SB 441 revives and expands a program allowing retired teachers to return to work in high-need North Carolina schools without losing their retirement benefits. The bill requires school districts to certify these teachers to the retirement system annually and mandates monthly reports on their employment terms and pay. Retired educators rehired under this program retain their full retirement allowance, and school districts must cover employer health insurance premiums for them. This directly affects retired teachers returning to high-need schools, school districts hiring them, and the state retirement system’s benefit calculations. The program expires June 30, 2027, unless IRS status is jeopardized, triggering automatic repeal.
SB 618, the Lasting Economic and Academic Prosperity (LEAP) Act, establishes a state-funded endowment program to support early childhood development and child care initiatives in North Carolina. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) to use private donations (called "excluded amounts") and state funds held in a LEAP Reserve to generate investment income, which will supplement existing early childhood programs. The bill requires strict accounting to separate these funds, mandates annual reporting on spending and income to lawmakers, and appropriates $450,000 for fundraising in 2025-2026, with annual 5% increases for eight years. This directly affects North Carolina children by stabilizing early childhood program funding and incentivizes private donors through state matching.
SB 714 prohibits corporal punishment (physical punishment) in all North Carolina public schools, making it the first statewide statutory ban despite no current school districts using it. The bill requires schools to report detailed data on any corporal punishment administered - including student race, gender, disability status, and reasons - to the State Board of Education annually. It also mandates parental notification and written explanations for any rare instances where it might still occur, while clarifying that physical restraint under federal law and reasonable force are excluded. The law applies starting the 2025-2026 school year and aligns with existing practices where all 115 school districts already prohibit the practice.
HB 490 revises North Carolina's community college funding model to prioritize enrollment in workforce-focused programs. It requires the State Board of Community Colleges to allocate base funding plus additional funds based on full-time student enrollment in curriculum, workforce training, and Basic Skills courses, with weighted funding for high-demand fields. The bill also creates an "Enrollment Increase Reserve" to fund colleges with enrollment growth exceeding 5% in targeted programs and permits community colleges to add up to a 10% tuition surcharge for eligible courses, with funds restricted to instructional costs. These changes directly affect community colleges and students in workforce education, effective July 1, 2025.
HB 498 creates a retirement credit for North Carolina teachers who served in the military. It allows veterans to count up to four years of active duty service toward their state retirement system, provided they weren’t dishonorably discharged, served before becoming a teacher, and meet licensure requirements. The bill modifies the retirement system to include this credit, requiring employers to pay a lump sum covering the retirement system’s increased liability for the credited service. This directly affects military veterans transitioning to teaching careers in North Carolina, making their prior service count toward retirement benefits.
HB 566 establishes a competitive grant program to support North Carolina's Principal Fellows Program, directly affecting school leader preparation programs and future principals. It provides forgivable scholarship loans to participants in these programs (repaid only if they don’t work in North Carolina schools) and grants to eligible entities to develop innovative principal training methods. The bill sets specific grant terms, including 2-6 year durations for loan programs and 1-year terms for innovation grants, with funding capped at $250,000 per recipient annually. Recipients must report on key metrics like program completers’ placement rates in high-need schools and their performance evaluations. The program also allocates funds for administrative costs and program monitoring, requiring public sharing of non-identifiable materials to promote best practices.
HB 676 allocates $1,524,978 in one-time state funds to Haywood County Schools for specific facility improvements. The bill directs $998,538 for a turf field at Tuscola High School, $26,440 for a multipurpose locker room building at C.E. Weatherby Stadium, and $500,000 for stadium upgrades at Bethel Middle School. These funds are designated for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and must be used solely for the specified projects. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, and does not change existing school policies or programs.
HB 667 would allow certain children of H-1B or L-1 visa holders to pay in-state tuition at North Carolina public universities. Specifically, it applies to students whose parents are lawfully present in the U.S. (not citizens) with valid H-1B/L-1 visas, and who either hold an H-4 visa or were previously classified as in-state residents for tuition while continuously enrolled in college. The bill amends tuition law to permit this status for students meeting these criteria, effective for the 2025-2026 academic year. This policy directly affects immigrant students who would otherwise pay higher out-of-state rates, aiming to support North Carolina's goal of increasing postsecondary degree attainment.
HB 685, the Rural NC Reinvestment Act, allocates $605 million in nonrecurring state funds for rural North Carolina communities during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It provides grants for water/sewer infrastructure ($200M), law enforcement/fire equipment ($10M), economic development land ($20M), rural school construction ($200M), broadband expansion ($50M), early childhood education ($100M), and physician placement ($5M). Local governments, schools, emergency services, and healthcare providers in rural areas directly receive these funds, with allocations prioritized based on need, efficiency, and community impact. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, focusing on tangible infrastructure and service improvements without creating new regulations.
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.
