Education (Student Financial Aid)

in committee · North Carolina · House May 19, 2026

HB 1143: Principal Fellows and Admin. Intern. Stipends.

This bill modifies the North Carolina Principal Fellows Program to clarify how forgivable scholarship loans are administered and to set specific rules for grant funding. It designates the Authority to manage loan agreements and repayment monitoring while requiring the Commission to select up to eight grant recipients annually for principal preparation and two recipients for innovative training development. The legislation also establishes reporting requirements for grant recipients, mandating the collection of data on student achievement, job placement rates, and retention in high-need schools. Additionally, the bill allows the use of administrative funds from the Trust Fund to cover program operations, staff salaries, and evaluation costs, with limits set at the greater of two percent of appropriated funds or one hundred sixty thousand dollars per year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill strengthens principal preparation by clarifying scholarship administration and establishing specific grant funding for educational leadership.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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died · North Carolina · Senate May 4, 2026

SB 959: Study Student Loan Forgiveness Program/SEAA.

This bill directs the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority to conduct a feasibility study on creating a student loan forgiveness program for graduates of public colleges and universities in the state. The study will evaluate the costs, eligibility requirements, and potential economic benefits of offering debt relief to encourage graduates to remain in North Carolina after graduation. To fund this analysis, the bill appropriates $150,000 from the state's General Fund for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The Authority must complete the study and submit a report with recommendations to the legislature by October 1, 2027. The bill does not establish a forgiveness program itself but rather authorizes a review to determine if such a program is viable.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $150,000 from the General Fund to study a student loan forgiveness program, directly advancing budget allocation for education assistance.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill funds a study to create a student loan forgiveness program, aiming to improve higher education access and retention.85% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Student Financial Aid

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in committee · North Carolina · House May 5, 2026

HB 1184: Voucher School Transparency Act.

HB 1184, known as the Voucher School Transparency Act, requires nonpublic schools in North Carolina that receive Opportunity Scholarship funds to submit detailed annual reports to the State Board of Education. These schools must provide financial documentation, standardized test scores for students in grades three and higher, and specific data on graduation rates, teacher licensure, and student demographics. The bill also mandates that schools with at least 70 scholarship recipients or $100,000 in funding undergo annual financial audits, while smaller schools are audited every three years. Additionally, the legislation requires these institutions to conduct criminal background checks for staff, maintain physical facilities within the state, and share safety plans with local law enforcement.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enhances transparency and accountability for voucher schools, protecting public funds and ensuring educational quality.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice Student Financial Aid Teachers Tags Government Transparency

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in committee · North Carolina · House May 4, 2026

HB 1133: Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Historically Minority-Serving Institutions Omnibus.

HB 1133 aims to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions in North Carolina through three main actions. First, it establishes a temporary committee to study the physical condition of HBCU buildings, including safety risks, age, and maintenance needs, with a report due in early 2027. Second, it creates a permanent financial aid program for students at specific UNC constituent institutions, providing up to $1,000 per year to help cover costs for those who need financial assistance to graduate on time. Third, the bill allocates nonrecurring funds in the 2026-2027 fiscal year for specific infrastructure repairs and renovations at Winston-Salem State University.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates a permanent financial aid program and establishes a study for HBCU infrastructure, indicating increased funding and support for education.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes a study for HBCU infrastructure and creates a financial aid program, directly strengthening educational access and funding for minority-serving institutions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · North Carolina · House May 4, 2026

HB 1178: The NC Teacher Pay Competitiveness Act.

HB 1178, known as the NC Teacher Pay Competitiveness Act, establishes a permanent salary increase plan for public school teachers in North Carolina to help the state compete with neighboring regions. The bill creates a new salary schedule that begins in the 2026-2027 school year and mandates annual raises of 3.67% until 2033, after which increases will be tied to federal employment cost data. Additionally, the legislation provides specific monthly bonuses for teachers with advanced certifications or degrees and adjusts funding for the Opportunity Scholarship program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates annual salary increases and funding for public school teachers, directly strengthening the budget allocation for education.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates salary increases and bonuses for teachers, directly strengthening educator compensation and retention.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates annual salary increases and establishes a new pay schedule for teachers, directly strengthening worker compensation and benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid Teachers

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in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 22, 2026

HB 1020: Personal Education Student Account Class Aides and Children of Wartime Veterans Funds.

This bill allows parents of students in private schools to use their education savings accounts to pay for one-on-one classroom aides, provided the aide is not a family member or school employee. It also updates the rules for these accounts by clarifying which specific services and expenses are eligible for funding and which are not. The legislation further allocates state funds to increase scholarship amounts for children of wartime veterans and to create new scholarships for them starting in the 2026-2027 school year. These changes apply to the North Carolina Personal Education Student Account program and the Children of Wartime Veterans Scholarship Program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds to increase scholarship amounts and creates new scholarships for children of wartime veterans, directly funding education assistance programs.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands educational access by allowing ESA funds for aides and increases scholarship amounts for veterans' children.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill allocates state funds to increase and create scholarships specifically for children of wartime veterans.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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died · North Carolina · Senate May 6, 2026

SB 866: Add Home Schools to Opportunity Scholarships.

This bill expands North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship program to include students enrolled in home schools, allowing them to receive state funding for educational expenses. Under the new provisions, eligible home school students would qualify for a fixed annual grant of $1,500 to cover required costs such as books, equipment, and other materials, though the funding does not cover transportation or tuition fees. The legislation amends existing state statutes to define home schools as eligible nonpublic institutions and authorizes the State Education Assistance Authority to award these funds alongside scholarships for private school students. Funding for this expansion would be appropriated through the existing Opportunity Scholarship Grant Fund Reserve, maintaining the same income-based eligibility criteria used for other scholarship recipients.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $1,500 per student to expand educational funding for home schoolers, directly increasing state appropriations for education.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands educational access by funding home school students, strengthening educational options.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · North Carolina · House May 5, 2026

HB 1216: John Rollins Scholarship Protection Act.

HB 1216, the John Rollins Scholarship Protection Act, prohibits public colleges and universities in North Carolina from reducing their own financial aid awards when a student receives a private scholarship. This change directly affects students at public institutions and the private donors who provide scholarships, ensuring that private funds are not offset by institutional aid. The bill also requires state governing boards to adopt enforcement policies and report annually on financial aid data, while appropriating over $740,000 in recurring funds starting in 2026 to increase financial aid availability for students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill protects private scholarships from being offset by public aid, enhancing financial access and student support in higher education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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died · North Carolina · Senate Apr 23, 2026

SB 816: Child. of Wartime Vets Sch'ship Funds and Flex.

This bill provides funding and expanded flexibility for North Carolina's Children of Wartime Veterans Scholarship Program, directly affecting eligible children of veterans attending state colleges and universities. It appropriates $1 million for the 2025-2026 academic year to increase award amounts for students whose scholarships were previously reduced, with any leftover funds reserved for additional scholarships starting in 2026-2027. For the 2026-2027 academic year, the bill allocates $10 million to double the number of available scholarships from 100 to 200 per class and extends administrative flexibility to allow officials to adjust award amounts, prioritize applicants, and manage room and board payments based on available funds. The legislation also permits the use of up to 2.5% of the program's budget for administrative costs and requires that all scholarship awards be contingent upon the availability of money.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates $1 million and $10 million to fund and expand a state scholarship program, directly increasing government spending for education assistance.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates $1M to increase scholarship amounts for veterans' children, directly funding higher education access.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly funds and expands the Children of Wartime Veterans Scholarship Program, increasing award amounts and reserving funds for additional scholarships.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid Veteran Education

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in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 29, 2026

HB 1076: The Innovations Waitlist Reduction Act.

This bill expands access to North Carolina's Innovations waiver for families with children who have significant medical needs by adding 6,635 new slots and funding them with $240 million starting in 2026. It also modifies the Opportunity Scholarship Program to prioritize students from lower-income households by capping eligibility at 200% of the federal free lunch income threshold and adjusting grant amounts based on family income levels. To support these changes, the legislation reduces the overall scholarship fund by $240 million while simultaneously directing substantial recurring funding to the program's reserve for the next 15 years.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $240M to expand medical access and modifies scholarships to prioritize lower-income families, directly increasing funding for essential public services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands access to education waivers and scholarships, adds funding slots, and prioritizes lower-income students.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands Medicaid waiver slots and funds them with $240M, directly increasing access and funding for health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice Student Financial Aid Student Health Medicaid

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