Here are the NC school districts closing for the May 1 teacher rally in Raleigh
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- At least 22 school districts announced closures for the May 1 teacher rally in Raleigh.
- Districts cited many teacher leave requests and inability to provide student supervision.
- Previous NCAE protests in 2018 and 2019 also prompted widespread district closures.
This list will continue to be updated. Check back for updates.
Several school districts have canceled classes on May 1 because so many teachers have requested the day off to join a mass protest in Raleigh organized by the North Carolina Association of Educators.
The protest could draw thousands of teachers to Raleigh to lobby state leaders for higher pay and more funding for public education. A new report released on April 27 ranked North Carolina 46th in the nation in teacher pay and per-pupil spending.
Less than 24 hours before the march, Wake County announced that it will switch May 1 to a remote learning day for schools that were still scheduled to be in session. Friday was already going to be a workday for traditional-calendar schools.
Hoke County also announced on Thursday it’s making May 1 an optional teacher workday.
Multiple school districts announced the week of the march that they’re switching May 1 to an optional teacher workday because they don’t have enough substitute teachers to cover for employees who have requested the day off.
There could be more last-minute announcements of school closures in the final days leading up to the march.
As of April 30, at least 22 of the state’s 115 school districts have announced they’re closing schools on May 1 because of the rally.
Wake’s last-minute decision means the state’s five largest districts will close May 1 due to the rally
“Moments like this reinforce the vital role our educators play each day,” Wake said in its April 30 announcement. “We remain deeply committed to supporting our teachers and staff, and to partnering with our community to elevate a strong, unified voice in advocating for the resources and support our schools deserve.”
List of announced school closures, May 1, 2026
Here’s a list of the school districts that say they’ll close due to this year’s protest:
- Alamance-Burlington Schools
- Asheboro City Schools
- Asheville City Schools
- Buncombe County Schools
- Cabarrus County (early colleges still open)
- Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (early and middle colleges still open)
- Chatham County Schools
- Cumberland County
- Durham Public Schools
- Edgecome County Public Schools
- Gaston County Schools
- Guilford County Schools
- Hoke County
- Kannapolis City Schools
- Mooresville Graded School District
- Nash County Schools
- Orange County Schools
- Pitt County Schools
- Thomasville City Schools
- Wake County Public Schools
- Winston-Salem/Forsyth
Protest for more school funding
The protest will come a month after the N.C. Supreme Court threw out a 2022 ruling ordering the transfer of more money for schools in the Leandro case.
“This is our line in the sand,” NCAE President Tamika Walker Kelly said in a press release. “We will not back down when it comes to ensuring our children receive the education they need and deserve. We will not back down in demanding qualified educators in every classroom and safe, well-resourced schools for every student.”
Some school districts with Republican school board majorities such as New Hanover County rejected making May 1 a teacher workday. GOP legislative leaders have criticized the protest.
“At a time when teachers should be preparing their students for critical exams, they’re instead keeping kids out of their classrooms,” Lauren Horsch, a spokesperson for Senate leader Phil Berger, said in a statement. “Changing a school calendar to capitulate to the far-left teachers union does nothing but harm the very students they claim to want to help.”
Past school closures due to teacher protests
The last two May mass teacher protests in Raleigh organized by NCAE also led to multiple school closures.
- On May 16, 2018, at least 42 school districts representing 68% of the state’s public school students canceled classes.
- On May 1, 2019, at least 34 school districts representing a majority of the state’s public school students closed for the day.
This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 3:33 PM.
