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April 21, 2026

SECTION I: OCS PRIORITY ITEMS

Please see the attached memo, 2026–27 Accountability and Testing Training Requirements, from Dr. Michael Maher, Mr. Curtis Sonneman, Dr. Kinge Mbella, and Ms. Ashley Logue to all Charter School Directors.

Emergency Remote Instruction Plans (RIP)

Charter Schools that plan to use remote instruction during emergency closures must annually submit an Emergency Remote Instruction (RI) Plan to NC DPI. §S.L. 2022-74/HB 103 authorizes the use of Remote Instruction for emergency closures under §S.L. 115C-84.3(b).

By June 30, 2026, please complete one of the following actions for the 2026–2027 school year:

• Create and submit a new RI Plan for emergency closures, or

• Indicate that your PSU will not complete an RI Plan.

This year, Charter Schools must choose one of these options.  The option to “Utilize the current plan “ is not available this year.   

Please note that RI Plans cannot be accepted after the deadline. 

We encourage PSUs to complete the RI Plan Worksheet first and then submit the plan in Qualtrics.

• Remote Instruction Plan Worksheet:   2026-2027RIPlanWorksheet

• Remote Instruction Plan Submission Form:  2026-2027RIPlan

Please reach out to your Regional Consultant for Digital Teaching & School Connectivity regarding any questions. Please share with your Charter School’s leadership if you are not the person who submits this RIP.

Northeast Region - Meredith Ward Hill, meredith.hill@dpi.nc.gov

Southeast Region - Lauren Boucher, lauren.boucher@dpi.nc.gov

North Central Region - Jennifer Graham, jennifer.graham@dpi.nc.gov

Sandhills Region - Jill Darrough, jill.darrough@dpi.nc.gov

Piedmont-Triad Region - Brian Whitson, brian.whitson@dpi.nc.gov

Southwest Region - Lindsey Sipe, lindsey.sipe@dpi.nc.gov

Northwest Region - Jordan Caldwell, jordan.caldwell@dpi.nc.gov

Western Region - Stacy Lovdahl, stacy.lovdahl@dpi.nc.gov 

CTE Charter School meeting

AI Literacy Webinar: Concrete Ideas to Address AI Cheating Concerns

Description: Participants will engage in a high impact, practical session focused on unpacking the NC DPI AI Guidelines and translating them into effective classroom practice. Educators will explore how to confidently integrate AI into instruction, navigate concerns around student use, and facilitate meaningful, student-centered conversations about ethics and responsibility. Through real-world strategies and examples, participants will design AI-resistant assignments, strengthen instructional practices, and build capacity to support responsible AI use in the classroom. Participants will leave with ready-to-use resources, clear guidance, and the confidence to implement AI literacy across K–12 settings. 

This free webinar is hosted by the Computer Science, IT, and Technology team of the Office of Career and Technical Education and presented by Katie Bogle.

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

4:00pm-5:30pm

Registration Link

New NC Charter School application window closes April 24th.

The 2026 NC Charter School Application window opened on January 30th at 5 PM (EST) and will close on April 24, 2026, at 5 PM (EST). Applicants looking to open a charter school in 2027 (accelerated) or 2028 (standard) must submit their application and $1,000 fee by the deadline.

In-person interviews for applicant boards with the NC Charter School Review Board will take place at the Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh, NC, starting in September 2026. The application link is posted on the NCDPI Charter Schools Application page. For questions, please contact Melanie.Rackley@dpi.nc.gov.

Webinar: National Schools of Character: Panel Discussion

• Person Early College for Innovation and Leadership
• Haynes-Inman Educational Center
• North Shelby School
• Patriot STEM Elementary
• Union Academy

Updated School Attendance and Student Accounting (SASA) Manual

This is a MUST HAVE resource for all charter school administrators. 

2025 SASA Manual

SECTION II: SCHOOL BUSINESS UPDATES

April 16, 2026

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.

Allotments Update

FY2025-26 Allotments

The following items are scheduled for allotment by April 20th, 2026:

• Federal Approvals as of April 13, 2026
  • PRC 0060 IDEA - Section 611 Grants to States
  • PRC 0111 ESEA Title III, Part A - English Language Acquisition (Significant Increase)

The following items are scheduled for allotment by April 23rd, 2026:

• Grant Year 2026 Reallocation of Unallotted Funds
  • PRC 0108 ESEA Title IV, Part A - Student Support & Academic Enrichment Grants
  • PRC 0050 ESEA Title I, Part A - Basic/Concentration/Education Finance/Targeted Grants
  • PRC 0060 IDEA - Section 611 Grants to States
  • PRC 0049 IDEA - Section 619 Preschool Grants
  • PRC 0026 McKinney - Vento Homeless Assistance Act
  • PRC 0103 ESEA Title II, Part A - Supporting Effective Instruction
  • PRC 0104 ESEA Title III, Part A - English Language Acquisition
  • PRC 0109 ESEA Title V, Part B - Rural and Low-Income Schools
  • PRC 0111 ESEA Title III, Part A - English Language Acquisition (Significant Increase)

FY2026-27 Federal Planning Allotments

Federal Planning allotments are underway, status updates will be provided via newsletter or email blast. Please use prior year data and indirect cost rates for planning until those items can be updated.

Deadlines

The next batch of ABC transfers will close at midnight, Friday April 17th. Email-submitted transfer and conversion requests received by end of day Monday the 20th will be allotted by April 22nd.

If you have general allotment questions, please email allotments@dpi.nc.gov.

Year-End DART Report - All PSUs

A new dashboard is now available in DART in the PSU section: "FIN101. Monthly Actions". It consolidates data from several existing reports to help PSUs more easily monitor five critical areas that may require attention as we approach year-end: invalid codes, over-expended PRCs, over-obligated PRCs, days used overages, and salary overpaid exceptions. The report shows the number of items (if any) that require attention in each category. Clicking the number of items in each category will pull up detailed reports needed to investigate further.

SBS Summer Conference Save the Date and Hotel Group Rate

Our annual summer conference will be Thursday, July 23, 2026. Please hold that date and be aware that it will be at the Embassy Suites in Cary, NC.

The discounted Room Block is open and will be available until July 1st, so please jump on those rates
and secure your room. Thank you for your continued participation in our conference! We will send out more
information in the coming weeks. 

From the Office of Exceptional Children

Licensure for Developmental Day Centers

NCDPI and NCDHHS/DCDEE have collaboratively examined the licensure process for Developmental Day Centers who serve children over the age of 12 years. North Carolina child care licensure rules for Developmental Day Centers (DDCs) as outlined in 10A NCAC 09 .2902, specifically speaks to license procedures for child care centers serving preschool aged students.

Effective July 1, 2026, DCDEE will no longer issue child care licenses to Developmental Day Centers for the purpose of providing full-day educational services for children over the age of 6. Children ages seven through twelve served in Developmental Day Centers shall be permitted under the following applicable guidelines, unless determined otherwise by the local LEA, community based Developmental Day Center, and the family.

• Before- and after-school care
• Summer programming

Providers currently serving children over six in a full-day educational capacity should begin planning for compliance with this updated policy.

SECTION III: RESOURCES + EVENTS

CTE has contracted with Pam Taylor to serve as CTE Regional Coordinator for Charter Schools. Any Charter questions on CTE can be directed to her. 

Her email is Pam.Taylor@dpi.nc.gov

2026-27 EWIC Commission Grants are Open

The Education and Workforce Innovation Commission Grants (both under PRC079), the Innovation Grant and the CTE Grade Expansion Grant, applications for the 2026-27 grant year will open on Monday, March 16, 2026, at 8:00 am. The application deadline has been extended and will now close on Friday, May 8, 2026, at 5:00 pm. Just like last year, the applications will be housed in Google Forms.

There is one notable change to the Innovation Grant this year: The funding amount available for the Innovation Grant has changed to up to $70,000 per applicant for the 2026-27 grant year. Please remember the Innovation Grant requires a 50% match.

The funding amount for the Grade Expansion Grant has not changed, meaning applicants may apply for up to $65,000 again this year.

There is an attachment to this announcement that may be helpful to better understand the grants titled, “Education and Workforce Innovation Grants - Understanding the Grants and How to Apply - 2026-27”.

Disclaimer

These applications are being released prior to the official passing of the 2026 budget from the North Carolina General Assembly. With that, grant funding is subject to the final state budget allowances. Awards will not be distributed until after budget certification.

Open Office Hours

Open Office Hours are held by the (EWIC) Commission Administrator, Jacqueline Wyatt, and are designed to allow applicants to seek clarification regarding application requirements, grant objectives, eligibility criteria, associated legislative provisions, and other application questions. These sessions are intended to promote transparency, ensure accurate interpretation of program guidelines, and support applicants in submitting complete, compliant, and competitive proposals.

Please note that Jacqueline Wyatt cannot and will not provide feedback, recommendations, or guidance on how to improve, revise, or otherwise alter individual applications; these sessions are strictly limited to the provision of general information and clarification regarding the grants, application requirements, and applicable legislation.

1.    April 6, 2026 – 10:00 am to 11:00 am

2.    April 20, 2026 – 10:00 am to 11:00 am

3.    April 27, 2026 – 10:00 am to 11:00 am

Location: Jacqueline Wyatt’s Microsoft Teams Meeting Link

If you have any questions about these two grants, please contact Jacqueline Wyatt at Jacqueline.Wyatt@dpi.nc.gov.

2026 ELA Standard Course of Study Initial Statewide Implementation Session Registration Open

Registration Closes May 15, 2026

During Summer 2026, the NCDPI K-12 ELA Team will provide in-person professional development on the 2026 ELA Standard Course of Study (SCOS) in all 8 State Board of Education regions. PSUs are invited to register for a full-day initial statewide implementation session introducing the 2026 English Language Arts K-12 Standard Course of Study. The promo flyer reiterates the following information and provides another way to access the registration link.

Please note: Only one registration form is needed per PSU, and ELA Leaders are encouraged to coordinate with district and school leadership to select appropriate attendees before completing the form. 

Purpose

With a team from your PSU, join us for a one-day professional development--specifically targeted to ELA Leaders--to learn more about the new 2026 ELA SCOS which is scheduled for implementation in the 27-28 school year. Topics covered will include

• Standards basics and a high-level review of the newly adopted ELA SCOS
• Resource exploration including unpacking documents, glossary, crosswalk, and vertical progression
• Support for local messaging and communications
• Implementation guidance for planning and considering next steps

Audience

Each PSU may register up to four team members to attend this training. ELS’s will receive a separate training opportunity, so please do not include this individual on your team. Suggested representatives include

• PSU ELA Leaders (e.g., district/school admin, district/school coach)
• K-5 Teacher Leader that will support local implementation
• 6-12 Teacher Leader that will support local implementation

Dates and Locations

Training will be offered in all 8 regions of the state. Dates and host cities are provided below. Specific venue information and session times will be emailed to participants upon registration confirmation.

• Sandhills - June 16, 2026 - Fayetteville, NC
• North Central - June 17, 2026 - Durham, NC
• Southwest - June 23, 2026 - Kannapolis, NC
• West - June 25, 2026 - Asheville, NC
• Northwest - June 30, 2026 - Morganton, NC
• Northeast - July 9, 2026 - Washington, NC
• Piedmont-Triad - July 14, 2026 - Greensboro, NC
• Southeast - July 16, 2026 - Wilmington, NC

Please note: Registration confirmation emails for this PD will include details about directions, room locations, session times, and any necessary preparation. Charter school training will be done virtually at a later date, but charter school teams are welcome to come to any of the regional in-person dates listed above.

Upcoming Training: Multiple Measure Tool (MMT) - The Role of the ELD Teacher

The ML/Title III team has planned a virtual information session focused on reviewing the role of the EL/ML teacher on the school-based MMT team.

This session will provide an opportunity to clarify responsibilities, collaborate on best practices, and ensure that we are effectively supporting multilingual learners through data-informed decision-making. 

There are three opportunities to participate, but teachers need only attend one.

Please share this information with your EL/ML teachers!

• Each PSU will nominate one distinguished ESL teacher
• Please create a link/URL of the portfolio (this link will be shared in the nomination form). It can be a google doc or pdf. Please be sure to adjust viewing permissions so that it can be accessed by the reviewers.
• If you have any questions or need technical assistance, please contact walter.moore@dpi.nc.gov. 

Updated Computer Science Course Lists for SY26-27

Pursuant to G.S. 115C-12(9d), the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has published updated Computer Science Middle School Elective Offering and High School Graduation Requirement course lists. The updated high school course list adds ten new course options, and the updated middle school course list adds three new middle school elective options along with four additional high school courses that can be taught in middle school. Completion of any course identified on the approved High School Courses Eligible for Middle School list will satisfy both the CS middle school course elective offering and high school graduation requirement.

Pursuant to G.S. 115C-12(9d), Local Implementation Delay Waiver Requests were available only for 2024–2025 and 2025–2026; no waivers are permitted for full implementation beginning in 2026–2027.

Link: NCDPI Computer Science Graduation Requirement

RISE 2026 Registration

Important DHHS Resources for Charter Schools

• Diabetes Memo
• Epinephrine Memo

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

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NOTE- To sign up for the Office of Federal Programs listserv, please contact your assigned Consolidated Program Administrator.  Contacts can be found by clicking this link and selecting your region at the bottom of the page.

North Carolina Virtual Public School  

As you begin planning for summer programming and student support, NCVPS is here to help you expand learning opportunities for your students. We offer over 90 classes during the summer.

Our online summer courses provide a flexible option for students who need to stay on track for graduation or get ahead before the next school year begins. NCVPS can do this without placing additional strain on your staff or schedule.

Learn More

Opportunities for your students

• Full credit courses in all the core subjects, plus multiple world languages, CTE, health and PE, the arts, and other electives
• The opportunity to earn credit before the new school year begins
• Small online class environments that support individualized attention
• North Carolina licensed teachers who provide instruction, monitor progress, and provide regular feedback

Support for your school

• Cost is covered in your district or charter school’s allotment for the 26-27 school year
• Expanded summer course options without the need to hire additional staff
• Flexible implementation that fits your school’s schedule and student needs
• Support for improving on-time graduation
• Reduced scheduling conflicts through fully asynchronous courses
• Clear progress monitoring and communication for school staff
• Streamlined enrollment and coordination through NCVPS

Register Today

SECTION IV: OCS + CHARTER HAPPENINGS

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

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.

• Brevard Academy - Multiple opportunities (3/10)
• Charlotte Lab School -  Elementary Teacher SY 26-27, Middle School Teacher SY 26-27, High School SY 26-27 (3/3)
• Classical Charter Schools of Whiteville- 2nd grade Teacher and 4th grade Teacher (3/17)
• Classical Charter Schools of Southport- 2nd grade Teacher and 5th grade Teacher (3/17)
• Classical Charter Schools of Leland- History Teacher (3/17)
• Magellan Charter School- 7th Grade Science Teacher (4/21)
• Socrates Academy-Head of School (4/7)
• The Expedition School - Elementary Teachers 2026-27 School Year  (4/14)
• Two Rivers Community School - Director of Operations (3/24)

Ashley Logue  • 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.