House Bill 912 creates the Hometown Teacher Grant Program, also called the H.O.M.E. Act, within the Department of Public Instruction. The program is designed to encourage people who grew up in a local school administrative unit to return to that same district as teachers. To qualify, a person must have either attended school in the district for five years or graduated from a high school in the district, and then agree to remain employed as a teacher in that same district.
Under the bill, participating local school administrative units would receive state grant funds to provide eligible teachers with a monthly salary supplement of $500 while they remain in compliance with their agreement. The Department of Public Instruction would set participation criteria, verify eligibility, and collect annual data from districts. The department would also report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee each year on funding, recipient demographics, placement rates, and recommendations for improving the program. The act takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to agreements entered into on or after that date.
The bill amends Chapter 115C of the North Carolina General Statutes by adding a new section establishing a statewide teacher recruitment and retention grant program. It also appropriates $10 million in recurring General Fund dollars for each year of the 2025-2027 biennium to the Department of Public Instruction to administer the program. The measure would affect local school administrative units, eligible teacher participants, and DPI by creating new eligibility, reporting, and administrative requirements tied to salary supplements for in-district teacher retention.
The available context shows no recorded committee transcript or vote history, so there is no direct evidence of debate or floor sentiment. Based on the bill’s structure, it appears to be a supportive education workforce measure aimed at addressing teacher recruitment and retention, particularly by incentivizing homegrown educators to return to their communities. The absence of opposition or amendments in the provided materials suggests the bill was still in early committee referral stages rather than the subject of documented controversy.
The main potential points of contention are fiscal and administrative. The bill requires a recurring $10 million appropriation, which could draw scrutiny over state spending and long-term budget commitments. There may also be questions about whether the program fairly targets one group of prospective teachers—those with prior ties to a district—compared with other teacher candidates, and whether the Department of Public Instruction and local districts can effectively verify eligibility, manage participation, and measure outcomes. No specific objections are documented in the provided materials, however.