Rep. Clark files bill in North Carolina House to allow Guilford schools calendar flexibility

A new bill filed by State Rep. Tracy Clark in the North Carolina House seeks to grant Guilford County Schools flexibility in determining their academic calendar dates, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 321 on March 6 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘SchCalFlex/Guilford/Open Cal.’

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

In essence, this bill provides flexibility for Guilford County Schools in setting the school calendar by allowing local boards of education to determine the opening and closing dates of public schools. Traditionally, schools must open no earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and close no later than the Friday closest to June 11, with exceptions only granted by the State Board of Education for specific circumstances. However, this act exempts Guilford County Schools from these restrictions, enabling them to set their opening dates without requiring a waiver, starting with the 2025-26 school year. The bill maintains that this flexibility does not apply to year-round schools or those previously designated with modified calendars.

Of the two sponsors of this bill, Clark proposed the most bills (four) 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.

Clark graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2007 with a BA and again in 2012 from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Clark, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2024 to represent the state’s 57th House district, replacing previous state representative Ashton Clemmons.