HB 832 — Education Omnibus.

CHARTER SCHOOLS REVIEW BOARD AMENDMENTS AND OTHER CHARTER SCHOOL AMENDMENTS SECTION 3.(a) G.S.

115C-218 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-218.

Purpose of charter schools;

role of State Board of Education;

establishment of North Carolina Charter Schools Review Board and North Carolina Office of Charter Schools.

… (a1) State Board of Education.

– The State Board of Education shall have the following duties regarding charter schools:

(1) Rulemaking.

– To establish adopt all rules for the operation and approval of charter schools.

Any rule or policy adopted by the State Board regarding charter schools shall first be recommended approved by the Charter Schools Review Board.

(2) Funding.

– To allocate funds to charter schools.

(3) Appeals.

– To hear appeals from decisions of the Charter Schools Review Board under G.S.

115C-218.9.

(4) Accountability.

– To ensure accountability from charter schools for school finances and student performance.

(5) Review of financial assistance.

– The State Board shall assign the Review Board to conduct any hearings pursuant to 20 U.S.C.

§ 1231b-2, including making findings and recommendations regarding those hearings.

(b) North Carolina Charter Schools Review Board.

– … (10) Powers and duties.

– The Review Board shall have the following duties:

a.

To make recommendations to the State Board of Education on the adoption of propose, recommend, and approve rules and policies regarding all aspects of charter school operation, including time lines, processes, standards, and criteria for acceptance and approval of applications, monitoring of charter schools, and grounds for revocation of charters.

… e.

To conduct hearings and make findings and recommendations pursuant to subdivision (a1)(5) of this section.

f.

To contract for and employ legal counsel, including private counsel, to advise, represent, and provide litigation services to the Review Board, without the need to obtain permission or approval pursuant to G.S.

114-2.3 or G.S.

147-17.

… (c) North Carolina Office of Charter Schools.

– … (2) Executive Director.

– The Executive Director shall report to and serve at the pleasure of the Superintendent of Public Instruction Review Board at a salary established by the Superintendent Review Board within the funds appropriated for this purpose.

The duties of the Executive Director shall House Bill 832-Second Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 include presenting the recommendations and decisions of the Review Board at meetings of the State Board.

…." SECTION 3.(b) G.S.

115C-218.15(c) reads as rewritten:

"(c) A charter school shall operate under the written charter signed by the State Superintendent and the applicant.

The terms of the written charter shall be approved by the Review Board.

A charter school is not required to enter into any other contract.

The charter shall incorporate the information provided in the application, as modified during the charter approval process, and any terms and conditions imposed on the charter school by the Review Board, or if the approval is granted through an appeal pursuant to G.S.

115C-218.9, any conditions imposed by the State Board of Education.

No other terms may be imposed on the charter school as a condition for receipt of local funds." SECTION 3.(c) G.S.

115C-218.85 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

"(d) Notwithstanding G.S.

116-11(10a) or any other provision of law to the contrary, a charter school shall not be required to list class rank on a student's official transcript or record." SECTION 3.(d) G.S.

115C-218.90(a) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(7) A charter school may develop and use any evaluation for conducting evaluations of teachers provided that it includes standards and criteria similar to those used in the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards and North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Process, or such other evaluation standard and process required to be used by local school administrative units." SECTION 3.(e) G.S.

115C-218.94 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

"(c) The Review Board shall require charter schools that are identified as low-performing or continually low-performing to prepare and report on plans to improve the performance of the school.

The requirements of G.S.

115C-105.27 shall not apply to charter schools." SECTION 3.(f) G.S.

115C-218.105 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-218.105.

State and local funds for a charter school.

… (a2) The State Board shall withhold or reduce distribution of funds to a charter school if any of the following applies:

(1) The change in funding is due to an annual adjustment based on enrollment or is a general adjustment to allocations that is not specific to the charter or actions of that charter school.

(2) The Review Board notifies the State Board that the charter school has materially violated a term of its charter, has violated a State statute or federal law, or has had its charter terminated or nonrenewed.

(3) The Superintendent of Public Instruction Review Board notifies the State Board that the charter school has failed to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management or has violated a State or federal requirement for receipt of funds.

… (c2) The Superintendent of Public Instruction Review Board shall, in consultation with charter schools and local school administrative units, create a standardized enrollment verification and transfer request document that each charter school shall use to request the per pupil share of the local current expense fund from the local school administrative units.

Charter schools shall only be required to list the name, age, grade, address, date of charter enrollment, dateofcharterwithdrawal,districtofresidence,andstudentidentificationnumberofeachstudent as provided to the charter school bythe student's parent or guardian in the enrollment verification and transfer request document that the charter school submits to the local school administrative Page 4 House Bill 832-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 units.

A charter school, in its discretion, maytake further steps to confirm the student's residence in a particular local school administrative unit.

(c3) The Superintendent of Public Instruction Review Board shall, in consultation with charter schools and local school administrative units, create a standardized procedure that local school administrative units shall use when transferring the per pupil share of the local current expense fund to charter schools.

The standardized procedure for transfer of the per pupil share of the local current expense fund shall require, to the extent practicable, that the local school administrative units make the transfers by electronic transfer.

…." SECTION 3.(g) G.S.

115C-218.123 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

"(c) If a school is operating under a charter that allows for a remote academy as part of the charter, and the school enrolls or intends to enroll 250 or more students in the remote academy, the school may request that the Review Board grant the remote academy portion of the school a separate charter by submitting the information listed under subsection (a) of this section with the request.

Requests submitted pursuant to this section shall be reviewed through an expedited process to be established by the Review Board.

The Review Board shall not require a planning year for remote academies granted a charter pursuant to this subsection." SECTION 3.(h) G.S.

115C-218.125 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-218.125.

Evaluation.

(a) The State Board of Education shall evaluate the success of remote charter academies approved under this Part.

Success shall be measured by school performance scores and grades, retention rates, attendance rates, and, for grades nine through 12, high school completion and dropout rates.

The Board shall report by November 15 of each year to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the evaluation of these academies and on any recommended statutory changes.

(b) Ifaschoolisoperatingunderacharterthatincludesin-personinstruction andaremote charter academy, the remote charter academy shall receive a separate school performance grade and be treated as a separate school for the purposes of assessing the performance of the remote charter academy pursuant to G.S.

115C-12(9)c1., 115C-83.15, 115C-218.94, and 115C-218.95." SECTION 3.(i) This section is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

PART IV.

DPI TO CONTINUE PROVIDING FINANCIAL DATA REPORTING PLATFORM TO CHARTERS FOR INITIAL YEAR OF OPERATION SECTION 4.(a) Part 4 of Article 14A of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 115C-218.106.

Initial financial data reporting expenses.

The Department of Public Instruction shall provide a charter school access to any required financial data reporting platforms during the charter school's first year of operation at no cost to the charter school." SECTION 4.(b) This section is effective when it becomes law.

PART V.

CEP MEAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM SECTION 5.(a) Part 2 of Article 17 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 115C-264.6.

CEP Meal Incentive Program.

(a) Definitions.

– The following definitions apply to this section:

(1) CEP.

– Community Eligibility Provision.

(2) Department.

– Department of Public Instruction.

House Bill 832-Second Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (3) Eligible unit.

– Alocal school administrative unit,school within alocal school administrative unit, regional school, or charter school that meets all of the following:

a.

Qualifies for the federal CEP program.

b.

Did not participate in the federal CEP program in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

(4) ISP.

– Identified Student Percentage.

(5) Participating school.

– A school participating in the Program.

(6) Participating unit.

– An eligible unit selected to participate in the Program.

(7) Program.

– The CEP Meal Incentive Program established pursuant to this section.

(b) Program;

Purpose.

– The Department shall establish the Program to expand public school participation in the federal CEP program to increase the number of students with access to healthy, cost-free school breakfast and lunch.

In each year where funds are made available for this purpose, the Program shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(c) Application.

– ByApril 15 of each year of the Program, the Department shall develop the application for the Program and make it available to eligible units.

To be considered for selection for the Program, eligible units shall submit their applications by June 1 of each year.

At a minimum, the application shall include the following information:

(1) The school or schools that will participate in the CEP program.

(2) The ISP for the school or schools for the current school year.

(3) Thenumberof students enrolledin theschool orschools forthe current school year.

(4) Participation rates in the National School Breakfast and Lunch programs for the current school year for the schools requesting to receive the incentive.

(d) Selection.

– By July 15 of each year of the Program, the Department shall determine whether each applicant is eligible to participate.

The Department shall then award grants to all eligible units that apply.

If there are insufficient funds to award grants to all eligible units that apply, the Department shall first prioritize awarding grants to eligible units with an ISP of greater than or equal to fifty-five percent (55%) and then prioritize awarding grants to those schools that will draw the greatest federal match.

(e) Grants.

– The Department shall issue State reimbursements to participating units to supplement federal reimbursements of school meals.

State reimbursements shall equal the difference between the federal free rate and the federal paid rate for the number of meals served at the participating schools equal to a 0.2 multiplier of the ISP for the participating schools.

State and federal reimbursements shall not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the federal free rate of meals served.

Participating schools shall have an innovative breakfast option available where students have access to breakfast and are allowed to consume breakfast in the classroom.

(f) Nonsupplant Requirement.

– A participating unit shall use the funds to supplement and not supplant local current expense funds.

(g) Report.

– No later than January 1 of each year of the Program, the Department shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division at least the following information:

(1) The number of participating schools.

(2) The number of students who received free meals who would not have otherwise received free meals had the participating school not utilized the incentive.

(3) The amount of federal and State money participating units received.

(4) Any increase in student success due to the participating school's utilization of the incentive and participation in the Program.

Page 6 House Bill 832-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (h) Administration.

– The Department may use up to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of the funds appropriated for the Program for administrative costs." SECTION 5.(b) Section 7.59 of S.L.

2023-134 is repealed.

SECTION 5.(c) This section becomes effective July 1, 2025.

6 PART VI.

ALLOW CERTAIN NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS TO REQUEST RESIDENCY LICENSES FOR TEACHERS SECTION 6.(a) G.S.

115C-270.1 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-270.1.

Definitions.

As used in this Article, the following definitions shall apply:

… (1b) Individualized education program (IEP).

– As defined in G.S.

115C-106.3.

(2) Professional educator.

– An administrator, teacher, or student services personnel.

(3) Recognized educator preparation program or recognized EPP.

– As defined in G.S.

115C-269.1(15).

(3a) Related services.

– As defined in G.S.

115C-106.3.

(3b) Special education.

– As defined in G.S.

115C-106.3.

…." SECTION 6.(b) G.S.

115C-270.20(a) reads as rewritten:

"(a) TeacherLicenses.–TheStateBoardshalladoptrulesfortheissuanceofthefollowing classes of teacher licenses, including required levels of preparation for each classification:

… (5) Residency License or RL.

– A one-year license, renewable twice, that meets both of the following requirements:

a.

Is requested by the governing body of a public school unit an eligible entity and accompanied by a certification of supervision from the recognized educator preparation program in which the individual is enrolled.

For the purposes of this sub-subdivision, an eligible entity is one of the following:

1.

The governing body of a public school unit.

2.

A nonpublic school that meets all of the following:

I.

Meets the requirements of Part 1 or Part 2 of Article 39 of this Chapter.

II.

Is approved andmonitored bytheDepartment ofPublic Instruction to provide special education and related services pursuant to a student's IEP.

b.

The individual for whom the license is requested meets all of the following requirements:

1.

Holds at least one of the following:

I.

A bachelor's degree.

II.

An advanced degree.

2.

Has either completed coursework relevant to the requested licensure area or passed the content area examination relevant to the requested licensure area that has been approved by the State Board.

3.

Is enrolled in a recognized educator preparation program.

4.

Meets all other requirements established by the State Board, including completing preservice requirements prior to teaching.

…." House Bill 832-Second Edition Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 SECTION 6.(c) This section is effective when it becomes law and applies to applications for residency licenses occurring on or after that date.

4 PART VII.

CONVERTING A LIMITED LICENSE TO A CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL LICENSE SECTION 7.(a) G.S.

115C-270.15 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-270.15.

Examination requirements.

… (e) Conversion to Continuing Professional License.

– The Except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, the State Board shall not convert an IPL or RL IPL, RL, or limited license to a continuing professional license for a teacher who has not fulfilled the examination requirements of this section.

(f) Waiver of Examination Requirements for Certain Individuals with Limited Licenses.

– The State Board shall convert a limited license to a continuing professional license for a teacher who has available growth data under the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS) and has a positive growth score for two of the three most recent years for which growth scores are available." SECTION 7.(b) This section is effective when it becomes law and applies to limited licenses expiring on or after that date.

PART VIII.

TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS TO PRINCIPAL AND ADMINISTRATOR LICENSES SECTION 8.(a) G.S.

115C-270.20(b) reads as rewritten:

"(b) Administrator Licenses.

– The State Board shall establish rules for the issuance of the following classes of administrator licenses, including required levels of preparation for each classification:

(1) Administrator license.

– A five-year renewable license issued to an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

a.

Holds a bachelor's degree.

b.

Has successfully completed an approved administrator preparation program.

c.

Has at least four years of experience as a licensed professional educator.

d.

Has submitted a portfolio to the State Board for approval that meets criteria adopted by the State Board.

e.

Meets other requirements adopted by the State Board.

(1a) Principal license.

– A five-year renewable license issued to an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

a.

Holds a bachelor's degree.

b.

Has successfully completed an approved principal preparation program.

c.

Has at least four years of experience as a licensed professional educator.

d.

Has submitted a portfolio to the State Board for approval that meets criteria adopted by the State Board.

(2) Provisional assistant principal license.

– A one-year license to be employed as an assistant principal, renewable twice, issued to an employee of a local board of education if one of the following requirements is met:

a.

The local board of education determines there is a demonstrated need for administrators and the employee enrolls in an approved Page 8 House Bill 832-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 administrator principal preparationprogram bythe endofthe first year of provisional licensure.

b.

The employee is participating in an internship required for completion of an approved administrator principal preparation program." SECTION 8.(b) G.S.

115C-270.1, as amended by Section 6(a) of this act, reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-270.1.

Definitions.

As used in this Article, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) Administrator.

– An administrator or supervisor who serves in general and program administrator roles, as classified by the State Board.

Administrators shall include superintendents, assistant or associate superintendents, principals, assistant principals, or curriculum-instructional specialists.

(1a) Approved administrator principal preparation program or approved APP.– – An administrator PPP.

– A principal preparation program, as defined in G.S.

115C-284.1, that has been approved by the State Board as meeting the requirements established by rule.

(1b) Individualized education program (IEP).

– As defined in G.S.

115C-106.3.

(2) Professional educator.

– An administrator, teacher, or student services personnel.

(3) Recognized educator preparation program or recognized EPP.

– As defined in G.S.

115C-269.1(15).

(3a) Related services.

– As defined in G.S.

115C-106.3.

(3b) Special education.

– As defined in G.S.

115C-106.3.

(4) Student services personnel.

– An individual providing specialized assistance to students, teachers, administrators, or the education program in general, as classified by the State Board.

Student services personnel shall include individuals employed in school counseling, school social work, school psychology, audiology, speech-language pathology, and media coordination.

(5) Teacher.

– An individual whose major responsibility is to either teach or directly supervise teaching, as classified by the State Board." SECTION 8.(c) G.S.

115C-284.1 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-284.1.

Administrator Principal preparation programs.

(a) Role of APPs.

– PPPs.

– To recommend candidates for licensure, an administrator a principal preparation program (APP) (PPP) shall be approved by the State Board.

For the purposes of this section, an APP a PPP is any entity that meets all of the following:

(1) Prepares, trains, and recommends candidates for administrator principal licensure.

(2) Leads to a Master's of School Administration (MSA) or Master's of Education in Educational Leadership unless the candidate already holds a master's or doctoral degree in an education-related field.

(3) Meets one of the following:

a.

Is accredited by a programmatic accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of Education pursuant to federal law.

b.

Was approved by the State Board of Education as a school administrator preparation program prior to April 1, 2023.

(b) State Board Authority.

– The State Board shall have the authority to approve an APP aPPP thatmeets therequirements establishedbyruleas provided in subsection(c)ofthis section.

(c) Rules for Granting State Approval.

– The State Board shall adopt rules for granting approval to APPs PPPs in accordance with this section.

The rules shall ensure the following:

(1) A rigorous approval process that requires that the criteria in this section are met.

House Bill 832-Second Edition Page 9 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (2) An application process, peer review, and technical assistance provided by the State Board.

(3) An approval period of five years and process for renewal of approval.

(d) Minimum Approval Standards.

– At a minimum, the rules established as provided in subsection (c) of this section shall require APPs PPPs to meet the following requirements:

(1) Require all candidates to complete an internship that is at least 500 hours in duration.

(2) Require the development of portfolios that meet criteria adopted by the State Board and provide evidence that candidates are applying their training to actual school needs and challenges.

(3) Require that all APP PPP candidates demonstrate competencies in (i) using digital and other instructional technologies and (ii) supporting teachers and other school personnel to use digital and other instructional technologies to ensure provision of high-quality, integrated digital teachingand learningto all students.

(4) Align with the standards for the evaluation of school executives and specifically address the use of the results of the Teacher Working Conditions Survey.

(5) Require evidence of a high level of institutional commitment, including dedicated resources, for APP PPP improvements and redesign.

(6) Require the use of cross-functional work teams to determine a common curriculum framework that (i) is designed to align with defined standards, (ii) includes rigorous core courses, and (iii) will produce administrators principals who meet the defined standards.

The cross-functional work teams shall include school-based personnel, faculty from schools of education and other disciplines from institutions of higher education, and representatives of State agencies.

(7) Require the use of cross-functional work teams to design and periodically update specific standards regarding placement, required activities, and evaluations of clinical experiences.

These standards shall include appropriate training for the school leaders who agree to accept and supervise interns.

(8) Require written agreements between the institution of higher education and a public school unit to govern their shared responsibility for (i) recruitment and preparation of school administrators, principals, especially with regard to clinical experiences, including the internship, and (ii) a new administrator's principal's success once employed.

(9) Require authentic partnerships between adjunct faculty and full-time faculty to fully address the need for both practical, field-based experience and academic, theory-based experience.

These partnerships may require a change in the institution of higher education's definition of scholarly activity and its reward system.

(10) Incorporate the criteria developed in accordance with G.S.

116-74.21 for assessing proposals under the School Administrator Training Program.

(e) The State Board of Education shall develop rules to determine whether an applicant who completed an administrator a principal preparation program outside the State meets or exceeds the requirements to hold a North Carolina administrator principal license." SECTION 8.(d) Section 3J.15 of S.L.

2024-57 reads as rewritten:

"SECTION 3J.15.

Notwithstanding any law, rule, or policy to the contrary, the State Board of Education shall waive the portfolio requirement for an administrator a principal license required by G.S.

115C-270.20(b)(1)d.

G.S.

115C-270.20(b)(1a)d.

for any individual who meets the following criteria:

Page 10 House Bill 832-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (1) Prior to August 31, 2025, the individual completed at least one course as part of an approved administrator principal preparation program.

(2) The individual meets all licensure requirements in State law, rule, or policy not otherwise waived by this section.

(3) The individual does not qualify for a waiver pursuant to S.L.

2021-170, as amended by S.L.

2022-71." SECTION 8.(e) This section is effective when it becomes law and applies to initial applicants for administrator or principal licensure on or after that date.

PART IX.

ADVANCED TEACHING ROLES – LIMITED CLASS SIZE EXCEPTION AND TRACK ROLES IN STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM SECTION9.(a) NotwithstandingG.S.

115C-301andG.S.

115C-310.7,foranyATR unit that received its final year of grant fundingunder G.S.

115C-310.11 in the 2024-2025 school year, the State Board of Education may authorize the ATR unit to exceed the maximum class size requirements for kindergarten through third grade for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years.

For the purposes of this subsection, an ATR unit is as defined in G.S.

115C-310.3.

SECTION 9.(b) G.S.

115C-310.15 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

"(d) The Department of Public Instruction shall create designations for teachers serving in advanced teaching roles in the student information system." SECTION 9.(c) This section is effective when it becomes law.

PART X.

LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION TO PUBLISH TOTAL COMPENSATION AND POSITION INFORMATION FOR CENTRAL OFFICE EMPLOYEES SECTION 10.(a) G.S.

115C-320 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-320.

Certain records open to inspection.Publication and inspection of certain records.

(a) Each local board of education shall maintain a record of each of its employees, showing the following information with respect to each employee:

(1) Name.

(2) Age.

(3) Date of original employment or appointment.

(4) Theterms of anycontract bywhichtheemployeeis employed whetherwritten or oral, past and current, to the extent that the board has the written contract or a record of the oral contract in its possession.

(5) Current position.

(6) Title.

(7) Current salary.total compensation, as defined in sub-subdivision a.

of subdivision (1) of subsection (b1) of this section.

(8) Date and amount of each increase or decrease in salary total compensation, as defined in sub-subdivision a.

of subdivision (1) of subsection (b1) of this section, with that local board of education.

(9) Date and type of each promotion, demotion, transfer, suspension, separation, or other change in position classification with that local board of education.

(10) Date and general description of the reasons for each promotion with that local board of education.

(11) Date and type of each dismissal, suspension, or demotion for disciplinary reasons taken by the local board of education.

If the disciplinary action was a dismissal, a copy of the written notice of the final decision of the local board education setting forth the specific acts or omissions that are the basis of the dismissal.

(12) The office or station to which the employee is currently assigned.

House Bill 832-Second Edition Page 11 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (b) For the purposes of this section, the term "central office employees" refers to superintendents, assistant superintendents, associate superintendents, directors/coordinators, supervisors, finance officers, all personnel categorized as central office employees by the Department of Public Instruction or the local school administrative unit, and any permanent employee of the local school administrative unit or employee of a third-party contractor with the local school administrative unit that is not assigned to a school campus.

The term "salary" includes pay, benefits, incentives, supplements, bonuses, and deferred and all other forms of compensation paid by the employing entity.

(b1) No later than August 15, 2025, and annually thereafter, each local board of education shall publish and maintain on its website all of the following information:

(1) For each central office employee:

a.

Total compensation from all funding sources, including at least the following:

1.

Salary.

2.

Reimbursements and allowances, including reimbursements and allowances related to travel.

b.

Position title.

c.

Position description.

d.

The date the position was created.

e.

The department, unit, or office of the local school administrative unit in which the position is located.

(2) The title of each central office employee position in the local school administrative unit and the number of positions associated with that title.

(3) For each department, unit, or office of the local school administrative unit:

a.

The number of central office employees located in that department, unit, or office.

b.

The number of central office employees for each position title.

(c) Subject only to rules and regulations for the safekeeping of records adopted by the local board of education, every person having custody of the records shall permit them to be inspected and examined and copies made byanyperson during regular business hours.

The name of a participant in the Address Confidentiality Program established pursuant to Chapter 15C of theGeneralStatutesshallnotbeopentoinspectionandshallberedactedfromanyrecordreleased pursuant to this section.

Any person who is denied access to any record for the purpose of inspecting, examining or copying the record shall have a right to compel compliance with the provisions of this section by application to a court of competent jurisdiction for a writ of mandamus or other appropriate relief." SECTION 10.(b) The title of Article 21A of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes reads as rewritten:

"Article 21A.

"Privacy of Employee Personnel Records." SECTION 10.(c) This section is effective when it becomes law.

PART XI.

ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND LOCAL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF LABORATORY SCHOOLS SECTION 11.(a) G.S.

116-239.8(b) reads as rewritten:

"(b) The chancellor shall be the administrative head of a laboratory school approved by the Subcommittee and shall provide general direction for the establishment and operation of a laboratory school.

The chancellor, with advice and input from the advisory board established in subdivision (1) of this subsection, shall adopt policies, operating procedures, and the courses of Page 12 House Bill 832-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 study to govern the operation of the laboratory school.

The chancellor may designate the duties required by this Article to other personnel as necessary.

The chancellor shall also have the following powers and duties:

… (4) Operation and maintenance of laboratory schools.

Cost standards for laboratory schools.

– The Board of Governors and the State Board of Education shall jointly determine standards for establishing the costs to local school administrative units for providing the facilities and services identified in this subdivision subdivision (4b) of this subsection for the operation and maintenance of a laboratory school.

The standards shall include at least the lease amount by square foot for facility leases, which shall incorporate the cost of the outstanding debt service for the facility.

(4a) Memorandum of understanding.

– The chancellor and the local school administrative unit shall adopt a memorandum of understanding for the operation and maintenance of the laboratory school that includes the facilities and services identified in subdivision (4b) of this subsection.

The chancellor and the local school administrative unit shall review and update the memorandum at least every five years and any updated memorandum shall take effect no earlier than the next school year.

For any proposal to amend a term of the memorandum regarding facilities, services, or operations of the laboratoryschool, theproposingpartyshall provideat least six months'notice, and the amendment shall take effect no earlier than the next school year.

(4b) Facilities and services.

– A local school administrative unit shall provide, at the laboratory school's request, any of the following facilities and services to the laboratory school, but the costs of those facilities and services charged to the laboratory school shall not exceed the established standards for determination of costs.

The following shall be determined in a memorandum of understanding between the chancellor and the local school administrative unit for the operation and maintenance of the laboratory school as needed:school:

a.

Facilities and leases.

– Upon request, the local school administrative unit in which the laboratory school is located shall lease adequate facilities to the constituent institution for use as a laboratory school.

Unless the laboratory school requests not to include any of the following, the lease shall include use of or access to any existing buildings, parking areas, playgrounds, driveways required for ingress and egress, furniture, classroom space, a cafeteria or multipurpose room, moveable equipment, appliances, playground materials, including a library collection, instructional materials, and classroom and other technology equipment necessary to operate the laboratory school.

The lease term shall be terminated if the laboratory school ceases operation.

Upon request, the local school administrative unit shall maintain the facilities and premises of the laboratory school and keep them in good repair and tenantable condition by providing all routine custodial services and routine facilities maintenance services, including routine indoor maintenance, routine mowing, trimming, and maintenance of exterior landscaping and snow removal, and timely repair of the facilities and premises.

The chancellor is authorized to execute the lease agreement and memoranda of agreement for the operation of a laboratory school.

House Bill 832-Second Edition Page 13 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 b.

Transportation services.

– Upon request, the local school administrative unit in which the laboratory school is located shall provide transportation to students who reside in the local school administrative unit and attend the laboratory school, including any students who are homeless and require assistance pursuant to 42 U.S.C.

§ 11301, et seq., the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

The requirement to provide transportation to students residing in the local school administrative unit shall (i) apply regardless of where a laboratory school student resides in the unit or how the unit's transportation policies and practices are applied to other students and (ii) upon request, include providing transportation of students and personnel for laboratory school extracurricular activities and educational trips in the same manner as other schools in the unit for that school year.

c.

Food services.

– The laboratory school shall strive to ensure that one hundred percent (100%) muscadine grape juice is made available to students as a part of the school's nutrition program or through the operation of the school's vending facilities.

Upon request, Food services shall be provided to students of the laboratory school as follows:

1.

Unless the laboratory school agrees in the memorandum of understanding to administer the National School Lunch Program as the school food authority for its own students, the local school administrative unit in which the laboratory school is located shall administer the National School Lunch Program as the school food authority for the laboratory school in accordance with G.S.

115C-264.

As part of that process, the local school administrative unit shall do at least the following:

I.

Purchase, prepare, deliver, and serve food and drink for students in the laboratory school.

II.

Engage in any contracts or other actions necessary to provide these services, including procuring federal reimbursement funds.

2.

The laboratory school shall strive to ensure that one hundred percent (100%) muscadine grape juice is made available to students as partoftheschool's nutrition program or throughthe operation of the school's vending facilities.

d.

Student support services.

– Upon request, the local school administrative unit in which the laboratory school is located shall provide anyof the following student support services for the operation of the laboratory school, including:

1.

Services required by the Department of Public Instruction for children with disabilities.

2.

Children and family support services, including social worker and school nurse services.

3.

Other health services, including dental screenings, vision screenings, and similar health services that apply to other students enrolled in the local school administrative unit.

4.

Parent involvement coordinator services.

5.

School counselor services.

Page 14 House Bill 832-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (4c) Costs of services;

reimbursement.

– The local school administrative unit may charge the costs of the facilities and services provided pursuant to sub-subdivisions a.

and d.

of subdivision (4b) of this subsection to the laboratory school.

These charges shall not exceed the standards for determination of costs established pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection.

If a local school administrative unit fails to provide any of the services listed in subdivision (4b) of this subsection, the laboratory school may provide those services without the support of the local school administrative unit.

In the event a laboratory school provides its own services pursuant to this subdivision, the laboratoryschool maycharge the local school administrative unit for the actual costs of those services, even if those services exceed the standards for determination of costs established pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection, and the local school administrative unit shall reimburse the laboratory school for those services from non-State funds.

…." SECTION 11.(b) This section is effective when it becomes law.

PART XII.

RENEWAL SCHOOL SYSTEM MODIFICATIONS AND STUDY OF RENEWAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SECTION 12.(a) Section 6(p) of S.L.

2018-32 reads as rewritten:

"SECTION 6.(p) State Board of Education Review;

Termination of Plan.

– The State Board shallconductareviewoftheoperationandstudentperformanceofthelocalschooladministrative unit operating under an approved renewal school system plan followingthe end of the 2022-2023 2028-2029 school year and, at least every three five years thereafter, to ensure that the unit is meeting the expected academic, financial, and governance strategic goals set forth in the local board of education's plan.

The State Board may terminate the renewal school system plan after a review upon any of the following grounds:

(1) Failure to meet the requirements for student performance contained in the plan.

(2) The majority of schools in the local school administrative unit have been identified as low-performing schools in the two school years immediately preceding the review.

If the State Board determines that the local school administrative unit operating under an approved renewal school system plan has failed to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management or violated State or federal law, the State Board may terminate the renewal school system plan prior to the end of 2022-2023 the 2028-2029 school year.

In addition, if the State Superintendent finds that satisfactory progress is not being made after reviewing the reports required to be submitted under subsection (q) of this section, the State Superintendent shall recommend to the State Board that the renewal school system plan be terminated immediately.

The State Board shall terminate the renewal school system plan if such a recommendation is made by the State Superintendent.

Upon termination of the renewal school system plan bythe State Board, the State Board shall develop a transition plan for the local board of education to revert to operating the local school administrativeunitinaccordancewithapplicableStatelawsandregulationsforotherlocalschool administrative units." SECTION 12.(b) Section 6(q) of S.L.

2018-32 reads as rewritten:

"SECTION 6.(q) Reporting to State Superintendent.

– The local school administrative unit operating under an approved renewal school system plan shall report to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction as follows:

(1) An annual report on the assessment instruments used pursuant to G.S.

115C-174.11(a) and the student outcomes based on those assessments.

House Bill 832-Second Edition Page 15 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (2) Anannual reportonthenumberofclassroom teacherand school administrator vacancies, turnover, and use of long-term substitutes in filling vacancies for both classroom teachers and school administrators.

This report shall also provide comparisons with the statewide data on these items.

In addition, the report shall also provide comparisons with the previous year's data on these items both at the local school administrative unit level and statewide.