HB 692 requires all North Carolina public schools to install at least two automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) per school building - one in a state-identified location and one in athletic facilities - and provide annual training for school staff in AED use and CPR. The bill directly affects public school personnel, students, and school districts by mandating specific installation, maintenance, and training protocols through new rules from the State Board of Education. Key provisions include requiring schools to coordinate with emergency medical systems, maintain AEDs properly, and develop policies aligned with state guidelines. The law takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year, using existing school funding for implementation.
HB 239 modifies North Carolina's funding formula for children with disabilities in public schools. It changes how funds are allocated to local school districts by capping per-child funding at 13% of a district's total enrollment plus students using state scholarship programs. The bill requires the State Education Assistance Authority to provide annual scholarship data by March 15 to help calculate district funding. It also appropriates $25 million in recurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to support this revised funding structure, effective July 1, 2025.
SB 285 authorizes supplemental funding for teacher and qualifying school administrator salary supplements in North Carolina for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, specifically including Guilford County Schools as an eligible recipient. The bill establishes a funding formula based on county-specific factors like property values, household income, and tax rates to determine allocations, with a maximum of $5,000 per State-funded teacher. Eligible school districts must use these funds to supplement, not replace, existing non-State funding for teacher salaries. The bill directly affects teachers and administrators in eligible school districts across the state, with Guilford County explicitly named as an eligible jurisdiction.
HB 420 allocates $4.3 million annually to fund teacher recruitment programs like "Grow-Your-Own" and "2+2" pathways in high-need schools, targeting efforts to recruit and prepare new educators. It requires the State Board of Education to develop a teacher licensure and compensation reform plan by March 2026, including pathways for new teachers and retention strategies. The bill also funds a study to expand educator preparation programs to graduate 5,000 in-state teachers annually, with a focus on increasing diversity among educators. These provisions directly affect public schools, teacher preparation programs, and prospective teachers through new funding streams and policy requirements.
HB 457 increases state funding for small county school systems in North Carolina by revising their base allotment schedule. It directly affects counties with student enrollments between 0-3,300 students per school administrative unit, raising their annual funding amounts - such as increasing the base allotment from $1,820,000 to $2,548,000 for counties with 0-1,300 students. The bill appropriates $20,961,180 in recurring funds from the General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to implement these changes. The new funding schedule takes effect on July 1, 2025, providing higher per-student support for eligible small counties.
SB 389 expands North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship Program to include home-schooled students. The bill adds a new provision (Section 1(b)(2)) specifying that home-school students would receive up to 25% of the state's average per-pupil funding allocation annually, compared to 45-100% for private school students based on household income. It directly affects home-schooled students in North Carolina who have not yet earned a high school diploma and meet the program's income requirements. The bill defines "home school" as meeting state requirements under Part 3 of Article 39 and specifies that funds cover required educational costs (books, materials) but not tuition or transportation. This change modifies existing scholarship rules without altering income-based tiers for private school students.
SB 540 increases funding for small county school systems in North Carolina by revising their supplemental allotment schedule. It provides higher base funding amounts based on student enrollment (e.g., counties with 0-1,300 students receive $1.82 million annually instead of prior rates), directly affecting small school districts with under 3,300 students. The bill appropriates $20,961,180 in recurring funds from the General Fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to implement these changes. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, ensuring increased per-student funding for eligible small county school systems.
SB 439 imposes a moratorium on new Opportunity Scholarships starting in the 2025-2026 school year, requiring new applicants to have received a scholarship in the prior year. It reduces funding for the program by $83.46 million annually (recurring) and $28.46 million (nonrecurring) for 2025-2026, while redirecting $113.46 million (recurring) and $28.46 million (nonrecurring) to public schools for the same year. The bill phases out the scholarship program entirely by 2037-2038 as current recipients become ineligible, and limits future scholarship funding increases to match public school funding growth. This directly affects new private school scholarship applicants and redirects funds from the Opportunity Scholarship program to North Carolina public schools.
HB 488 modifies North Carolina's school grading system to separate achievement (current student performance) and growth (improvement over time) scores for all schools. It requires the State Board of Education to assign distinct letter grades (A-F) for both achievement and growth using specific scoring scales (e.g., 85+ for an A in achievement, 90+ for an A in growth). Schools must display both grades prominently on their websites, and parents of students at schools earning a D or F in either category receive written notice. The overall school performance grade combines achievement (80%) and growth (20%) scores on a 100-point scale. This bill directly affects all public schools in North Carolina and their reporting requirements.
HB 611 requires North Carolina public schools to increase full-time assistant principal positions based on student enrollment, directly affecting all local school districts. It mandates funding to achieve specific student-to-assistant-principal ratios: 1:90 students in the 2025-2026 school year ($23.56 million) and 1:80 students starting in 2026-2027 ($57.57 million), with funds supplementing but not replacing existing budgets. The bill, effective July 2025, directs the Department of Public Instruction to allocate these funds through the school building administration allotment. This policy change aims to support school operations and develop future principals by expanding administrative staffing.
