Bill Summary for S 865 (2025-2026)
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| View NCGA Bill Details | 2025-2026 Session |
AN ACT TO MAKE CHANGES TO PROVISIONS OF LAW RELATED TO THE COMPENSATION OF EDUCATORS, TO RESTORE CERTAIN RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS, AND TO EXPAND THE TEACHING FELLOWS PROGRAM.Intro. by Mohammed, Waddell.
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Bill summary
Part I.
Repeals GS 115C-302.10 (detailing qualifications for certain education-based salary supplements). For 2026-27, applies State Board of Education policy TCP-A-006, as it was on June 30, 2013, to determine (1) whether teachers and instructional support personnel are paid on the "M" salary schedule and (2) whether they receive a salary supplement for academic preparation at the six-year or doctoral degree level. Appropriates $8 million in recurring funds for 2026-27 from the General Fund to DPI to reinstate the education-based salary supplements for teachers and instructional support personnel. Effective July 1, 2026.
Part II.
Repeals Section 9.1(d) of SL 2014-100, which established that annual longevity payments for educators are built into their salary schedules.
Sets the rates for annual longevity payments for teachers and instructional support personnel for 2025-26 at: 1.5% of base salary for 10-14 years of State service; 2.25% of base salary for 15-19 years of State service; 3.25% for 20-24 years of State service; and 4.5% for base salary for 25 or more years of State service. Requires payment in one lump sum.
Requires that longevity payments for principals and assistant principals be provided to State employees under the Human Resources Act for 2026-27.
Appropriates $140,300,000 in recurring funds from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) for 2026-27 to restore longevity payments pursuant to the act.
Effective July 1, 2026.
Part III.
Repeals subsections (c) and (d) of Section 35.21 of SL 2017-57, preventing the elimination of retiree medical benefits for members that first earned service on or after January 1, 2021, in the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System, Consolidated Judicial Retirement System, Legislative Retirement System, or the optional retirement programs. Effective retroactively to December 31, 2020.
Effective July 1, 2026, appropriates $2 million in recurring funds for 2026‑27 from the General Fund to the Department of State Treasurer to address the increased cost to the North Carolina State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees as a result of the continuation of retiree medical members under this act.
Part IV.
Expands the number of participants in the NC Teaching Fellows Program (Program) from 10 to 11 institutions of higher education, in GS 116-209.62. Instructs the NC Teaching Fellows Commission, to select, at minimum, NC Agricultural and Technical State University, a designated historically black college and university (HBCU) to participate in the Program. Makes conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2026, and applies beginning with the 2026-27 academic year.