Karen Carter was the lone no vote. Heather Scott was not at the meeting.

Calendar revisions

Here are the early-release days for each calendar:

▪ Traditional calendar: Sept. 2, Nov. 10, Dec. 5, Dec. 21, March 24 and May 9.

▪ Year-round: July 28 (tracks 1, 2 and 3), Sept. 2 (tracks 1, 3 and 4), Nov. 10 (tracks 1, 2 and 4), Dec. 5 (tracks 1, 3 and 4), Dec. 21 (tracks 2, 3 and 4), March 24 (tracks 2, 3 and 4), April 6 (tracks 1, 2 and 3) and May 9 (tracks 1, 2 and 4). A teacher workday for tracks 1, 2 and 3 will be added on April 24.

▪ Modified calendar: July 28, Sept. 2, Nov. 10, Dec. 5, April 6 and May 9.

▪ Knightdale High, North Wake College and Career Academy, Vernon Malone College and Career Academy, Wake Early College High School, Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnologies: Sept. 2, Dec. 5, Dec. 21, March 24, April 6 and May 9.

▪ Wake leadership academies and Wake STEM Early College: Sept. 2, Nov. 10, Dec. 5, March 24, April 6 and May 9.

LETRS training

The calendar change stems from trying to fit in training time for the new “science of reading” literacy instruction that state lawmakers are requiring every elementary school teacher to receive by 2024.

Teachers will receive training on the LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) program, which stresses using phonics to teach students to read.

The LETRS training has produced complaints that the time commitment is a burden on teachers, causing some to take the training on nights and weekends.

“While the six early release days are not sufficient to provide all the time that is needed, we do believe that it’s important to provide additional designated time beyond what had previously been planned for the 2022-23 school year,” Cook said.

Wake elementary teachers will receive up to $2,000 in bonuses after completing the LETRS training.

Wake says the calendar changes will also allow them to get in training for middle and high school teachers that wasn’t done in the past two years because of the pandemic. District officials say secondary school teachers could get training on topics such as social and emotional learning, behavioral health practices and equity and inclusion.

Cook said they’re not planning on bringing the early release days back after next school year.

“We’re glad to hear it’s a one-time thing,” said board chairwoman Lindsay Mahaffey.

No change to bell schedule

Wake stopped using early release days beginning in the 2019-20 school year when it went from having 180 days of instruction down to 177 days of classes. The three fewer days of classes allowed for additional teacher workdays to be added.

Wake says that even with the early release days they’ll still be able to keep each school above the state annual requirement of at least 1,025 hours of instruction.

Administrators had previously looked at whether to change school bell schedules by adding five minutes to the day to make up for the loss of 12 hours of time. But Wake says every school will still have enough extra hours built into the schedule, called “banked time,” that schools can opt not to make up three inclement weather days.

Some schools will adjust their daily schedules this fall to make sure they have the banked time.

School board members said the new state training requirement as well as the school calendar law limited their options.

“We’re in a tough bind with this,” board vice chairman Chris Heagarty said to Cook. “But I appreciate all the work. I appreciate your continuing creativity and looking for solutions on how we can minimize the impact to families — and if we do have some sort of after program — ways we can continue to benefit the students as we work toward academic recovery.”