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Highlights
WUNC - Liz Schlemmer | April 3, 2025: Latest federal education cuts would affect NC's poorest schools
EdNC - Mebane Rash | April 3, 2025: Education department requires certification of compliance with federal civil rights laws — and spells out consequences
EdNC - Mebane Rash | April 2, 2025: A trio of letters from the U.S. Department of Education further shape Trump-McMahon education policy
WRAL NEWS - Kathy Hanrahan | March 31, 2025: Standardized tests in NC schools - Who takes them and why they are required
EdNC - Mebane Rash | March 30, 2025: In surprise announcement, NCASA honors superintendents for exemplary leadership in Hurricane Helene
Joint Statement from North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice (Mo) Green and the North Carolina State Board of Education
Re: Education Stabilization Fund Liquidation Extension | April 3, 2025
"We are deeply concerned with the U.S. Department of Education's (USDOE) March 28, 2025 decision to terminate immediately the ability of public schools and school districts, including some in North Carolina, to use federal Education Stabilization Funds to pay for approved projects that were underway. This unprecedented action undermines the careful financial planning of school districts across North Carolina and threatens critical programs supporting students. In particular, it threatens the financial integrity of four North Carolina school districts – the Public Schools of Robeson County, the Richmond County Schools, the Lenoir County Schools and the Halifax County Schools.
These four public school districts have strategically allocated the federal resources to address projects approved by the USDOE. They have made financial commitments, including contracts for facility improvements, based on a previously approved liquidation timeline. These districts will now face potential cancellation of projects or, worse, will not have the resources to pay the bills for work already done. This sudden reversal creates an administrative and financial crisis for districts that had legitimately relied on the USDOE prior approval.
We strongly urge United States Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to reconsider this harmful decision and honor the previously approved extensions. The Department's suggestion that school districts reapply for extensions on a "project-specific basis" is duplicative of information already submitted and creates an unnecessary administrative burden. Further, it introduces unacceptable uncertainty into school operations. Our students' education should not be jeopardized by an arbitrary deadline change when districts have been operating in good faith under approved timelines. However, to the extent Secretary McMahon will not simply reverse this decision and honor the previously approved extensions, we urge her to promptly grant the appeals that will be submitted.
The North Carolina State Board of Education and the Department of Public Instruction remain committed to supporting our districts through this challenge. We will work diligently to protect these critical resources for North Carolina students. While we hope for a swift reconsideration by the USDOE, we stand ready to assist our districts in navigating this unprecedented situation."
Celebrate the Good in Public Education
NCDPI Summer Internships
NCDPI is offering a summer internship program for 2025 for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in public policy, public administration, education, communications, business management and related fields.
Interns can expect one-on-one guidance from agency staff, opportunities to meet with elected leaders and advocate and support educators and students across North Carolina.
The deadline to apply is April 8.
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Education Committee Meetings This Week
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
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K-12 Education Bills
Bills in the News:
WRAL NEWS - Emily Walkenhorst | April 1, 2025: NC bills to get more teachers into classroom advance in House committee - House Bill 106 would allow retired teachers to work full-time without fear of being unable to collect their pension at schools with performance grades of "D" or "F." House Bill 149 would start a pilot program for just two of the state's public school systems, allowing them to have charter school-like flexibility in hiring unqualified teachers and spending state dollars without the limitations that traditional public schools are subject to.
Carolina Journal - Jeff Moore | March 31, 2025: Bill boosts parental control over health, sex ed, and school library materials - House Bill 595, Parental Rights for Curriculum and Books — filed by Reps. John Torbett, R-Gaston, and Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke —provides changes to the standard course of study in health education, ensures age-appropriate instruction, establishes processes for selecting library books and health/safety materials, requires instructional material repositories, and restricts public library access for minors to materials harmful to minors.
K-12 Education Bills to Watch
In addition to the bills scheduled to be heard in education committees next week, here are ten education bills to watch. For a complete list of education bills to watch, see the tracking link above.
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Bill
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Short Title
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Action Description
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1.
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HB 149 (= S112)
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School Financial Flexibility Pilot Program.
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Placed on House Calendar for 4/9/2025
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2.
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SB 227
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Eliminating "DEI" in Public Education.
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Ref to House Rules (Made Crossover)
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3.
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HB 87
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Cell Phone-Free Education.
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Ref to Senate Rules (Made Crossover)
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4.
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SB 55
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Student Use of Wireless Communication Devices.
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Ref to House Rules (Made Crossover)
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5.
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HB 581
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Career Pathways Transparency Act.
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Ref to House Ed - K-12, if fav., Appropriations, if fav., House Rules
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6.
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HB 588
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School Psychologist Omnibus.
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Ref to House Appropriations, if fav., House Rules
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7.
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HB 611
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Increase APs in Public Schools.
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Ref to House Appropriations, if fav., House Rules
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8.
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SB 449
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Fiscal Responsibility and K-20 Tech Planning.
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Re-ref to Senate Ed/Higher Ed. If fav, re-ref Senate Rules
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9.
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SB 506
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ATR Salary Sups and Grant Increases.
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Re-ref to Senate Appropriations/Base Budget
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10.
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SB 579
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Transforming the High School Experience.
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Re-ref to Senate Appropriations/Base Budget
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Useful Acronyms
DPI = Department of Public Instruction
GS = General Statute
HB/SB = House Bill/Senate Bill
JR = Joint Resolution
LB/LOB = Legislative Building/Legislative Office Building
LEA = Local Education Agency
NCGA = North Carolina General Assembly
PCS = Proposed Committee Substitute
PSU = Public School Unit
SBE = North Carolina State Board of Education
SL = Session Law
For the glossary of education acronyms/terms, click here.
For the glossary of legislative terms, click here.
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Youth Legislative Assembly - March 7-9, 2025.
Photo - Courtesy of NCGA Youth Legislative Assembly
Youth Legislative Assembly Experience
Ian House, North Carolina State Board of Education Student Advisor
From March 7th-9th over 210 High School Students from across North Carolina gathered in Raleigh to participate in the 2025 convening North Carolina Youth Legislative Assembly.
Participants (delegates) were organized into ten committees based on their interests and backgrounds: agriculture, business and commerce, education, environment, general government, health and human services, information technology, judiciary, justice and public safety, and military affairs. Each committee was given a bill based on the committee's area. Students had the opportunity to deliberate their bill in their committee meetings with the consultation of General Assembly members and community leaders on the first day of the program's convening
The education committee received a bill adjusting the principal pay scale to make the base compensation derived from a complexity scale of a school, not solely based on average daily membership. The bill also adjusted the allotments given to Public School Units.
On the second day of the assembly’s convening, delegates met in a mock legislative session split into two chambers: the House of Representatives and Senate. During the session, delegates debated ten bills covering a variety of topics, all centered on the needs of North Carolina communities.
Along with the education bill, the agriculture and information technology bills dealt with issues in schools. The agriculture legislation established free school meals for all North Carolina students and the information technology legislation required public school units to adopt policies governing cell phone use. Many students enjoyed the opportunity to speak about these topics that touched close to them, utilizing their experiences in classrooms.
The next day after the mock session, parting words were exchanged between participants and closing words were given by the program’s coordinator Ms. Erica Gallion.
Together, the weekend’s activities enabled students to gain a better understanding of their state's government and how an idea fruits into law. The North Carolina Youth Legislative Assembly is a great opportunity, and I highly recommend it to all high school students in North Carolina.
Student Interviews
How do you like the North Carolina Youth Legislative? What does it mean to you?
Aidan Hinton, Union County Public Schools, Business & Commerce Clerk:
“I love the North Carolina Youth Legislative Assembly. It has helped me greatly in figuring out what I want to do with my life. It has put me not only on the path to success, but what I want to do in the post-secondary opportunities of my choosing.”
Nate Dorff, Wake County Public Schools, Business & Commerce Delegate:
“It has been great so far and I have really enjoyed looking over policy proposals and debating with others. It has helped a lot with getting better with speaking with others and engaging with the community.”
Chesney Gibson, Cleveland County Schools, Agriculture Delegate:
“The North Carolina Youth Legislative Assembly helped me develop my leadership skills so I can become an agriculture lawyer to serve my community and cultivate a better future.”
Isaiah Fitzpatrick, Wake County Public Schools, Speaker:
“I think it is wonderful because you get a behind the scenes view on how things are run and a hands-on experience with being in the legislators’ seats and seeing it from their point of view. To me, it means a lot because things are actively happening and it is affecting us so when we do see the Representatives and Senators debating, I can understand their views better and read their bills better because of YLA.”
“I love the Youth Legislative Assembly and what it means to me is that I get to connect with students across the state who have common interests and collaborate on writing bills as well as understanding the different policies that are actually going on in the North Carolina Youth Legislative Assembly.”
Public School Forum of North Carolina
The Local School Finance Study highlights variations and trends in local spending for public education across our state’s 100 counties. The purpose of this annual study is to isolate local spending from state and federal spending to examine the capacity and actual effort of counties to support public schools. The Local School Finance Study focuses not only on the amount that counties spend on schools, but also on each county’s investment in relation to their taxable resources.
Note: the data presented in the most recent study are from the 2022-23 school year.
EdNC - Ben Humphries | March 31, 2025: Public School Forum releases 2025 Local School Finance Study
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NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) FIELD TRIP FUNDING – Apply!
Apply today for the Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund, which reimburses NC public schools for visits to any state site managed by the NC Department of Natural & Cultural Resources (DNCR). Eligible destinations include NC State Parks, NC Historic Sites, the NC Symphony, the NC Zoo, and more (click here for a list of our DNCR’s 100+ sites and programs you can visit!)
Need help choosing a site or completing the application? Rebecca Barefoot, our Field Trip Fund Manager, is available for phone or virtual appointments! Contact her at fieldtripfund@dncr.nc.gov for personalized assistance. We are here to help!
Key Details:
- Funds cover: transportation (including charter buses), tour/activity tickets, special activities, substitute teachers, chaperone costs, meals for students in need, and more.
- Title I schools are funding priorities!
- Field trips to any DNCR-managed site are eligible – check our Find a Field Trip page or email us at fieldtripfund@dncr.nc.gov to confirm.
- We WANT to fund your trip and are HERE TO HELP! Need ideas? Overwhelmed by the application? Email Rebecca at fieldtripfund@dncr.nc.gov.
Visit DNCR’s Learning Happens Here website to learn more and apply today!
Click here to subscribe to the weekly legislative update or other NC Department of Public Instruction topics.
To view previous K-12 Education Legislative Updates, click here.
NCDPI Office of Government Affairs: Anne Murtha – Legislative Specialist
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