It's an opportunity for teachers to better educate students, according to Wake School board members who voted for the change.
"Whoever made this decision...clearly seems to be out of touch with working parents," parent Swain Wood said.
Wood works for a Raleigh law firm, and his wife works at NC State. They have three boys in elementary school, and they pay for after school care.
"It's gonna cost more money, but it's also the hassle and the planning of trying to piece something together," Wood explained. "I mean, early release days now are like that. We have to scramble. Somebody has to take a half-day from work...I just can't imagine having to do that every week."
As tough as the weekly early release is going to be on their family, Wood says there are other families that will have it tougher.
"Having to take that time off from work or pay extra time in child care -- it's just, it baffles me why they would think this is a good idea," Wood said.
He said he likes the compromise idea of Friday early releases, which parents presented to the Board. Many say getting off work an hour earlier on Friday is much easier.
But the Board didn't go for that suggestion, so for now, the new schedule remains.
