NCASA Legislative Priorities
The following information highlights the immediate legislative and policy needs for supporting public schools and their students in 2024 and beyond. The North Carolina Association of School Administrators (NCASA) asks the General Assembly, Governor, State Board of Education, and other policymakers to work with our organization’s 7,000 members on these initiatives critical for the success of our school leaders and the 1.4 million students they serve.
NCASA 2024 Legislative Priorities Handout (PDF)
1. Recruiting & Retaining The Best Public School Employees
- Support, for all public-school personnel, the most significant state-supported pay increases and benefits deemed affordable to help reduce staff turnover and counteract inflation and rising costs of living.
- Make North Carolina an educational leader by raising state-funded principal and teacher pay to the highest in the Southeast by 2026.
- Reform the principal pay plan to increase stability in base salary by: reducing the portion dependent on the school growth formula; adding school complexity factors; and honoring experienced leadership with retention supplement.
2. K-12 Accountability System Reform
- Modify the state’s calculation of school performance grades by 2026 to include additional factors, such as the percentage of economically disadvantaged students, graduation rates, career credentials, and other factors denoting both school challenges and successes.
- Modify the new Early Graduate Program to facilitate the opt-in process proposed by the NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and allow local boards of education to maintain additional requirements for students graduating from high school in four years.
3. Adequate & Equitable Resources For Schools & Districts
- Revise and enhance state funding for children with disabilities above the current 13% state funding cap and implement the new “weighted” funding formula developed by the NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI), reflecting differentiated costs of supporting students with special needs.
- Revise state funding for assistant principals (APs) to provide at least one per school by 2026, with an additional AP provided for schools with more than 500 students.
- Increase accountability and transparency of the recently-expanded Opportunity Scholarship Program to ensure all private schools receiving funds through this program are improving outcomes for students.
- Provide all Public School Units needed flexibility like that of “Restart Schools” and Charter Schools to include increased authority over their calendar, budget, and personnel.
For additional information on these or other public-school priorities, contact:
Elizabeth Yelverton
Legal Affairs & Policy Manager
Legal Affairs & Policy Manager