§ 115C-72. Consolidation of districts and discontinuance of schools. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 115C‑72. Consolidation of districts and discontinuance of schools.

(a)        Local boards ofeducation shall have the power and authority to close or consolidate schoolslocated in the same district, and with the approval of the State Board ofEducation, to consolidate school districts or other school areas over which theboard has full control, whenever and wherever in its judgment the closing orconsolidation will better serve the educational interest of the local schooladministrative unit or any part of it.

In determining whether two ormore public schools shall be consolidated, or in determining whether or not aschool shall be closed and the pupils transferred therefrom, local boards ofeducation of the several counties shall observe and be bound by the followingrules:

(1)        In any questioninvolving the closing or consolidation of any public school, the local board ofeducation of the school administrative unit in which such school is locatedshall cause a thorough study of such school to be made, having in mindprimarily the welfare of the students to be affected by a proposed closing orconsolidation and including in such study, among other factors, geographicconditions, anticipated increase or decrease in school enrollment, theinconvenience or hardship that might result to the pupils to be affected bysuch closing or consolidation, the cost of providing additional schoolfacilities in the event of such closing or consolidation, and such otherfactors as the board shall consider germane. Before the entry of any order ofclosing or consolidation, the local board of education shall provide for apublic hearing in regard to such proposed closing or consolidation, at whichhearing the public shall be afforded an opportunity to express their views.Upon the basis of the study so made and after such hearing, said board may, inthe exercise of its discretion, approve the closing or consolidation proposed.

(2)        The provisions ofthis section shall not deprive any local board of education of the authority toassign or enroll any and all pupils in schools in accordance with theprovisions of G.S. 115C‑366(b) and 115C‑367 to 115C‑370.

(b)        This section doesnot govern merger of a city school administrative unit with another schooladministrative unit. Such merger is governed by G.S. 115C‑67.  (1955, c. 1372, art. 8, s.3; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1983, c. 308; c. 752; 2009‑570, s. 27.)