HB 69, the Military and Veterans Educational Promise Act, provides two key benefits for military-affiliated individuals and veterans at North Carolina's University of North Carolina (UNC) schools. First, it requires UNC institutions to allow eligible military members (including reservists) and their spouses to defer admission for up to five years (for active duty) or two years (for reserve service) upon enrollment notice. Second, it establishes in-state tuition rates for honorably discharged veterans who served at least 90 days in the military, graduated from a North Carolina high school after 2004, had a North Carolina duty station, or received a Purple Heart. The bill applies to all UNC institutions beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.
HB 968 requires all North Carolina public K-12 schools to provide emergency preparedness education, beginning in grade 3 for elementary students and continuing through high school. It mandates state-developed standards for each grade level: elementary students learn about disaster types and school response plans, middle school students research past disasters and mass casualty events, and high school students are introduced to FEMA’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) materials. Local school boards must integrate this instruction into existing courses without adding new funding requirements. The law applies to all public schools statewide and takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.
HB 912, known as the Hometown Opportunities for Mentoring Educators (H.O.M.E.) Act, establishes a grant program to encourage teachers to work in the same local school administrative units where they were previously students. The program provides a $500 monthly salary supplement to "eligible teachers," defined as individuals who attended or graduated from a high school in a specific local unit and agree to teach there. The Department of Public Instruction will manage the program and disburse grants to local school units, which are also tasked with promoting the program to high school students. The bill appropriates $10 million annually to fund these teacher salary supplements.
SB 691 would allow certain non-citizens, including those without lawful immigration status, to pay in-state tuition at UNC constituent institutions and North Carolina community colleges. To qualify, students must have graduated from a North Carolina high school or earned a high school equivalency diploma in the state, attended North Carolina schools for two consecutive years before high school, and (if undocumented) submit an affidavit about applying for legal status. The bill requires colleges to use a centralized process for residency determination and ensures all applicant information remains confidential. It takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to the 2025-2026 academic year.
House Bill 875 directs the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to establish a comprehensive system of mathematics support for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. This system requires DPI to provide approved lists of high-quality supplemental math systems for screening and progress monitoring, as well as instructional materials for intervention and core curriculum. These materials must utilize structured problem-based learning, explicit instruction, and provide responsive feedback to students. The bill also mandates DPI to offer approved professional development programs for K-8 teachers to implement these new instructional approaches effectively. Parents will be notified of any identified mathematical deficiencies, including characteristics of dyscalculia, and receive information on interventions and home strategies.
House Bill 971 establishes a pilot program for Annual Career Development Plans in 12 selected North Carolina middle and high schools. This program will affect students entering seventh grade in those schools during the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, continuing until their high school graduation. Students will create and annually update individual plans with assistance from school counselors, aiming to align them for on-time graduation and college or career readiness. Parents are encouraged to participate and will receive information regarding their child's plan, course offerings, and financial aid options for postsecondary education.
HB 581, the Career Pathways Transparency Act, requires the State Education Assistance Authority to create a "Know Before You Go" website. This website will provide students and parents with information on projected employment needs, associated salary ranges, and relevant college majors. It will also detail specific outcome data for public and private institutions of higher education and vocational schools, including tuition, student loan debt, completion rates, and post-graduation employment and salary information. Local school boards will be mandated to provide this "Know Before You Go" information to high school sophomores to help them make informed decisions about their postsecondary education and career paths. A grant program will be established to assist local boards in implementing these programs.
HB 854 removes the current exemption for educational interpreters and transliterators from state licensure requirements. This means individuals who provide accessible communication services to students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and higher education will now be required to obtain a license. The bill also allows continuing education hours earned for license renewal to count towards their existing job-related training requirements. These changes are set to become effective on October 1, 2026.
HB 959 requires North Carolina public schools to adopt internet safety policies by January 2026, limiting student access to age-appropriate content and blocking social media except for teacher-directed educational use. It mandates annual social media literacy instruction in all grades, covering mental health impacts, misinformation, online safety, and identifying cyberbullying. The bill also establishes rules for wireless device use during class, prohibiting personal device use except for educational purposes, medical needs, or special education plans. These provisions directly affect all K-12 public schools and students across North Carolina, with policies to be implemented starting in the 2026-2027 school year.
SB 125 reorganizes North Carolina's community college statutes and makes specific changes to education policy. It prohibits community colleges from using a secondary school's accreditation status (like certification) as a factor in admissions, financial aid, or scholarships for students. The bill also requires community colleges to report annually on college transfer program performance, including student success rates at four-year institutions, and mandates detailed reporting on the 2+2 E-Learning Initiative for teacher training. These provisions directly affect community college students, institutions, and educators seeking teacher licensure.
