The pace for moving legislation at the General Assembly accelerated this week, as the crossover deadline Thursday, May 8, is around the corner. Proposed policy legislation will need to pass one of the chambers by that date to be considered this biennium.

NCASA Priority Bill Action
The Senate chamber approved SB 754: School Calendar Flexibility; A New Alternative this week without any additional changes. The bill, fully summarized by legislative staff here, still has the same start/end date, equal number of days each semester, and waiver requirements we have previously communicated. NCASA continues to advocate for additional flexibility as the bill heads over to the House.
 
The House K-12 Education Committee approved their own calendar bill this week as well -  H121: ShCalFlex/Statewide/Open Cal. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mitchell Setzer (R- Catawba), provides local boards of education with additional flexibility in adopting school calendars by removing the specified opening and closing dates. Public school districts that meet the requirements for a good cause waiver would continue to be eligible to use 15 days, or 90 hours, of remote instruction.
 
Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth) suggested that leaders of the House Education Committee form a working group on how to respond to Senate Bill 754. We will work with leaders in both chambers to find a compromise bill that provides additional calendar flexibility.
 
The House also approved an NCASA priority H773: School Performance Grade Changes this week. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Brian Biggs (R-Randolph), modifies the formula/calculation to determine the overall school performance scores and grades. Instead of combining separate numerical achievement and growth scores, the State Board would calculate a single performance score based on various measures of student achievement and growth. More information about the score factors can be found in the legislative staff summary here.

House Bill Action
The House Chamber approved the following bills this week:
H56: Publish Central Office Employment Information  - Requires local school boards to publish pay and position information for central office employees.

H92: NC Digital Assets Investment Act - Allows the State Treasurer to invest up to 5% of public funds in cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. The bill applies to more than two dozen funds, including the state’s pension plan covering firefighters, teachers, police officers and state employees.

H171: Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI - Prohibits a State agency, unit of local government, or covered school from: (1) using State funds or public money to promote, fund, implement or maintain DEI initiatives or programs and (2) applying for, accepting, or utilizing federal funds, grants, or other assistance that require compliance with DEI policies, initiatives, or mandates.

H193: Firearm Law Revisions  - Allows a person with a valid concealed handgun permit, or who is exempt from obtaining a concealed handgun permit, to possess or carry a handgun on educational property owned, used, or operated by a private school.

H288: POW/MIA Flag/State Bldgs. & Schools - Requires the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) flag to be flown at all State-owned buildings and all public school buildings under certain circumstances.

H578: The Jason Flatt Act of North Carolina - Requires each public school to adopt a suicide prevention education component in their mental health training program. Requires annual suicide prevention education to be provided to school personnel at no cost to the school unit.

H832: Revise School Safety Grant Program - Adds additional training for students and school employees as eligible services for school safety grants established by the 2023 Appropriations Act.

H875: DPI to Redesign Math Instruction - Directs the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to provide a system of support for all K-8 students in math education and their teachers, including supplemental math screening systems for districts to use. Requires DPI to provide a list of math instructional materials and professional educational offerings for teachers. Effective beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.

H971: Career Development Adjustment - Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to create an Annual Career Development Plan Pilot Program (Program) for students entering seventh grade at select schools during the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years and continuing through the students' graduation from high school. The purpose of the Program would be to evaluate the benefits of reviewing student plans annually rather than only in eighth and 10th grade.

House Committees approved the following bills this week (current status listed):
H414: 1:1 Credit for Career and College Promise - Requires the State Board of Community Colleges and the State Board of Education to develop a series of courses to be offered at community colleges that would fulfill high school graduation requirements. Requires the SBE to remove the Math III high school graduation requirement. Requires each student to complete mathematics courses for graduation that are aligned with the student's career development plan. (House Rules)

H433: Registered Nurses in Schools - Provides that a licensed registered nurse with at least two years of experience in a hospital or health clinic would be required to be paid on the certified school nurse pay scale. Clarifies that the State Board of Education (State Board) would not be authorized to require a four-year degree to be hired or contracted for as a school nurse. (Passed House Rules)

H615: Enrollment Stability for Military Students - Provides students of military families with additional time to provide proof of residency for public school enrollment. (Passed House Rules)

H772: North Carolina Student Lifeline Act - Directs local boards of education to adopt a policy ensuring all schools in the local school administrative unit provide students the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Number. (Passed House Rules)

H918: Standardized Testing Choice - Directs the North Carolina Collaboratory, seeking input from UNC and the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, to study the viability of including Classical Learning Test (CLT) scores as part of an application for college admission or award of scholarship. (House Rules)

H928: Allow PTs in School Concussion Protocol – Allows licensed physical therapists to evaluate a student athlete injured in an interscholastic athletic activity for a concussion and give written clearance for participation. (House Rules)

Senate Bill Action
Senate Bill 579: Transforming the High School Experience - Creates the following: (i) North Carolina High School Redesign Commission; (ii) Competency-Based High School and Healthcare and High-Tech Pathways Program; (iii) Lighthouse Math Project; (iv) Community College Seamless Skills Initiative; and (v) Competency-Based Education and High School Redesign Strategic Network.

The North Carolina High School Redesign Commission (Commission) which would be located administratively in the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) but would be independent of DPI. The purpose of the Commission would be to explore and recommend changes to policies and systems governing high school and higher education to better prepare North Carolina students for success as they transition to higher education or the workforce.

The bill also makes technical corrections to align provisions that are included in the Senate budget. (Passed Senate Education/Higher Education)