Memorial Day ~ Honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice
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As we reflect on the sacrifices made by the men and women who have fought and given their lives for our freedom, we wish you a safe, meaningful, and relaxing Memorial Day weekend.
Please note that the K–12 Education Legislative Update will not be published on Friday, May 29, as the North Carolina General Assembly will be in recess. We will resume our newsletter on Friday, June 5.
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Friday, May 22, 2026
Highlights
The News & Observer - Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan | May 21, 2026
North Carolina lawmakers will spend the week of May 25 back home in their districts, a month after they returned to session and while budget negotiations are ongoing.
House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate leader Phil Berger announced earlier this month that they have a “framework” of a budget deal with agreements on tax policy and raises. But that leaves the rest of the budget work still on the to-do list, which is being led by Appropriations committee chairs - four in the House and three in the Senate.
So the work continues for the top budget writers, while most of the 170 legislators have left. Hall said he chose the week of Memorial Day for the break, hoping that it lined up with budget progress, and he hopes that means budget work will be finished in June.
WRAL News - Will Doran | May 20, 2026
The state House voted Wednesday to override one of the Democratic Gov. Josh Stein's vetoes from 2025, as Republican lawmakers gained enough support to push forward with one of about half a dozen veto overrides that have been unresolved for the past year.
The House voted to approve House Bill 87. It would conform state law to a new federal law, passed under Republican President Donald Trump, giving tax breaks to people who donate to educational scholarship programs.
Stein had vetoed the bill a year ago, but also said he wanted to opt into the program in a way that would benefit public schools, as well, citing concerns about cuts to federal education funding. Stein said at the time he wanted to wait until the federal Treasury Department approved rules governing it. It hasn't done that yet.
It's unclear what the federal rules will ultimately be for the tax credit program and who will create all of them. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said last week that states will be able to put conditions on scholarship organizations, though the federal Treasury Department will first make rules that govern the program, Chalkbeat reported.
Education Commission of the States - Katja Krieger | May 20, 2026: The passage of the H.R. 1, called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, by Congress in July 2025 included the first federal school choice program known as the Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program. This legislation allows governors or a designated state official to opt in to a federally funded tax credit scholarship program for elementary and secondary education, which is slated to begin Jan. 1, 2027. This article outlines some key questions leaders are considering in the meantime.
The Carolina Journal - Andrew Pomeranz | May 21, 2026
North Carolina voters will decide this November whether to amend the state constitution to require limits on local property tax levy increases, after the measure cleared both chambers of the General Assembly on Wednesday. House Bill 1089, the “Const. Amend. Property Tax Levy Limit,” passed the House 73-46 before winning final Senate approval 31-15.
A levy limit is not a tax cap but instead restricts how much total property tax revenue a local government can collect, often tying future increases to benchmarks such as inflation and population growth. The amendment, however, only directs lawmakers to establish the limit later through general law, leaving key details for future debate if voters approve the amendment.
Critics, including some Democrats and local government advocates, have warned that a statewide levy limit could restrict counties’ and municipalities’ ability to fund schools, public safety, infrastructure, and other core services.
The measure is one of multiple tax-related constitutional amendments moving to voters this year. The House also passed Senate Bill 1080, which would lower the maximum state income tax rate allowed under the constitution to 3.5%. That measure passed the House 73-46 on Wednesday after previously clearing the Senate.
Celebrate the Good in Public Education
Superintendent's Student Advisory Council Advocacy Day
Three members of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council participated in an advocacy day on Tuesday, May 19. The participating students included Madison Dempster, a senior at Pine Forest High School in Cumberland County; Elliott Carter, a senior at Charles B. Aycock High School in Wayne County; and Bailey Nilo, a junior at Alleghany High School in Alleghany County. The students began their day with a discussion with Superintendent Green before visiting the North Carolina General Assembly to meet with their representatives and attend a legislative session.
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DPI staff extend a special thank you to the following legislators and staff for their time and support of our public school students:
The day concluded with the council members attending the House Education K-12 Committee, where they observed active debates on key education bills.
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June State Board of Education Meeting
- Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM
- Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 9 AM
Access all YouTube recordings of SBE meetings here.
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Legislative Lookback: Week of May 18, 2026
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Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
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Presiding: Representative David Willis, Co-Chair
The following bills were considered:
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Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
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Presiding: Representative John A. Torbett, Co-Chair
The following education bill was considered:
Bills in the News:
EdNC - Ben Humphries | May 21, 2026
House Bill 144, which aims to amend the North Carolina Constitution to make non-Council of State State Board of Education (SBE) seats elected, four-year term positions, passed the House Education – K-12 Committee on Tuesday. If the bill passes and voters approve the amendment, SBE members would be elected from districts established by the General Assembly. The amendment would also make the Superintendent of Public Instruction an ex officio member and the chair of the Board, rather than a secretary to the Board. The current superintendent is Maurice “Mo” Green.
Rep. Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke, previously introduced a similar constitutional amendment in 2022, but the bill never saw a vote on the House floor.
Other states have varying models for selecting members of their state boards of education. States that elect members on partisan ballots include Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, Texas, and Utah, according to 2024 data from the National Association of State Boards of Education. About 30 states rely on their governor to appoint members that are then confirmed by the state legislature, according to the data.
The Carolina Journal - David N. Bass | May 21, 2026
For the first time, North Carolina would have to publicly track whether state-funded trainees aiming to become school principals actually take those jobs, under legislation that cleared a North Carolina House committee on May 19. House Bill 1143, sponsored by state Rep. Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke, passed the House Education Committee without opposition and was referred to appropriations.
In addition to the new tracking mechanism, the bill would add $5 million in recurring funds to the state’s Principal Fellows program, the main pipeline producing new school administrators. Committee chair state Rep. David Willis, R-Union, praised the effort, telling Blackwell that “aside from our teachers, our school leadership or principals are the most critical aspect of our schools.”
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A Look Ahead: Week of May 25, 2026 - Memorial Day Break
The NCGA legislative calendar is updated frequently, so be sure to check the NCGA Homepage for the most up-to-date information on committee meetings, voting sessions, press conferences, and more. Current Legislative Calendar
House Calendar | House Chamber Dashboard
Senate Calendar | Senate Chamber Dashboard
K-12 Education Bills
Education Bills to Watch
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HB 87 Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA).
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HB 144 Elect SBE/Superintendent as SBE Chair.
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HB 301 Social Media & AI Safety.
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HB 443 Const. Amendment: Council of State Vacancies.
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HB 451 Diabetes Education for Parents.
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HB 496 Patriotic Youth Group Access.
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HB 1043 CHCCS Act.
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HB 1086 Child Care Initiative Funds/Reform/Study.
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HB 1110 Early Intervention School Attendance Pilot.
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HB 1114 GSC Technical Corrections 2026.
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HB 1123 UNC Omnibus & Capital Contracting Law Changes.
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HB 1124 Interstate Compact for School Psychologists.
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HB 1126 2026 DST Admin/Technical/Clarifying Changes.-AB
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HB 1143 Principal Fellows & MSA Intern Stipends.
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HB 1163 Workforce Act of 2026.
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SB 280 Private School Security Act.
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SB 445 Regulatory Reform Act of 2026.
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SB 840 Teacher Licensure Modifications.
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SB 864 Safe and Responsible AI in Schools Act.
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SB 986 Workforce Act of 2026.
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SB 990 Students First Act.
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SB 991 Community College Workforce Readiness Act.
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SB 1006 K-12 Innovation and Transformation Act.
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SB 1044 Foundational Mathematics Act.
Vetoed Bills on the House Calendar for Reconsideration
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HB 171 Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI.
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HB 832 Education Omnibus.
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SB 50 Freedom to Carry NC.
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SB 153 North Carolina Border Protection Act.
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SB 227 Eliminating "DEI" in Public Education.
Reminder: Bills ≠ Laws
Only a few dozen bills typically make it “across the finish line” and become law each legislative session.
- During the 2025-27 biennium, 2,300+ total bills have been introduced so far.
- Of these, 113 bills have become law.
- Of these 113 new laws, NCGA staff have noted 44 laws relate to education in some way.
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