NC schools announce last-minute decision to close Friday due to teacher protest
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Multiple school districts announced May 1 as a teacher workday and closed schools.
- At least 22 districts canceled classes because leave requests exceeded available subs.
- Pitt County reported 500 staff absences and 200 unfilled substitute positions for Friday.
Families across North Carolina are getting last-minute messages that schools will be closed on Friday due to teachers attending the mass protest in downtown Raleigh.
Wake County announced Thursday that it will switch to remote learning on Friday for the schools that didn’t already have a previously scheduled workday on May 1. Hoke County announced on Thursday that May 1 will be a teacher workday.
Eleven school districts across the state announced this week a May 1 schedule change that’s causing families to make last-minute childcare arrangements for Friday.
“We recognize that a schedule change can present challenges for families,” Alamance-Burlington Schools said in a message Monday announcing Friday’s school closure. “Thank you for your flexibility as we balance supporting our staff and student safety.”
The North Carolina Association of Educators has been encouraging school employees across the state to take off from work on May 1 to protest in downtown Raleigh. Thousands of people are expected to march on the Legislative Building on Friday to demand more funding for public education. Two House Democrats said they would attend the march, but there will likely be very few other lawmakers around as voting sessions and committee meetings are rarely held on Fridays.
The leave requests caused Asheboro City, Cumberland County, Nash County, Alamance-Burlington, Gaston County, Pitt County, Thomasville City Schools, Edgecombe County and Cabarrus County to all announce this week that they’re closing on May 1. Wake County had thought it would have enough subs because traditional-calendar schools had a previously scheduled workday.
At least 22 school districts have canceled May 1 classes due to the NCAE protest, as of April 30.
“Nearly 20 school districts across the state have made the powerful choice to support their workers,” NCAE said Tuesday in a Facebook post. “It’s a strong reminder of what’s possible when we unite in support of our colleagues and students!”
The NCAE post has drawn extensive comment online.
Could more schools close Friday?
The number of last-minute closures could rise in the final days leading to the march as more employees submit leave requests.
Schools said the leave requests exceeded the number of substitute teachers and central office staff who were available to fill in on Friday. For instance, Pitt County said it had 500 staff absences and 200 unfilled substitute positions for Friday.
“The volume of absences exceeds our planned capacity for additional coverage, raising concerns about our ability to provide consistent, comprehensive supervision for students throughout the school day,” Pitt County said in a Facebook post Monday.
This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 1:05 PM with the headline "NC schools announce last-minute decision to close Friday due to teacher protest."
