EDUC. CHANGES FOR MILITARY-CONNECTED STUDENTS.

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View NCGA Bill Details2021
House Bill 53 (Public) Filed Wednesday, February 3, 2021
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE STUDENT ATTENDANCE IN A LOCAL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT FOR CHILDREN OF ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY DUE TO THE MILITARY ORDERS OF THE PARENT AND TO CLARIFY CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE DEPENDENTS OF MILITARY PERSONNEL ONCE THOSE STUDENTS ARE ADMITTED TO A STATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
Intro. by Cleveland, Bell, Martin.

Status: Ch. SL 2021-9 (Apr 9 2021)

Bill History:

H 53/S.L. 2021-9

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Apr 12 2021 - View Summary

    AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE STUDENT ATTENDANCE IN A LOCAL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT FOR CHILDREN OF ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY DUE TO THE MILITARY ORDERS OF THE PARENT AND TO CLARIFY CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE DEPENDENTS OF MILITARY PERSONNEL ONCE THOSE STUDENTS ARE ADMITTED TO A STATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. SL 2021-9. Enacted April 9, 2021. Effective April 9, 2021, except as otherwise provided.


  • Summary date: Mar 24 2021 - View Summary

    Senate committee substitute amends the 2nd edition as follows. 

    Amends GS 116-281 regarding eligibility for need-based scholarships for students attending private institutions of higher education by amending the requirements that must be met for the dependent relative to remain eligible when the active duty member of the US Armed Forces is reassigned outside of the state, to require that the dependent enroll in the institution no later than the fall academic semester immediately following admission (was, immediately following establishment of eligibility). Make an additional clarifying change to the statute. 


  • Summary date: Mar 10 2021 - View Summary

    House committee substitute amends the 1st edition as follows. 

    Part II

    Adds a new section amending GS 116-281 regarding eligibility for need-based scholarships for students attending private institutions of higher education. Regarding eligibility based on the student being a dependent relative of an active duty member of the US Armed Forces who is abiding in the State incident to active military duty while sharing an abode with the active duty member, adds the following new provisions. Requires for the dependent relative to remain eligible under this criteria notwithstanding reassignment of the active duty member outside of the State if, at the time the dependent relative applies for admission to an eligible private postsecondary institution, the dependent relative is enrolled in a high school in NC and enrolls and remains continuously enrolled at the institution upon admission no later than the fall semester immediately following establishment of eligibility. Applies beginning with the award of scholarships for the 2021-22 academic year. 


  • Summary date: Feb 3 2021 - View Summary

    Part I

    Amends GS 115C-366 to modify the conditions that permit a student who is an not a domiciliary of a local school administrative unit to attend a public school of that unit without payment. Currently, allows for the student to attend if he or she resides with an adult who is a domiciliary of the unit and the parent or legal guardian is on active military duty and is deployed out of the local school administrative unit in which the student resides. Replaces the provision to provide for situations in which the student resides with an adult who is a domiciliary of the administrative unit and the parent or legal guardian is on active military duty and his or her commanding officer provides a signed letter that the parent or legal guardian's military orders prevent the parent or legal guardian from physically residing with the student. Conditions assignment upon the commanding officer's letter including the required affidavits (existing requirement) of the student's parent, guardian or legal custodian, as well as an indication of the time period that the military orders will be in effect. Maintains that the term activity duty military excludes periods of active duty for training for less than 30 days. Amends the statute further to specify that no requirement of legal guardianship by the caregiver is required for a student to qualify for enrollment under these provisions.

    Enacts GS 115C-366(a10) to establish that a student who is not a domiciliary of a local school administrative unit is permitted to register for enrollment in the public schools of that unit if the student resides in that unit with a parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian on active military duty who is assigned by official military order to a military installation or reservation in the State. Clarifies that this new provision does not curtail a unit's authority to deny admission to students previously suspended under GS 115C-366(a5).

    Applies beginning with the 2021-22 school year.

    Part II

    Enacts GS 116-143.3(c1) to permit a dependent relative who resides with a member of the Armed Forces who is reassigned outside of the State incident to active duty military to remain eligible to be charged the in-State tuition rate at at state community college or UNC institution if two criteria are met: (1) at the time the dependent relative applies for admission, he or she is enrolled in a NC high school and meets the existing requirements for admission set out in subsection (c) of the act; and (2) the dependent relative enrolls no later than the fall academic year immediately following admission and remains continuously enrolled at the institution of higher education.

    Applies to students admitted for the fall academic semester of 2021 and thereafter.