Education (K-12 Education)

in committee · North Carolina · Senate Feb 5, 2025

SB 48: Access to Sports and Extracurriculars for All.

This bill allows students attending public, private, or homeschools without a specific sport or extracurricular program to participate at the nearest public high school offering that activity. It requires public schools to permit such participation under the same terms as enrolled students, with schools able to charge a reasonable, board-approved fee for non-enrolled students. The law mandates that school districts publish all approved participation fees online by October 15 each year. It applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands educational access by enabling all students to participate in sports/extracurriculars at public schools, removing barriers for non-enrolled students.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice Student Health

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in committee · North Carolina · Senate Feb 18, 2025

SB 112: School Financial Flexibility Pilot Program.

SB 112 creates a pilot program allowing eligible North Carolina school districts (with at least 5,000 students and tax authority) to submit a Financial and Hiring Flexibility Plan (FHFP) starting in 2026-2027. The plan requires districts to set specific academic goals by 2030-2031, such as 100% student career planning by senior year and 90% teacher retention, while permitting up to 50% unlicensed teachers in core subjects after completing required training on disability education and behavior management. Districts operating under the FHFP receive unrestricted state funding for school operations but face annual reviews by the State Board, with potential termination if goals aren't met or fiscal standards violated. The program is limited to participating districts and ends after the 2030-2031 school year unless renewed.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires academic goals (career planning, teacher retention) and permits flexible hiring with disability training, aiming to improve educational outcomes.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentPermits up to 50% unlicensed teachers in core subjects, weakening employment standards for educators and reducing professional qualification requirements.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice Student Health

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died · North Carolina · Senate Feb 27, 2025

SB 179: Partnership with Voices Together.

SB 179 appropriates $2.5 million from North Carolina's General Fund annually for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to fund middle school programming through the nonprofit Voices Together. The bill directly supports middle school students in North Carolina school systems who have intellectual or developmental disabilities or experience learning delays, preparing them for future employment services. This funding enables Voices Together to expand its existing high school-level transition services to younger students through structured educational programming. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and is currently pending in the Senate.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $2.5M from General Fund for special needs education program, increasing public service funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $2.5M annually to fund middle school special needs programming, expanding educational access for students with disabilities through nonprofit partnerships.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds program addressing developmental disabilities and mental health services for students through education, directly supporting healthcare-related needs per bill subjects.85% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget K-12 Education

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in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 24, 2025

SB 360: Healthy Students - A Nurse in Every School.

SB 360 requires every public school in North Carolina (including traditional, charter, regional, and laboratory schools) to have at least one full-time, permanent school nurse starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill appropriates $95 million in recurring state funds to the Department of Public Instruction to cover the cost of adding these nurse positions, ensuring funding supplements existing resources without replacing them. This policy directly affects all K-12 public schools across the state by mandating nurse staffing levels and providing dedicated funding to meet that requirement. The law becomes effective July 1, 2025, with implementation beginning for the 2025-2026 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds school nurses via $95M appropriation, requiring full-time nurses in all K-12 public schools to enhance health services and staff resources.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires school nurses with $95M funding, directly expanding school health services access and addressing student healthcare needs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Health Healthcare Workforce

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in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 393: Betting and Addiction in Pers. Finance Course.

SB 393 requires North Carolina public schools to include instruction on the costs of gambling - including sports betting - and gambling addiction in all required personal financial literacy courses. This policy change directly affects all K-12 students in the state, as it amends existing curriculum standards to add this specific topic. The bill mandates that schools cover these topics alongside other financial literacy elements like credit costs, mortgages, and credit scoring. The requirement will take effect for the 2025-2026 school year. This is a concrete addition to the curriculum, not a procedural change.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates inclusion of gambling costs/addiction in required financial literacy curriculum, expanding educational content on financial health and student decision-making.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 26, 2025

SB 511: Informational Literacy in Schools.

SB 511 requires all North Carolina public schools (K-12) to teach informational literacy, defined as skills to find, evaluate, and use information effectively - including digital, media, and technological literacy. The bill mandates the State Board of Education to create age-appropriate standards covering research processes, source evaluation (primary vs. secondary), fact vs. opinion, ethical information use, and access to library resources. Schools must develop curriculum in consultation with library/media staff and implement it starting in the 2025-2026 school year. This policy directly affects every public school student and educator in North Carolina through mandated curriculum changes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates new curriculum standards for informational literacy, enhancing student research and media skills across K-12 schools.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates digital/technological literacy education in K-12 curricula, promoting responsible tech use and critical evaluation skills per bill's definition.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Libraries

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in committee · North Carolina · Senate Mar 26, 2025

SB 640: AI Ethics and Literacy Across Education.

This bill requires North Carolina public schools to teach age-appropriate artificial intelligence (AI) literacy from kindergarten through 12th grade starting in the 2025-2026 school year. It mandates state standards covering basic AI concepts, real-world uses, ethical issues like privacy and bias, and responsible AI use - such as preventing academic dishonesty. The standards can be integrated into existing computer science courses for middle and high school students. The bill directly affects all North Carolina public schools and their curriculum planning. It focuses on equipping students with foundational knowledge about AI systems and their societal impacts, rather than creating new programs or funding.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates AI literacy curriculum in K-12, expanding educational content to address emerging tech ethics and use, strengthening curriculum standards.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates teaching AI ethics including privacy and bias, promoting responsible use and data privacy awareness in education curriculum.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Artificial Intelligence

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in committee · North Carolina · House Mar 25, 2025

HB 488: Modify School Performance Grades.

HB 488 modifies North Carolina's school grading system to separate achievement (current student performance) and growth (improvement over time) scores for all schools. It requires the State Board of Education to assign distinct letter grades (A-F) for both achievement and growth using specific scoring scales (e.g., 85+ for an A in achievement, 90+ for an A in growth). Schools must display both grades prominently on their websites, and parents of students at schools earning a D or F in either category receive written notice. The overall school performance grade combines achievement (80%) and growth (20%) scores on a 100-point scale. This bill directly affects all public schools in North Carolina and their reporting requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill separates achievement and growth metrics in school grades to provide transparent, nuanced performance data for parents, promoting accountability and improvement in education quality.92% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Funding Testing & Assessment

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died · North Carolina · Senate Apr 1, 2025

SB 580: Competency-Based Education Grant Program.

SB 580 establishes a grant program to help North Carolina public schools transition from time-based learning to competency-based education (CBE), where students advance upon mastering skills rather than completing seat time. The bill allocates $330,000 per school to 10 selected schools (chosen via application) for CBE implementation, including $95,000 annually for educator training and resources. Key provisions include developing proficiency-based assessments, partnering with a third-party vendor for professional development, and creating statewide standards for measuring student mastery. This program directly affects participating schools and their students by shifting instructional approaches to focus on demonstrated proficiency across K-12 subjects.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $330,000 per school for CBE transition, including $95,000/year for educator training and curriculum development, directly advancing competency-based education funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Teachers

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in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 426: Workforce Diploma Program.

HB 426 establishes the Workforce Diploma Program to help North Carolina adults aged 21+ without high school diplomas earn diplomas while gaining job skills. The program requires approved providers to offer courses combining diploma requirements with career training, including employability certifications and industry credentials. Participants receive milestone-based funding up to $7,500 per person, with payments tied to completing half-credits, certifications, or diplomas. The program mandates annual reports tracking participant outcomes like diplomas earned, credits, and workforce credentials. It appropriates $5 million for implementation starting July 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds workforce education program with milestone-based $7,500 per participant, directly allocating state budget resources for public service under APPROPRIATIONS/BUDGETING subjects.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds adult diploma program with career training, expanding access to education for non-graduates through milestone-based funding and industry credentials.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds workforce diploma program with job skills training and certifications, directly improving employment outcomes and labor market readiness for adults.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education K-12 Education Workforce Development

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