This bill requires North Carolina public schools to create policies limiting the use of wireless devices like phones and tablets during instructional time. It mandates that students in kindergarten through fifth grade cannot use any such devices in classrooms, while older students face stricter limits on device usage and access to non-instructional content like social media. To support these restrictions, the legislation appropriates funds to hire one teacher assistant for every classroom serving students in grades K through five. Additionally, the law grants parents the right to opt out of their children being issued wireless devices by the school and ensures that printed materials are used for instruction in elementary and middle schools.
HB 1130 aims to improve conditions for public school teachers and instructional staff in North Carolina by adjusting pay structures and offering financial incentives for advanced certification. The bill reinstates education-based salary supplements for the 2025-2026 school year and allocates funds to support these payments starting in 2026-2027. It also establishes a forgivable loan program to help teachers cover the costs of obtaining National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, provided they achieve this credential within five years. Additionally, the legislation sets a new monthly salary schedule based on years of experience and grants a 12% monthly salary increase to teachers who hold NBPTS certification. Local school administrators will gain more flexibility in setting school calendars as part of the broader changes to teacher employment and quality of life.
HB 1017 aims to improve teacher quality and availability in North Carolina by creating new roles, funding recruitment programs, and launching studies to address workforce challenges. The bill directs the state to develop a comprehensive plan for reforming teacher licensing and compensation to attract more educators, while also studying how to better prepare and graduate 5,000 in-state teachers annually. Significant funding is allocated to support existing and new teacher recruitment initiatives, such as "Grow-Your-Own" programs and the Teaching Fellows loan program, specifically targeting high-need schools and subjects like special education and STEM. Additionally, the legislation mandates a study to coordinate recruitment efforts between universities and local school districts to ensure a more efficient statewide system.
This bill creates a one-time grant program for the 2026-2027 school year to help public school districts in North Carolina start Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) where they do not currently exist. The state will provide $2,000 for each school without a PTA, up to a total of $30,000 per district, but requires the district to match every dollar of state funding with two dollars of their own money. Districts must use these funds specifically to establish new PTAs and return any unspent money if a PTA is not formed for each school that received a grant. The program includes a requirement for the state education department to report on how many PTAs were created and any effects on student outcomes by April 2027.
This bill establishes new salary schedules for public school teachers and principals in North Carolina effective for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. It sets specific monthly pay rates for teachers based on years of experience and adds bonuses for those with advanced certifications or degrees, while also adjusting compensation for school support staff like nurses and counselors. Principals will receive annual salaries determined by their school's student enrollment and performance growth scores over the previous three years. Additionally, the legislation enhances sick leave benefits for state employees and provides a cost-of-living adjustment for certain retirees.
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.
HB 1209 appropriates $1 million in recurring state funds starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year to expand the North Carolina New Teacher Support Program. The money is directed to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to provide embedded instructional coaching and professional development for beginning teachers within local school districts. Key provisions include partnering with teacher training programs to extend support after graduation, aligning coaching with evidence-based practices, and prioritizing high-need rural areas to help retain new educators. This legislation aims to create a more coherent system for teacher development by connecting pre-service training with ongoing in-district support.
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.
This North Carolina bill aims to address teacher shortages by increasing salaries and creating new financial support for educators. It establishes a new monthly salary schedule for teachers starting in the 2026-2027 school year and reinstates specific pay bonuses for those with advanced degrees or professional certifications. Additionally, the legislation creates a grant program to help student teachers earn money while completing their training and directs a state study on how to further improve educator pay.
This bill, titled the Investing in North Carolina Act, establishes a new salary schedule for public school teachers and provides raises for state employees, community college staff, and University of North Carolina employees. The proposed teacher salary schedule sets monthly pay based on years of experience, ranging from $4,600 for new teachers to $6,370 for those with 29 or more years of service, while also adding specific supplements for certified teachers, school nurses, counselors, and other instructional support personnel. These salary increases are contingent on the failure of the 2026-2027 Current Operations Appropriations Act to pass, meaning the changes would only take effect if that budget bill does not become law. Additionally, the bill includes a 6% cost-of-living adjustment for eligible state-funded employees effective July 1, 2026, and allocates $921.2 million in recurring funds to implement the teacher salary raises.
