CHARTER SCHOOL CHANGES. (NEW)

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View NCGA Bill Details(link is external)2025-2026 Session
Senate Bill 254 (Public) Filed Monday, March 10, 2025
AN ACT TO AMEND CHARTER SCHOOL LAWS.
Intro. by Daniel, Britt, B. Newton.

Status: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate action) (Jun 18 2025)

SOG comments (2):

Long title change

Senate committee substitute to the first edition changed the long title. Previous title was AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A CRIMINAL OFFENSE FOR POSSESSING ANY EXPLOSIVE OR INCENDIARY DEVICE OR MATERIAL IF CIRCUMSTANCES INDICATE THE DEVICE OR MATERIAL WILL BE USED TO COMMIT A CRIME.

Long title change

Previous title was AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A CRIMINAL OFFENSE FOR POSSESSING CERTAIN EXPLOSIVE OR INCENDIARY DEVICES OR MATERIAL.

Bill History:

S 254

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Jun 17 2025 - View Summary

    House committee substitute to the 2nd edition removes the content of the previous edition and replaces it with the following. Makes conforming changes to the act’s titles.

    Grants the NC Charter Schools Review Board (Review Board) the power to propose, recommend, and approve rules and policies regarding all aspects of charter school operation, including processes in GS 115C-218. Directs the State Board of Education (Board) to assign the Review Board to conduct any hearings pertaining to review of financial assistance. Allows the Review Board to contract for and employ private counsel to advise, represent, and to provide litigation services to the Review Board. Makes conforming changes. Makes the Executive Director reportable to the Review Board instead of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in GS 115C-218. 

    Amends GS 115C-218.8 to provide it is not a material revision of a charter and does not require prior approval from the Review Board for a charter school to change the location or boundaries of the charter school within a 10-mile radius of the location specified and approved in the charter by relocating the school, expanding the school’s campus, or establishing a noncontiguous satellite campus of school. Specifies that the relocation of the charter school, campus expansion, or establishment of a noncontiguous satellite campus does not need to be located within the same local school administrative unit as the location specified and approved in the charter.

    Amends GS 115C-218.105 (state and local funds for a charter school) to specify that the amount to be allocated to each charter school that is equal to the average per pupil allocation for average daily membership from the local school administrative unit allotment in which the charter school is located, is to be based on the location pursuant to the school’s charter. Also makes the Review Board, instead of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, responsible for duties related to fiscal violations and transfer of the per pupil share of funds.

    Requires for each charter school’s written charter to be approved by the Review Board in GS 115C-218.15. Allows charter schools to refrain from listing a student’s class rank on the student’s official transcript or record in GS 115C-218.9. Instructs charter schools to include standards and criteria similar to those used in the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards and North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Process, or such other evaluation standard and process required to be used by local school administrative units, in its evaluations for conducting teacher evaluations in GS 115C-218.90. Directs the Review Board in GS 115C-218.94 to require low-performing charter schools to prepare and report on plans to improve the performance of the schools. Exempts charter schools from the requirements of GS 115C-105.27 (development and approval of school plans).

    Enacts new GS 115C-218.106 to require the Department of Public Instruction, from available funds, to give a charter school free access to any required financial data reporting platforms during the charter school's first year of operation.

    Authorizes, in GS 115C-218.123, charter schools operating a remote academy with an actual or intended enrollment with 250 or more students to request that the Review Board grant the remote academy portion of the school a separate charter. Requires an expedited review process. Provides, in GS 115C-218.125 (evaluations), for a separate school performance grade and review process for the remote academy component of any charter school operating a remote academy.

    Applies beginning with the 2025-26 school year.


  • Summary date: Apr 1 2025 - View Summary

    Senate committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes. Modifies new Class H felony for possession of an explosive or incendiary device or material so it is possession with intent to violate GS 14-49, which prohibits the malicious use of explosives or incendiary devices (was, when the circumstances indicate some probability that such device or material will be so used to violate GS 14-49). Make organizational changes. Changes the act's long title.


  • Summary date: Mar 10 2025 - View Summary

    Creates a Class H felony for possession of an explosive or incendiary device or material when the circumstances indicate some probability that such device or material will be so used to violate GS 14-49 (offense for malicious use of explosives of incendiary devices). Make organizational changes. Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2025.