House Bill 523 would amend North Carolina law governing education-based salary supplements for teachers and instructional support personnel. The bill specifically expands eligibility for the “M” salary schedule and related supplements so that certified school social workers with master’s, six-year, or doctoral degrees may receive the supplement even if a master’s degree is not required for licensure in that position. It also preserves existing eligibility categories for school nurses, certain instructional support personnel, and employees who previously qualified under older rules or transitional provisions.
In addition to changing the salary supplement statute, the bill appropriates $500,000 in recurring General Fund money to the Department of Public Instruction for fiscal year 2025-2026 to implement the change. The act would take effect July 1, 2025, and apply beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. In practical terms, it would increase compensation eligibility for a subset of school social workers and require state funding to support the added cost.
Impact
The bill would amend G.S. 115C-302.10, the statute that defines which educators and instructional support personnel may receive education-based salary supplements in North Carolina. Its main legal effect is to add school social workers to the list of personnel eligible for master’s-level pay supplements regardless of whether a master’s degree is a licensure requirement for the position. The bill also creates a recurring appropriation from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction to cover the cost of the expanded eligibility, affecting state budgeting and school personnel compensation policy.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be a targeted compensation bill with a generally supportive policy rationale: recognizing advanced education among school social workers and aligning pay with qualifications. The sponsorship and framing suggest an effort to address pay equity for a specific school support profession rather than a broad restructuring of education compensation.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is fiscal: the bill requires a recurring $500,000 appropriation, so lawmakers concerned about state spending may question the cost or the scope of the benefit. A second possible issue is policy consistency, since the bill changes eligibility rules for school social workers even when a master’s degree is not required for licensure, which could prompt debate over whether salary supplements should be tied to credentials, licensure requirements, or job function. No specific opposition or recorded controversy is included in the provided context.
Health occupations: social workers; limited licenses for bachelor's social worker and master's social worker; extend period for renewal. Amends sec. 18509 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.18509).