SB 528 (Child Care Regulatory Reforms and Flexibilities) allows five years of documented work experience in a licensed North Carolina child care facility to count as equivalent to the North Carolina Early Childhood Credential for lead teachers and star ratings. It also increases the maximum group size for toddlers from 18 to 20 children in centers maintaining a 1/9 staff-to-child ratio, while adjusting nap-time supervision requirements. These changes directly affect licensed child care centers, administrators, lead teachers, and staff by providing alternative pathways to meet credentialing requirements and adjusting operational standards for group sizes. The bill aims to increase flexibility for providers while maintaining safety and quality standards under North Carolina’s child care regulations.
SB 647, the Child Promise Act, allocates $90.25 million to expand North Carolina's Pre-K program to 10,000 new slots by 2027, serving 4-year-olds from families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL). It provides $6.8 million annually in grants for childcare facilities in underserved areas (where child-to-provider ratios exceed 3:1), with funding levels based on facility size (up to $500,000 for large centers) and requiring a 15% match and 5-year service commitment. The bill also funds after-school programs in high-need public schools (over 50% free/reduced lunch students) for 3 hours daily, adjusts childcare subsidies to cover up to 300% FPL for children under 5, and creates a $1,500 tax deduction per child for families earning 300-400% FPL.
HB 715 appropriates $13.3 million annually from the General Fund to expand access to North Carolina's Prekindergarten (NC Pre-K) program for eligible children. The funding, allocated to the state's child development agency, will create additional program slots for children seeking enrollment starting July 1, 2025. This bill directly affects low-income 4-year-olds who qualify for the NC Pre-K program by increasing available spots through dedicated state funding. The legislation focuses solely on providing financial resources for program expansion, with no changes to eligibility criteria or program structure.
HB 774 ("School Breakfast for All") mandates that all North Carolina public schools (pre-K through 12) provide free breakfast to every student, eliminating costs for families. It establishes a Farm-to-Table Initiative requiring schools to partner with local farmers for fresh, locally sourced ingredients in breakfast meals. The bill allocates $39 million in recurring state funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to cover program costs, while requiring annual reports on participation rates, costs, and impacts on student health and academic performance. This directly affects all public school students, school districts, and North Carolina agricultural producers.
HB 809 amends North Carolina law to include students enrolled in the state's NC Pre-K program within the average daily membership count for local school districts. Specifically, it requires school boards participating in NC Pre-K to count Pre-K students receiving instruction in school-owned buildings toward their district's daily membership calculation. This change directly affects school districts that operate or host NC Pre-K programs in their facilities, as it will increase their reported student count for state funding purposes. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025, altering how school funding is calculated for participating districts.
HB 947 ("Every Child Reads") requires North Carolina public schools to screen all students in kindergarten through third grade, sixth grade, and ninth grade for dyslexia using state-approved tools. It mandates teacher training on dyslexia identification and evidence-based reading interventions, and requires literacy instruction in middle schools to align with the Science of Reading. The bill also creates Individual Reading Plans (IRPs) for kindergarten through third graders struggling with reading, based on assessment data, and transfers the NC Pre-K program to the Department of Public Instruction. These provisions directly affect students with dyslexia, K-3 teachers, and school districts implementing literacy programs.
