Wake County approved six early release days in the 2022-23 school year. Early releases were removed in previous years due to their ineffectiveness. According to WRAL News, early releases were previously believed to serve no benefit for students or teachers since they provided such a limited time to teach and learn quality information. 

   The goal of implementing these half days in the current school year is to ensure that teachers are provided extra time to finish new state-required training on early releases as opposed to spending countless hours of personal time learning the new material. The school board has been questioning the effectiveness of early release days and has faced many logistical challenges; however, the board voted on the topic and came to a vote of seven to one, incorporating them this school year. 

   Eliminating hours from school days affects members of the community due to work-hour conflicts for parents and coordination of picking up students who either do not have a car or cannot drive

  “We will be working with our community partners to ensure that after-school care options are available for those who may need it,” the WCPSS website states.  

   The North Carolina General Assembly states that the required training for public schools will last two years with an estimated completion time of 137.5 to 168 hours of work. Although it is expected to take two years to conclude the training, it is not expected to add additional early release days in the upcoming 2023-24 school year. The upcoming dates of early departures added this year include: Nov. 10 (Thursday), Dec. 5 (Monday), Dec. 21 (Wednesday), March 24 (Friday), and May 9 (Tuesday).