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Some Upcoming Dates of Note:
See below for details
- September 17th- Early-bird discount ends for NCSIS 2025 Conference
- September 24th- The Ready to Open 2026 Cohort meets for their first of five Planning Year Sessions, at the NC DPI building. Please reach out to Dr. Natasha Norins with questions.
- September 30th- PPL opt-in due in Epicenter. Reminder, this is an annual opt-in.
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Computer Science Info
Computer Science Graduation Requirements
The academic year 2025-2026 is the last year to waive your Computer Science Graduation Requirements. The Public-School Units must submit a signed notification to NCDPI stating that a Computer Science course that fulfills the high school graduation requirement was not available to students by July 1 of each school year.
Computer Science Partnership to Support Implementation
OCS is gathering annual opt-ins for Paid Parental Leave funds through Epicenter beginning September 3rd - Reminder, this is an annual opt-in.
If and only if your school board of directors has decided to opt in to the parental leave reimbursements, check the certification box in the Epicenter task and submit this item prior to October 1st.
Following the deadline, NCDPI School Business will be notified of those schools electing to participate in paid parental leave and substitute reimbursement. A school electing to participate will be required to submit evidence of substitute costs to School Business.
In compliance with G.S.§ 150B-19.1(c) the State Board of Education (SBE) adopted rule 16 NCAC 06C .0408 Parental Leave.
New Homeless Liaison & Foster Care POC Training
This school year, the North Carolina Homeless Education Program (NCHEP) & the North Carolina Foster Care Education Program (NCFCEP) are partnering to host the New Homeless Liaison & Foster Care POC Training for North Carolina’s charter and lab schools. The training will be held on September 25, 2025, in Greensboro, NC. Homeless liaisons and/or foster care POCs with two years or less experience should attend this required training.
Registration is currently full, but if you would like to be added to the wait list, please contact Savannah.Gay@dpi.nc.gov.
Updated School Attendance and Student Accounting (SASA) Manual
This is a MUST HAVE resource for all charter school administrators.
2025 SASA Manual
Read to Achieve and K-5 Literacy Support
As you begin to prepare for the quickly approaching 2025-2026 school year, please review the information below and share as needed. The Office of Early Learning Charter Team will continue to provide professional development opportunities and literacy support for North Carolina Charter and Lab Schools.
Please see the Read to Achieve and K-5 Literacy resource document and share as needed.
We will continue to keep you informed and updated as we have additional guidance and information that pertains to NC Literacy efforts this year. If at any time you have questions or need support related to Read to Achieve and K-5 literacy, please contact tonia.parrish@dpi.nc.gov. OCS Presentations from the Wilmington conference:
Important DHHS Resources for Charter Schools
Please click on each link and read thoroughly.
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School Business September 11, 2025
The FBS website continues to be updated with information related to School Business and our ongoing operations. Please check the FBS homepage regularly for updates. Please review the upcoming deadlines for due dates.
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URGENT: Federal Grants Ending on or Before Sept 30, 2025 - All PSUs
Please be reminded that there are several federal grants whose period of performance ends on or before September 30, 2025. The funds at risk of being reverted can be identified using the DART PSU Report 103: PSU Remaining Allotment Balance or the 4. Funds Available to Request Report in the Cash App. The list of ending grants was also posted on August 15th to our What's New page.
Be aware that the August cash zero-out may impact your remaining balances. Please review your federal allotments later this week to ensure you have expended those funds before those grants end. This includes ensuring you have recorded all expenditures, and if needed eligible encumbrances, to the appropriate grant year in your system. All encumbrances must be reflected in your September MFR file. We have posted a list of allowable and unallowable object codes for encumbrances on our website. Please ensure that your encumbrances are recorded to the proper object codes, otherwise funds will revert. Encumbrances for these grants must be liquidated by December 31st.
Reminder: Grant year reporting means that expenditures and cash draws are all accounted by grant year for the federal grant funds. These must align. Please work with your software vendors if you are still unclear how to appropriately account for these funds using the new grant year code segment in the Chart of Accounts (COA).
If you have questions regarding these funds, please contact SchoolFinancialReporting@dpi.nc.gov.
21st Century Community Learning Centers - Non-LEAs/ERaCA Users
If you use ERaCA to access funds for the 21st Century Community Learning Center Program, please note that you must expend all GY 23 and GY 24 funds on or before September 30, 2025. ERaCA will be open through October 31, 2025 for you to request reimbursement for these expenditures, but all expenditures must be dated on or before September 30, 2025.
Allotments Update
FY2025-26 Allotments - All PSUs
State Initial & “Kitchen Sink” Allotments
At this time, all the Initial State funds have been allocated based on the current Continuation Budget. Should the General Assembly pass additional funding, we will work to distribute that funding within two weeks of the legislation becoming law. School Business will continue to allot program and grant funds as the data is made available.
Online resources such as the State Initial formula sheet, average salary information, and the IPS dollars per ADM will be published on the FBS website by the end of this week.
The following items of interest will be allotted this week:
- PRC 0067 – Assistant Principal MSA Intern Stipends per the Office of Licensure and Educator Preparation
- PRC 0085 – Literacy Intervention Allotments
- PRC 0110 – Title IV, Part B – 21st Century Community Learning Centers
- Approvals received as of September 3, 2025
The following items are scheduled for allotment in the following week:
- PRC 0078 – Digital Learning Initiative: Digital Literacy Solution
- Commencement of Federal Initial Allotments
Federal Initial Allotments
Federal initial allotments are under review and will be allotted as soon as possible for all Units with approvals-to-date as provided by the administrating program. As a reminder, the approved funding may be allotted as installments per the percentage of funding received by DPI in the grant award notification (GAN).
The federal PRCs involved in the Initial Allotment process are as follows:
- PRC 0017 – CTE - Program Improvement
- PRC 0047 – ESEA Title I, Part D - Neglected & Delinquent (State Agency Programs)
- PRC 0049 – IDEA - Section 619 - Preschool Grants
- PRC 0050 – Title I - Basic, Concentration, Education Finance Incentive, and Targeted Grants
- PRC 0051 – ESEA Title I, Part C - Migrant Education Program (MEP)
- PRC 0060 – IDEA - Section 611 - Grants to States
- PRC 0070 – IDEA - Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS)
- PRC 0103 – ESEA Title II, Part A - Supporting Effective Instruction (SEI)
- PRC 0104 – ESEA Title III, Part A - English Language Acquisition (ELA)
- PRC 0105 – ESEA Title I, Part A - School Improvement - 1003(A) Funds
- PRC 0107 – ESEA Title I, Part D - Neglected & Delinquent (PSU Programs)
- PRC 0108 – ESEA Title IV, Part A - Student Support & Academic Enrichment Grants (SSAE)
- PRC 0109 – ESEA Title V, Part B - Rural & Low-Income Schools (RLIS)
- PRC 0111 – ESEA Title III, Part A - English Language Acquisition (Significant Increase)
- PRC 0115 – ESEA Title I, Part A - School Improvement - Competitive Funds
MFR Period 2: Account Balances and Invalid Codes - All PSUs
The MFR data for Period 2 (August 2025) have posted to the DART website.
Please check the following reports:
- “101. Current Monthly MFR” – Please review the account balances and compare the totals to your General Ledger, e.g., make sure the encumbrance amounts are correct especially for federal grants
- “102. PSU Invalid Codes – Current Reporting Period” – Please review the records with invalid codes that were submitted with the Period 2 MFR data file
The amounts from “101. Current Monthly MFR” may not reconcile to the General Ledger due to invalid codes. Please review “102. PSU Invalid Codes – Current Reporting Period” and check for invalid codes that may contribute to the difference(s).
If the difference(s) is not due to invalid codes, please contact the vendor to troubleshoot.
The invalid account code(s) corrections should be submitted with the next MFR data file submission (due 10/2/2025). MFR expenditure amounts posted to invalid account codes are not loaded into the Cash App, which impacts the cash amounts for monthly zero-out.
Please DO NOT RESUBMIT the MFR data file for Period 2 or any other previous periods.
If there are questions or concerns on the data files, please contact SchoolFinancialReporting@dpi.nc.gov.
If you are experiencing difficulties or need access to the DART website, please contact SBSDART@dpi.nc.gov.
From the Office of Exceptional Children
Maintenance of Effort: Expenditures - All PSUs
The IDEA Integrated Monitoring Fiscal Team will be offering the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) -Expenditures training Thursday September 18, 2025.
MOE opens on October 1st and in order to complete that process, PSUs must have an approved budget. With these timelines in mind, districts should plan to submit their local budgets on or before September 15th in order to allow adequate time for any revisions prior to MOE.
Questions? Contact SBS
Deadline Reminders
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DUE DATE
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TOPIC
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NEWSLETTER
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09/30/2025
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Consolidated Application Initial Submission Extension
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08/28/2025
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09/30/2025
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Expenditures for Ending Federal Grants
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08/15/2025
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10/31/2025
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Annual Audit Report
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07/17/2025
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10/31/2025
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SS200 Full-Time Personnel Report
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08/15/2025
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Looking for Literacy Professional Development? Need to earn CEUs?
NEW! During the 2024-2025 school year the Office of Early Learning is offering a virtual Literacy for Educators webinar series focused on content aligned to the science of reading for charter and lab schools.
These sessions are open to All educators, coaches, and administrators.
Each monthly session will be held from 3:30 pm-4:30 pm.
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NCSIS 2025 Conference
We are excited to invite you back to the NCSIS 2025 Conference, taking place October 20-22, 2025 at the Raleigh Downtown Marriott. This year’s event will bring together leaders, educators, and technology professionals from across North Carolina to collaborate, learn, and shape the future of student information systems in our state.
Registration Options:
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Early Bird Registration – $150
On Sale Now through September 17, 2025 at 11:59 PM
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General Registration – $200
Available September 18 – September 30, 2025
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Late Registration – $250
Available October 1, 2025 until capacity is reached
Space is limited! We anticipate strong participation, so we encourage you to register early to secure your spot.
Location: Raleigh Downtown Marriott **New Location this Year!
Dates: October 20 - 22, 2025
Intended Audience: SIS Coordinators & Lead Data Managers
This conference will feature Infinite Campus trainers on site, SIS Experts from the field, breakout sessions & workshops, and networking opportunities designed to support you in making the most of NCSIS during this critical phase of statewide implementation.
Register Now by visiting the DTL Hub - www.dpi.nc.gov/dtl Full hotel information is available in the hub as well.
We look forward to seeing you in Raleigh this October for an engaging and impactful conference.
Warm regards,
Matthew & Team
Matthew C Mayo, CeCTO, IPT, CETL
Director of Digital Teaching & Learning and School Connectivity
Unlock the Power of Writing for Multilingual Learners
Two 2-Day Workshops | Elementary & Secondary Tracks
Join us for this dynamic 2-day workshop designed to spark powerful writing growth for multilingual learners! Using the Teaching and Learning Cycle, we’ll explore how writing instruction can do more than prepare students for academic success—it can empower them to share their voices, connect with others, and advocate for what matters most to them.
Designed for both elementary and secondary contexts, the workshops focus on how intentional, language-rich instruction empowers multilingual learners—not just to succeed in academic writing, but to use writing as a powerful tool to understand the world, express themselves, learn from one another, and advocate for what matters most.
Both workshops guide participants through a pedagogical approach that apprentices students into academic genres, showing how authentic, content-based writing tasks foster deep understanding of how language works in written form. Educators will leave with ready-to-use strategies that support multilingual learners in becoming confident, capable writers across disciplines.
Elementary Track: September 29 and 30, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County
- Explore writing instruction grounded in science content with applications across subjects.
- Learn how to build knowledge, analyze mentor texts, co-construct writing, and guide students’ independent practice.
- Engage students in reflection and revision cycles to strengthen writing skills and voice.
Secondary Track: October 2 and 3, Bladen County
- Centered on social studies writing, with connections to ELA and science.
- Focus on disciplinary genres that prepare students for secondary-level academic demands.
- Emphasis on building background knowledge, unpacking mentor texts, co-writing with students, and supporting independent application.
- Includes cycles of review and revision to refine student writing.
- Note: This workshop focuses on disciplinary writing and does not address foundational literacy for SIFE/SLIFE students.
Key Outcomes for All Participants:
- Build background knowledge so students can write with confidence.
- Use mentor texts to uncover the language of specific genres.
- Co-create writing with students as a scaffold for success.
- Guide students in applying language strategies independently.
- Foster reflection and revision to grow student voice and effectiveness.
Register to attend one of these sessions by completing this form. The ML/Title III team will contact you via email to confirm your reservation or inform you that you are on a waitlist. Please email ESLTitleIII@dpi.nc.gov with any questions. Charter schools have a dedicated SIS professional contact!
We are pleased to introduce Jennifer Fogleman as your new dedicated NCSIS Professional Learning Consultant for Charter Schools, effective immediately.
Jennifer brings a wealth of experience in the Student Information System (SIS) and is committed to providing you with the same high level of service you've come to expect from our team.
The NCSIS Professional Learning Consultant team is here to support you, please don't hesitate to contact Jennifer if you have any questions or concerns.
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Other Resources from DPI and beyond
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Implementing Standards Based Instruction
Regional Professional Development
This professional development offering is grounded in the implementation of standards-based instruction, focusing on equipping educators with strategies, tools, and foundational knowledge for designing and delivering learning experiences that align with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. This approach develops teacher expertise in the following key areas: foundations of standards-based instruction, differentiation within a standards-based framework, and alignment and consistency.
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GSNC Grant Opportunity
Charter school leaders: Great Schools North Carolina (GSNC) is opening the application window for its School Quality Grant from August 26 to September 9.
This 18-month program includes:
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Up to $150,000 in direct funding per school
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Cohort-based learning and community
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Tailored coaching and partnership support
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A full year of implementation resources to move your school from good to great
This opportunity is for independent, non-profit public charter schools that:
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Have a school leader in place for at least one year
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Have two years of state testing data (SY23–24 & SY24–25)
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Have a rating of D or higher on the most recent NC School Report Card
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Met or exceeded growth on the most recent NC School Report Card
Want to learn more? Join the Info Session on August 19 to explore how GSNC can support your next chapter. Register here!
Fall 2025 AI Webinar Series 🧑💻
NCDPI's Office of Digital Teaching and Learning offers a Wednesday webinar series to support AI literacy and the implementation of AI in North Carolina.
All webinars are held from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Upcoming offerings include:
- September 17 - Part 1: Traditional to Transformative: Realizing the Promise of Education in an AI-Enabled World- with Vera Cubero
- September 24 - AI Literacy for K5 w/ RoboWunderkind
- October 8 - Part 2: Traditional to Transformative: Realizing the Promise of Education in an AI-Enabled World with Vera Cubero
Learn more about the webinar series and find registration links here.
Sign Up for NCDPI Newsletters
Did you know NCDPI produces a variety of newsletters on various topics across North Carolina K-12 education? Whether you’re looking for news on school counseling, digital teaching & learning resources, middle school science or K-12 education legislation updates, there is something for everyone.
A few examples of subscription offerings are:
- K-12 Education Legislative Update
- News Releases
- Digital Accessibility Newsletter
- Exceptional Children Information for Parents
Click here and enter your email address to see all the subscription lists and newsletters available to receive.
NC College Connect Informational Webinars for Educators, Parents and Students 🧑🎓
NC College Connect is a groundbreaking initiative offering direct college admission to eligible high school seniors across the state for the 2025–2026 school year! Open to public high school seniors with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or higher who meet course requirements, students will be matched with colleges where they already qualify — no traditional application needed. Eligible students will be notified this fall.
Check out the website to learn more, or attend one of the webinars below.
Educator Webinars
Student/Parent Webinars
Student/Parent Office Hours
NCVPS Live, Certified Instruction Now Available for Middle Schools
North Carolina Virtual Public School launched In-Real-Time (IRT) with tremendous success. This live, synchronous instruction program is designed specifically for middle school students. IRT brings certified NC teachers directly into your middle school classrooms—supporting schools that are facing vacancies, working with substitutes, or simply seeking stronger instructional options. With flexible scheduling and real-time lessons in core subjects, IRT is already helping districts deliver the teaching their students need—right when they need it.
👉 Learn more and register for our upcoming informational webinars: https://conta.cc/44jtmRW
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NCVPS 2025-2026 Enrollment Now Open!
NCVPS has opened registration early to support schools and districts as they prepare for the transition to the new statewide student information system. Schools and students can now explore our updated course catalog and plan for summer, fall, and spring enrollment. We recently added Honors 1 and 2 options for French, Latin, and Spanish, and we have a new filtering feature in our registration system to make finding courses easier. As you register, consider Early Start vs. Standard Start options to align with your school’s academic calendar. Don’t wait—secure your enrollments today! See all the details in our latest NCVPS E-lert.
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Share excellence in education!
Post exceptional student work or exciting happenings at your NC Charter School. Then tag or mention OCS on Social Media for others to see!
Remember when you share on social media to use #WeAreNCCharters or @NCCharterOffice
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Standards of Professional Conduct
Please download and distribute this OCS guidance document.
Charter School Job Postings
Job postings will include the posted date and will be deleted after two months. Schools may request early removal or extension. Contact Joseph.Letterio@dpi.nc.gov with a posting link.
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Ashley Baquero • Director, Office of Charter Schools
Please send general inquires to ocs@dpi.nc.gov
Contact information for area specialists can be found on the Office of Charter Schools Directory.
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