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Both the House and Senate deadlines for bill filing have passed, and a lot of legislation filed so far this session could impact North Carolina’s public schools.
Legislators have until May 8 to meet the crossover deadline, which is when bills have to be voted through at least one chamber of the General Assembly to have a chance at becoming law. Nearly 300 education-related bills have been filed.
That said, potential policies are still very much up in the air — there are ways to get around the deadlines. If a bill has a financial appropriation component to it, it can get around the initial House and Senate bill filing deadlines, and existing bills can be amended at any time rather than filing new ones.
Of the legislation that has been introduced, 20 bills have companions in the other chamber — similarly worded or identical bills — which is a good sign they may be fully passed.
Here’s a comprehensive look at notable education bills making their way through the General Assembly this session. EdNC has pulled notable categories of education bills into sections below, and then listed the rest at the bottom of the article. Companion bills are noted in parentheses.
Teacher and principal pay
Several bills have been introduced in the House and the Senate regarding educator pay. House Bill 192, if it were to become law, would increase the base salaries for teachers and restore education-based supplements for teachers and instructional support personnel.
For example, school psychologists would receive a supplement equivalent to up to 10% of their monthly salary.
The bill also calls for a study to be performed on whether funds allotted to local school administrative units to pay teachers, assistant principals, and instructional support personnel can be distributed based on average daily membership (ADM), which is based on student population. It is currently allotted based on the guaranteed positions model.
Another bill, House Bill 767, would establish a study commission comprised of legislators, a designee from the Department of Public Instruction, and individuals appointed by the governor. The commission would look at how teachers are paid in North Carolina compared to other states.
Also notable is House Bill 846, “Teacher Retention and Recruitment,” which could affect teacher supplements and details surrounding the rehiring of retired teachers.
While these bills may or may not pass, teacher pay is often a major part of the state budget process. The 2023 budget gave an average 7% raise to teachers over the biennium, with an average 3% raise in 2024-25. You can read about Gov. Josh Stein’s proposal for educator salaries here.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
A trio of bills that would ban DEI practices and offices are in the legislative pipeline.
Senate Bill 227 would bar public schools from engaging in “discriminatory practices” or teaching “divisive concepts” to students; Senate Bill 558 would do largely the same for institutions of higher education. Both bills have passed through the Senate and have been referred to the House.
And House Bill 171, introduced in February, would eliminate DEI in state and local agencies and prevent public funds from going to DEI initiatives or programs.
So far, Republicans and Democrats have been split along party lines in votes on the bills, with Republicans supporting and Democrats opposing.
DEI — an acronym for “diversity, equity, and inclusion” — taken at face value represents a philosophy that acknowledges systemic injustices and seeks to include marginalized people equally in society. It was popularized as a training framework for businesses but has spread elsewhere, including to universities and schools.
On the political right, however, critics have claimed DEI practices are anti-meritocratic, unpatriotic, and discriminatory.
Other related bills of note include House Bill 595, a bill that would allow for the prosecution of librarians, and House Bill 636, a bill that would allow for civil damages of $5,000 for violations of the Parents’ Bill of Rights.
School choice and private school vouchers
Senate Bill 48, titled “Access to Sports and Extracurriculars for All,” would permit North Carolina students, whether they’re enrolled in homeschools, private schools, or public schools, to participate in nearby public schools’ extracurricular activities provided the programs don’t exist at their home school.
Currently, homeschooled students’ ability to participate in sports and extracurricular activities is dictated at the district level. See below for a map of district policies, last updated in August 2024.
Senate Bill 689, titled the “2025 Charter Schools Review Board Omnibus,” would make changes affecting charter schools, including exempting charter schools from reporting class rank on student transcripts and allowing charter schools to use alternate forms of teacher evaluation.
Democrats have filed bills targeting the controversial Opportunity Scholarship program, also known as private school vouchers. Senate Bill 439 would put a moratorium on new Opportunity Scholarships, and House Bill 807 would reinstate some restrictions on eligibility for the program.
Student health and safety
Student mental health and safety have increasingly been a priority for education leaders in the aftermath of the pandemic. According to the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by DPI, 39% of high school students have felt sad or hopeless, and 32% of middle schoolers felt the same way.
“Non-academic,” barriers to learning such as risky behaviors, mental and physical health, are measured by DPI to see if there is any correlation to the grades students earn.
Bills centered around the mental and physical well-being of students fall into a few buckets. House Bill 578, House Bill 772, and House Bill 796 focus on suicide prevention. House Bill 433, House Bill 464, House Bill 576, and House Bill 588 support adding more on-site school psychologists and nurses. Other bills focus on funding mental health trainings and managing social media literacy.
School calendar flexibility
Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, introduced Senate Bill 754, a bill to give local school boards more flexibility in creating the calendar for the school year. Berger’s sponsorship is a shift from the stance he’s taken in the past — over the years, similar bills have been able to pass the House, but not the Senate.
Currently, the law says districts can start no earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and end the year no later than the Friday closest to June 11.
SB7 54 gives districts the second option of starting the Monday closest to Aug. 19 and ending no later than the Friday before Memorial Day. (The second option is permissible as long as there are equal amounts of days in the fall and spring semesters.)
In discussions about school calendar flexibility, there are concerns about schools being able to add teacher workdays and close due to weather conditions, all while conducting enough days of school each year, according to the government committee at DPI.
SB 754 would also impose stricter penalties for LEAs that violate the calendar laws.
School calendars were previously given some flexibility in legislation in response to Hurricane Helene.
“Not only can it be adapted to better suit the students in the school districts, but also adapted for the industries that we rely on (for) their tax revenue in order to support the schools,” Sen. Amy Galey, R-Alamance, said when presenting the bill to the Senate Education/Higher Education Committee.
Cellphones in schools
Bills to restrict cellphone use in schools have progressed further in both the House and Senate since education committees passed them with bipartisan support in February. Senate Bill 55 and House Bill 87 both passed their respective chambers with broad support.
There has only been one slight change to either of the bills’ contents since February: the House amended their version of the bill to allow exceptions for health care purposes and teacher-approved educational purposes. The Senate bill already allowed for those exceptions.
Nothing to date has prevented local education agencies from having cellphone use policies, and many do have them.
“Everybody just raves about the program,” said Rep. David Willis, R-Union, of a cellphone use policy in Union County at a House K-12 Education Committee meeting in February. “It’s less distraction in the classrooms, less behavioral issues, less people getting sent to the office. The grades are up, the morale is up, and the classroom is more manageable.”
Support has come from both sides of the aisle. Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, D-Wake, has been outspoken about the need to restrict cellphone use.
“I believe this isn’t a rural or urban issue, it’s not a Democrat or Republican issue,” he said. “It’s about getting our kids focused in the classroom and away from social media.”
School nutrition
House Bill 774, entitled “School Breakfast for All,” would provide breakfast for all North Carolina public school students at no cost and establish a farm-to-table initiative through DPI.
According to the bill, one in five kids goes hungry every day in North Carolina, and there are many potential benefits to providing free breakfasts, including higher academic achievement, reduced absenteeism, and lower health care costs.
The bill, co-sponsored by both Republican and Democratic members, has seen bipartisan support so far, and comes after Gov. Josh Stein included free breakfast in his proposed budget.
Other notable bills
- House Bill 378, or “Leon’s Law,” would automatically share academic records with parents of students dually enrolled in community colleges.
- House Bill 82 would create a study commission to investigate the five school districts with the highest student populations and recommend courses of action if any adverse effects of large student populations are found.
- House Bill 144 would make positions on the State Board of Education electable, rather than appointed by the governor. This bill was introduced in the last biennium but did not pass.
House
- HB 2 Entry Fees for HS Interscholastic Events.
- HB 4 Sam’s Law.
- HB 7 (=S300) NC REACH Act
- HB 40 GSC Technical Corrections 2025 Part 1
- HB 47 Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part I.
- HB 56 Publish Central Office Employment Information.
- HB 72 AG/Restrict Challenge to Presidential EOs.
- HB 74 House Budget Technical Corrections.
- HB 78 Prohibit LEO w/ICE Churches/Schools/Hospitals.
- HB 82 Study Commission for LEA Size.
- HB 83 Revise Laws Governing Minors.
- HB 87 Cell Phone-Free Education.
- HB 90 State & Local Gov’t Retirees COLA.
- HB 106 Revive High-Need Retired Teachers Program.
- HB 107 Adopt SUDEP Awareness Week.
- HB 144 Elect SBE/Superintendent as SBE Chair.
- HB 149 (=S112) School Financial Flexibility Pilot Program.
- HB 150 Expedite Surplus Prop./Educational Orgs.
- HB 171 Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI.
- HB 177 Reduce Barriers to State Employment.
- HB 182 Revise Laws on Domestic and Child Abuse
- HB 186 (=S312) The Stars and Stripes Commitment Act.
- HB 192 Raise Teacher Pay & Dollar Allot. Study.
- HB 238 Reimburse Buncombe Co. for Cost of Study.
- HB 239 Change to EC Funding Formula.
- HB 256 Allow Public Employee Collective Bargaining.
- HB 259 Brown-Morgan Science Olympiad Grant.
- HB 288 POW/MIA Flag/State Bldgs. & Schools.
- HB 316 Child Care Act.
- HB 324 Funds for Greensboro Transit Agency.
- HB 325 Legislative Building Field Trip Pilot Program.
- HB 326 DPI to Study Increased Teacher Planning.
- HB 328 Ban Delta-8 & Delta-9 on School Grounds.
- HB 340 Universal AIG Screening in Middle Schools
- HB 342 Guilford County Schools Funding Requests.
- HB 365 Workforce Education Act.
- HB 370 GSC Uniform Acts Regarding Children.
- HB 378 Leon’s Law (Dual Enrollment Info Parents).
- HB 380 Conscientious Objections to Vaccine Mandates.
- HB 387 Eliminate Tax on Gov’t Retirees.
- HB 392 Funds/Forsyth United Way/Summer Learning.
- HB 395 Funds/Jackson, Transylvania & Swain Counties.
- HB 397 Use of Epinephrine Nasal Spray in Schools.
- HB 402 (=S290) NC REINS Act.
- HB 414 1-to-1 Credit for Career and College Promise.
- HB 415 Split Math Courses and Change Math Grad. Reqs.
- HB 418 K-5 Performing and Visual Arts Requirement.
- HB 419 School of the Arts Building Purchase.
- HB 420 Sound Basic Education for Every Child.
- HB 426 Workforce Diploma Program.
- HB 428 Study School Discipline Parent Involvement.
- HB 430 (=S318) Protect Youth From Harms of Vaping & Nicotine.
- HB 433 Registered Nurses in Schools.
- HB 443 Const. Amendment: Council of State Vacancies.
- HB 445 Fairness & Transparency in Education Salaries.
- HB 451 Diabetes Education for Parents.
- HB 454 Review of Federal Acts/Rules/Regulations.
- HB 457 Increase Small County Funding.
- HB 464 (=S360) Healthy Students – A Nurse in Every School.
- HB 475 State ID Cards for High School Students.
- HB 476 (=S363) DST Technical Corrections/Admin. Changes 2025.-AB
- HB 481 GSC Technical Corrections 2025 Part 2.
- HB 482 Reauthorize & Revise Teacher Bonuses/Military.
- HB 488 Modify School Performance Grades.
- HB 492 Repeal Parents’ Bill of Rights.
- HB 496 Patriotic Youth Group Access.
- HB 498 Military to Teacher Ret. Incentive.
- HB 506 2025 State Investment Modernization Act.-AB
- HB 510 Menstrual Equity for All Act.
- HB 518 (=S390) Project Newsletter.
- HB 523 School Social Workers/Master’s Pay.
- HB 531 Addressing NC’s Teacher Crisis/NTSP.
- HB 538 Equality for All.
- HB 556 (=S689) 2025 Charter Schools Review Board Omnibus.
- HB 564 State Retirees Cost-of-Living Increase/Funds.
- HB 566 Principal Fellows Changes.
- HB 573(=S204) Remove Testing Requirement for Teacher Lisc.
- HB 578 The Jason Flatt Act of North Carolina.
- HB 580 SBOE Legislative Changes.-AB
- HB 581 Career Pathways Transparency Act.
- HB 584 Permit/Provisional License Modifications.
- HB 588 School Psychologist Omnibus.
- HB 593 Local Government Audits.
- HB 595 Parental Rights for Curriculum and Books.
- HB 596 Standards Advisory Commission.
- HB 602 Coach Safely Act.
- HB 610 Study on Year-Round School.
- HB 611 Increase APs in Public Schools.
- HB 615 Enrollment Stability for Military Students.
- HB 630 Restore LEA Sales Tax Benefit.
- HB 636 Promoting Wholesome Content for Students.
- HB 637 Community of Practice ATR Supplement.
- HB 639 Prioritize In-State Applicants/UNC Ed Schools.
- HB 645 Friendly NC Act.
- HB 649 County Tier Designation Study Bill.
- HB 655 Ending Offensive Indian Mascots.
- HB 665 DPI Disaster Preparedness Fund.
- HB 671 Competitive Speech and Debate Grant Pilot.
- HB 676 Funds for Haywood County Schools.
- HB 680 The Protect Children from Cannabis Act.
- HB 688 Funds for Inclusive Playgrounds.
- HB 689 Expanding Workforce and Education Act.
- HB 692 AEDs and CPR in Schools.
- HB 705 Study CTE Licensure Requirements.
- HB 706 Change to Needs-Based Capital Funding.
- HB 708 IROBOT – Increasing Robotics Opportunities.
- HB 709 K-3 Literacy and Improvement Act.
- HB 710 Mental Health Crisis Unit Pilot for LSAUs.
- HB 713 Universal Free Breakfast and Lunch.
- HB 726 Youth Mentoring & Academic Enhancement Comm
- HB 739 Funds for Wilson & Nash Counties.
- HB 742 Healthy and High-Performing Schools.
- HB 766 Expand Access to Teen Mental Health First Aid.
- HB 767 Market Rate Teacher Pay Study.
- HB 772 North Carolina Student Lifeline Act.
- HB 773 School Performance Grade Changes.
- HB 774 School Breakfast for All.
- HB 775 Criminal History Checks for School Positions.
- HB 785 School Funding Flexibility Study.
- HB 790 Prohibit Vape/Tobacco Shops Near Schools.
- HB 791 (=S516) Women’s Safety and Protection Act.
- HB 796 The Student Mental Health Line Awareness Act.
- HB 799 Ensure Nondiscrimination in Government.
- HB 802 Nicotine & Vaping Prevention in Schools.
- HB 803 3-Year FDA Approval for New Childhood Vaxx.
- HB 806 Public School Operational Relief.
- HB 807 Strong Public Schools for a Strong NC.
- HB 808 NC Infrastructure Protection Act.
- HB 809 Count NC Pre-K for School ADM.
- HB 810 State Employee Bereavement Leave/Up To 40-Hrs.
- HB 819 DIT Agency Bill.
- HB 839 Advanced Teaching Roles Updates.
- HB 840 Reward Schools for Student Growth.
- HB 842 Vis., Hear., Dental Screenings Opt-Out.
- HB 846 Teacher Retention and Recruitment.
- HB 848 Cleveland Cultivation of Excellence Pilot.
- HB 854 Require Licensure of Educational Interpreters.
- HB 855 Residency Licenses for Nonpublic EC Teachers.
- HB 872 School Employee Protections for Use of Force.
- HB 873 DEQ Agency Bill.-AB
- HB 905 Public School Part-Time Enrollment.
- HB 910 DRIVE Recommendations/Teacher Diversity.
- HB 911 Occup. & Phys. Therapist Salaries/Employment.
- HB 912 The Hometown Opp. for Mentoring Educators Act.
- HB 918 Standardized Testing Choice Act.
- HB 926 Regulatory Reform Act of 2025.
- HB 928 Allow PTs in School Concussion Protocol.
- HB 932 Ten Percent Raise/Teachers/First Responders.
- HB 933 IDD Omnibus.
- HB 937 Keeping Our Coaches Act.
- HB 939 School Chaplains.
- HB 941 Expand & Enhance the Teaching Fellows Program.
- HB 943 Turning High-Achieving Students into Teachers.
- HB 945 Reporting of Sexual Assault on School Buses.
- HB 946 Montessori Teaching License.
- HB 947 Every Child Reads.
- HB 959 Social Media Literacy in Schools.
- HB 968 Youth CERT Preparedness K-12 Training.
- HB 971 Career Development Adjustment.
- HB 972 Funds for Public Projects in Wayne County.
- HB 981 LSAU Open Enrollment.
- HB 983 Prohibit Corporal Punishment in Schools.
- HB 985 Increase Punishment for Assaulting Teachers.
- HB 986 Support Our Teachers.
- HB 989 Build Safer Communities and Schools Act.
Senate
- SB 24 Govt Mandates Increase Healthcare Costs.
- SB 47 State Emps./No Payroll Dues Deduction.
- SB 48 Access to Sports and Extracurriculars for All.
- SB 55 Student Use of Wireless Communication Devices.
- SB 56 Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part I.
- SB 58 AG/Restrict Challenge to Presidential EOs.
- SB 77 School Contracted Health Services.
- SB 89 AEDs and CPR in Schools.
- SB 92 Released Time Education Act.
- SB 93 Portability of Leave/Charter Schools.
- SB 99 Extended-Year Teacher Contracts.
- SB 112 School Financial Flexibility Pilot Program.
- SB 123 Flags at Every School.
- SB 124 Reduce Barriers to State Employment.
- SB 125 Reorganization of Chapter 115D.
- SB 139 Restore State Emp/Teacher Retiree Med Benefit.
- SB 147 Teacher License Reciprocity.
- SB 153 North Carolina Border Protection Act.
- SB 167 Revise, Study, and Fund LEP Allotment.
- SB 179 Partnership with Voices Together.
- SB 204 (=H573) Remove Testing Requirement for Teacher Lisc.
- SB 223 Expand Academic Trans. Pathways/Sophomore HS.
- SB 227 Eliminating “DEI” in Public Education.
- SB 229 Authorize NIL Agency Contracts.
- SB 231 State Surplus Property/Third-Party Auctions.
- SB 238 Edgecombe and Pitt County School Nurses.
- SB 240 Establish NCSTARS Grant Program.
- SB 257 2025 Appropriations Act.
- SB 258 2025 Appropriations Act.
- SB 259 School Psychologist Omnibus.
- SB 263 2025 Appropriations Act.
- SB 264 Flags at Every School.
- SB 265 Protecting Our Community Act.
- SB 278 The Smart Heart Act.
- SB 284 Guilford County Schools Funding Requests.
- SB 285 Teacher Salary Supplement/Guilford Cnty Schs.
- SB 290 (=H402) NC REINS Act.
- SB 299 Government Transparency Act of 2025.
- SB 300 NC REACH Act.
- SB 312 (=H186) The Stars and Stripes Commitment Act.
- SB 318 Protect Youth From Harms of Vaping & Nicotine.
- SB 319 LSAUs to Maintain AIG Services in Alt. Progs.
- SB 323 Student Health and Responsibility Act.
- SB 360 (=H464) Healthy Students – A Nurse in Every School.
- SB 363 (=H476) DST Technical Corrections/Admin. Changes 2025.-AB
- SB 371 Stop Chronically Low-Performing Charters.
- SB 381 Equality for All.
- SB 386 Whiz Kids/Slow Pokes Voter Registration.
- SB 390 (=H518) Project Newsletter.
- SB 391 DOT Omnibus.
- SB 393 Betting and Addiction in Pers. Finance Course.
- SB 397 Invest in Durham’s Ed/Athletic Infrastructure.
- SB 408 No High Risk Apps/Gov’t Networks & Devices.
- SB 411 School Bus Cameras/Evidence & Contract Length.
- SB 416 Personal Privacy Protection Act.
- SB 417 Posting of State Costs.
- SB 429 2025 Public Safety Act.
- SB 433 Restore Educator Longevity.
- SB 434 School Workers Fair Pay Act.
- SB 435 Restore Master’s Pay for Teachers & ISP.
- SB 439 Moratorium on Opportunity Scholarships.
- SB 440 2025 Governor’s Budget.
- SB 441 Revive High-Need Retired Teachers Program.
- SB 449 Fiscal Responsibility and K-20 Tech Planning.
- SB 465 Agency Vacant Property.
- SB 474 The DAVE Act.
- SB 477 DNCR Agency Bill.-AB
- SB 484 Workplace Violence Prevention/Mass Picketing.
- SB 493 Land Use Clarification and Changes.
- SB 506 ATR Salary Sups and Grant Increases.
- SB 507 Auto Enrollment in Advanced ELA Courses.
- SB 508 Highly Effective Limited License Teachers.
- SB 511 Informational Literacy in Schools.
- SB 516 (=H791) Women’s Safety and Protection Act.
- SB 540 (=H457) Increase Small County Funding.
- SB 550 Coaches Care Act.
- SB 563 The Michael Jordans of Tomorrow Act.
- SB 575 Improve Pedestrian Safety.
- SB 579 Transforming the High School Experience.
- SB 580 Competency-Based Education Grant Program.
- SB 583 Lead. Invest. Families/Foster Teen Act (LIFT).
- SB 598 Change to Low-Performing Schools Designation.
- SB 604 School-Based Complaint/SROs.
- SB 606 Language Access & State Holidays Act.
- SB 612 Convert School Buses to Electric by 2050.
- SB 619 AI Academic Support Grant Program.
- SB 621 An Act for Better Education.
- SB 624 AI Chatbots – Licensing/Safety/Privacy.
- SB 628 Safe Schools Transparency Act.
- SB 630 School Mental Health Support Act.
- SB 636 School Psychologist Omnibus.
- SB 639 North Carolina Farm Act of 2025.
- SB 640 AI Ethics and Literacy Across Education.
- SB 642 SAVE Students Act.
- SB 643 Expand & Enhance the Teaching Fellows Program.
- SB 644 Green Schools Save Money.
- SB 645 The Protect Our Schools Act.
- SB 647 The Child Promise Act.
- SB 649 Restore Master’s Pay for Teachers & ISP.
- SB 657 Keeping Our Coaches Act.
- SB 659 Investing in North Carolina Act.
- SB 663 End Menstrual Poverty Act.
- SB 667 Government Modernization.
- SB 689 (=H556) 2025 Charter Schools Review Board Omnibus.
- SB 708 Working Families Act.
- SB 709 2025 State Investment Modernization Act.-AB
- SB 714 Prohibit Corporal Punishment in Schools.
- SB 722 Children’s Online Safety Act/Funds.
- SB 725 NC Foster Care and Education Council.
- SB 729 Opt-In to Student Health.
- SB 747 AI Learning Agenda.
- SB 748 Teach Critical Thinking in Elementary.
- SB 752 Needle Free Epinephrine for Schoolchildren.
