MORATORIUM ON OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS.

Printer-friendly: Click to view
View NCGA Bill Details(link is external)2025-2026 Session
Senate Bill 439 (Public) Filed Monday, March 24, 2025
AN ACT TO IMPOSE A MORATORIUM ON THE AWARD OF NEW OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS, TO REDUCE FUNDS FOR OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS, AND TO REALLOCATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS MADE AVAILABLE FROM OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Intro. by Chitlik, Applewhite.
Status: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate action) (Mar 25 2025)

Bill History:

S 439

Bill Summaries:

  • Bill S 439 (2025-2026)
    Summary date: Mar 24 2025 - View Summary

    Prevents the State Education Assistance Authority (Authority) from awarding any Opportunity Scholarship grants to new persons who did not receive those grants in the prior school year, starting with the 2025-26 school year. Specifies the General Assembly’s intent to eliminate the program beginning in the 2037-38 school year or once all recipients become ineligible for receipt of the scholarship grants.

    Rescinds the listed appropriations to the Opportunity Scholarship Grant Fund Reserve (Reserve) in GS 115C-562.8. Instead, for the 2027-28 year and years afterwards, appropriates $541,540,500 from the General Fund to Reserve to be used for the scholarships.

    Reduces funds appropriated for Opportunity Scholarship grants as follows: Of the recurring funds appropriated to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina for the opportunity scholarship program pursuant to SL 2021-180, by the sum of $30 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Of the funds appropriated to the Reserve for the 2024-2025 fiscal year and allocated from the Reserve for the award of scholarship grants in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, by the sum of $28,460,000 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Of the funds appropriated to the Reserve as follows: $83,460,000 in recurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and $50 million in recurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. Articulates the General Assembly’s intent that any funding increases in the 2027-2029 fiscal biennium and future biennia for the award of Opportunity Scholarship grant funds will be limited to no more than the annual percentage increase in funding for public schools as reflected in the State Public School Fund.

    Appropriates (1) $113,460,000 in recurring funds for the 2025-26 fiscal year and $28.46 million in nonrecurring funds and (2) $50 million in recurring funds for the 2026-27 fiscal year from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction to be allocated to local school administrative units, based on average daily membership, to address the needs in our public schools.

    Effective July 1, 2025, and applies beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

    Education, Elementary and Secondary Education, Government, Budget/Appropriations, State Agencies, UNC System, Department of Public Instruction
    APPROP, GS 115C
View: All Summaries for Bill