Wake County Schools Close Year-Round, Modified Campuses for Remote Instruction Monday

Wake County Public Schools is closing campuses for students at year-round and modified calendar schools Monday and will hold remote instruction because of winter weather and road conditions. The district left a voice message to students, parents, staff, and faculty stating, "Due to the impact of winter weather in our area, Monday January 26, it will be a remote instruction day for schools that are in session."

The decision comes after days of monitoring forecasts and road conditions and follows the district’s continued use of remote learning options developed during the COVID-19 era. Traditional calendar schools already had a scheduled teacher workday for January 26 and therefore are not required to hold remote instruction on that day. Wake County Public Schools sent homework assignments and expectations to traditional calendar families late last week with the expectation that in-class learning for the week of January 27 would be disrupted.

Extracurricular activities and athletic events scheduled for January 26 are canceled, affecting students involved in after-school programs and evening games. For families who rely on school schedules for childcare, transportation and meal planning, the change adds immediate logistical strain. Working parents and caregivers may need to arrange last-minute supervision or adjust work hours, and school staff responsible for athletics and activities will need to reschedule events.

The district has signaled a policy shift toward using more remote learning days for weather-impacted closures, similar to the COVID-19 learning days, rather than relying solely on banked days built into the school calendar. That approach aims to preserve instructional time but raises equity questions about access to reliable devices, high-speed internet and supervised learning environments. Students without home broadband, caregivers who cannot work remotely, and families dependent on school meal programs are most at risk of being left behind when classrooms move online.

Public health and safety drove the immediate decision: winter storms create hazardous driving and staffing conditions that increase risk for students and employees. At the same time, the expanded use of remote instruction requires coordinated supports to prevent widened learning gaps and to ensure vulnerable students receive meals and services they ordinarily get at school.

Parents and caregivers should monitor communications from their school and Wake County Public Schools for updates on meal services, make-up plans for canceled events, and any further weather-related changes. As the district leans on remote learning as an operational tool, Wake County faces a practical choice about investing in connectivity, targeted supports and clear contingency planning so weather closures do not deepen existing inequities.