March 28 Policy Updates

Two policy areas we’re watching closely at the legislature:

This week over 70 K12 education bills were filed in the NC General Assembly! This is not unusual since the Senate bill filing deadline was March 25th and the House bill filing deadline is quickly approaching on April 3rd. As the legislative session continues, we will track bills that align with our Top Education Issues and highlight several policy areas each week. 

• 11 bills filed concerning school finance. Among them: S439, which enacts a moratorium on private school vouchers and S540, which increases funding for small counties.
• 17 bills filed concerning teacher compensation and working conditions. Beyond bills that address raising base teacher pay, these include H106, which revives a program allowing retired educators to return to work in high-needs schools and S433, which restores longevity payments for educators.
• 30 bills filed concerning child well-being. Among them: S629, establishes a mental health grant program for public schools and a mental health worker loan repayment program. Companion bills H464 and S360 would require and fund at least one school nurse in every public school.
• 8 bills filed concerning assessment and accountability. These include: H488, which modifies school performance grades and S689, which reduces charter school accountability.
• 12 bills filed concerning student learning. Among them: H415, which modifies high school mathematics graduation requirements and S580, which establishes a competency-based education innovation grant program.

Teacher compensation– Significant conversations are happening in Raleigh that recognize the importance of fairly and adequately compensating educators. Earlier this month, H192– Raise Teacher Pay & Allotment Study– was filed, which would increase teacher pay by 22% across the board and reinstate masters pay. It has since gained considerable bipartisan support in the House. Governor Stein’s budget proposal also included a significant increase in beginning teacher pay, with a minimum salary of $51,200 in 2026-27 and would also reinstate masters pay. Just filed this week, Senate Democrats introduced S659– Investing in North Carolina Act– which would increase teacher salaries across the board, with 12% increases for beginning teachers and as high as 15% increases for veteran teachers. A separate Senate bill (S649) would reinstate masters pay. 

With desire across both chambers of the NC General Assembly, the Governor’s Office, and at the Department of Public Instruction and State Board of Education to take action on teacher pay, we are hopeful that these conversations continue and significant raises are passed as the budget cycle progresses.

Voucher accountability– Multiple pieces of legislation introduced by policymakers this spring would increase accountability and reporting requirements for private schools that receive taxpayer-funding through vouchers. In addition to the measures included in Governor Stein’s proposed budget, S744–Voucher School Accountability Act– would enact an accreditation process for participating schools, require public reporting on outcomes and ensure that all school staff complete background checks and inc. Separately, S543- State Auditor to Audit Private Schools– would authorize periodic financial audits of participating private schools.