Reauthorize & Revise Teacher Bonuses/Military.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 482

Short Title: Reauthorize & Revise Teacher Bonuses/Military. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives F. Jackson, Loftis, and Lofton (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Education - K-12, if favorable, Homeland Security and Military and Veterans
Affairs, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and
Operations of the House
March 25, 2025
*H482-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO REAUTHORIZ E BONUSES FOR TEACHE RS FOR THE 2025 -2027 FISCAL 2
BIENNIUM AND TO REVISE THE PROGRAM TO PERMIT TEACHERS TO RECEIVE 3
THE BONUSES WHO ARE UNABLE TO CONTINUE T EACHING IN THE SAME 4
PUBLIC SCHOOL UNIT BECAUSE OF MILITARY ORDERS. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1.(a) Establish Consolidated Bonus Program. – The State Board of 7
Education shall establish a consolidated teacher bonus program for the 2025 -2027 fiscal 8
biennium to reward teacher performance and encourage student learning and improvement. To 9
attain this goal, the Department of Public Instruction shall administer bonus pay to qualifying 10
teachers whose salaries are supported from State funds in January of 2026 and 2027, based on 11
data from the 20 24-2025 and 2025 -2026 school years, respectively, in accordance with this 12
section. 13
SECTION 1.(b) Definitions. – For purposes of this section, the following definitions 14
shall apply: 15
(1) Eligible advanced course teacher. – A teacher of Advanced Placement 16
courses, International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme courses, or the 17
Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) program 18
who meets the following criteria: 19
a. Is employed by, or retired having last held a position at, one or more 20
of the following: 21
1. A qualifying public school unit. 22
2. The North Carolina Virtual Public School program. 23
b. Taught one or more students who received a score listed in subsection 24
(c) of this section. 25
(2) Eligible career and technical education (CTE) teacher. – A teacher who meets 26
the following criteria: 27
a. Is employed by, or retired having last held a position at, a qualifying 28
public school unit. 29
b. Taught one or more students who attained approved industry 30
certifications or credentials consistent with G.S. 115C-156.2. 31
(3) Eligible growth teacher. – A teacher who meets at least one of the following 32
criteria: 33
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 482-First Edition
a. Is employed by, or retired having last held a position at, a qualifying 1
public school unit and meets one of the following criteria: 2
1. Is in the top twenty-five percent (25%) of teachers in the State 3
according to the EVAAS student growth index score for third 4
grade reading from the previous school year. 5
2. Is in the top twenty-five percent (25%) of teachers in the State 6
according to the EVAAS student growth index score for fourth 7
or fifth grade reading from the previous school year. 8
3. Is in the top twenty-five percent (25%) of teachers in the State 9
according to the EVAAS student growth index score for fourth, 10
fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth grade mathemati cs from the 11
previous school year. 12
b. Is employed by, or retired having last held a position at, a local school 13
administrative unit and meets one of the following criteria: 14
1. Is in the top twenty -five percent (25%) of teachers in the 15
teacher's respective local school administrative unit according 16
to the EVAAS student growth index score for third grade 17
reading from the previous school year. 18
2. Is in the top twenty -five percent (25%) of teachers in the 19
teacher's respective local school administrative unit according 20
to the EVAAS student growth index score for fourth or fifth 21
grade reading from the previous school year. 22
3. Is in the top twenty -five percent (25%) of teachers in the 23
teacher's respective local school administrative unit according 24
to the EVAAS stude nt growth index score for fourth, fifth, 25
sixth, seventh, or eighth grade mathematics from the previous 26
school year. 27
c. Was employed by a local school administrative unit that employed in 28
the previous school year three or fewer total teachers in that teache r's 29
grade level as long as the teacher has an EVAAS student growth index 30
score from the previous school year of exceeded expected growth in 31
one of the following subject areas: 32
1. Third grade reading. 33
2. Fourth or fifth grade reading. 34
3. Fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth grade mathematics. 35
(4) EVAAS. – The Education Value-Added Assessment System. 36
(5) Qualifying public school unit. – Any of the following: 37
a. A local school administrative unit. 38
b. A charter school. 39
c. A regional school. 40
d. A school providing elementary or secondary instruction operated by 41
The University of North Carolina under Article 29A of Chapter 116 of 42
the General Statutes. 43
(6) Qualifying teacher. – An eligible teacher who meets one of the following 44
criteria: 45
a. Remains employed teaching in the same qualifying public school unit 46
or, if an eligible advanced course teacher is only employed by the 47
North Carolina Virtual Public School program, remains employed 48
teaching in that program, at least from the school year the data is 49
collected until January 1 of the corresponding school year that the 50
bonus is paid. 51
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 482-First Edition Page 3
b. Retired, between the last day of the school year in which the data is 1
collected and January 1 of the corresponding school year in which the 2
bonus is paid, after attaining one of the following: 3
1. The age of at least 65 with five years of creditable service. 4
2. The age of at least 60 with 25 years of creditable service. 5
3. Thirty years of creditable service. 6
c. Left employment with the qualifying public school unit after the last 7
day of the school year in which the data is collected due to the transfer 8
or pending transfer of a spouse pursuant to an official military order. 9
In order to receive a bonus pursuant to this sub -subdivision, a 10
qualifying teacher shall provide the following information to the 11
qualifying public school unit by January 1 of the school year in which 12
the bonus is to be paid: 13
1. Notice of the transfer. 14
2. An updated mailing address for the teacher. 15
SECTION 1.(c) Advanced Course Bonuses. – A bonus in the amount of fifty dollars 16
($50.00) shall be provided to qualifying advanced course teachers for each student taught in each 17
advanced course who receives the following score: 18
(1) For Advanced Placement courses, a score of three or higher on the College 19
Board Advanced Placement Examination. 20
(2) For International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme courses, a score of four 21
or higher on the International Baccalaureate course examination. 22
(3) For the Cambridge AICE program, a score of "E" or higher on the Cambridge 23
AICE program examinations. 24
SECTION 1.(d) CTE Bonuses. – For qualifying career and technical education 25
teachers, bonuses shall be provided in the following amounts: 26
(1) A bonus in the amount of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each student taught 27
by a teacher who provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of 28
an industry certification or credential with a twenty-five dollar ($25.00) value 29
ranking as determined under subsection (e) of this section. 30
(2) A bonus in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each student taught by a 31
teacher who provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of an 32
industry certification or credential with a fifty dollar ($50.00) value ranking 33
as determined under subsection (e) of this section. 34
SECTION 1.(e) CTE Course Value Ranking. – The Department of Commerce, in 35
consultation with the State Board, shall assign a value ranking for each industry certification and 36
credential based on academic rigor and employment value in accordance with this subsection. 37
Fifty percent (50%) of the ranking shall be based on academic rigor and the remaining fifty 38
percent (50%) on employment value. Academic rigor and employment value shall be based on 39
the following elements: 40
(1) Academic rigor shall be based on the number of instructional hours, including 41
work experience or internship hours, required to earn the industry certification 42
or credential, with extra weight given for coursework that also provides 43
community college credit. 44
(2) Employment value shall be based on the entry wage, growth rate in 45
employment for each occupational category, and average annual openings for 46
the primary occupation linked with the industry certification or credential. 47
SECTION 1.(f) Statewide Growth Bonuses. – Of the funds appropriated in this act 48
for the program, bonuses shall be provided to qualifying teachers who are eligible teachers under 49
sub-subdivision a. of subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section, as follows: 50
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 4 House Bill 482-First Edition
(1) The sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) shall be allocated for bonuses to 1
eligible teachers under sub -sub-subdivision a.1. of subdivision (3) of 2
subsection (b) of this section. These funds shall be distributed equally among 3
qualifying teachers. 4
(2) A bonus in the amount of two thousand dollars ($2,000) shall be awarded to 5
each qualifying teacher who is an eligible teacher under sub -sub-subdivision 6
a.2. of subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section. 7
(3) A bonus in the amount of two thousand dollars ($2,000) shall be awarded to 8
each qualifying teacher who is an eligible t eacher under sub-sub-subdivision 9
a.3. of subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section. 10
SECTION 1.(g) Local Growth Bonuses. – Of the funds appropriated in this act for 11
the program, bonuses shall be provided to eligible teachers under sub -subdivisions b. and c. of 12
subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section, as follows: 13
(1) The sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) shall be allocated for bonuses to 14
eligible EVAAS teachers under sub -sub-subdivisions b.1. and c.1. of 15
subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section. These funds shall be divided 16
proportionally based on average daily membership in third grade for each 17
local school administrative unit and then distributed equally among qualifying 18
third grade reading teachers in each local school administrative unit. 19
(2) A bonus in the amount of two thousand dollars ($2,000) shall be awarded to 20
each qualifying teacher who is an eligible teacher under sub -sub-subdivision 21
b.2. or c.2. of subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section. 22
(3) A bonus in the amount of two thousand dollars ($2,000) shall be awarded to 23
each qualifying teacher who is an eligible teacher under sub -sub-subdivision 24
b.3. or c.3. of subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section. 25
SECTION 1.(h) Limitations and Other Criteria. – The following additional 26
limitations and other criteria shall apply to the program: 27
(1) Bonus funds awarded to a teacher pursuant to subsection (c), subsection (d), 28
subdivision (1) of subsection (f), and subdivision (1) of subsection (g) of this 29
section s hall not exceed three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500) per 30
subsection or subdivision in any given school year. 31
(2) A qualifying teacher who is an eligible teacher under sub-sub-subdivision a.1., 32
b.1., or c.1. of subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of t his section may receive a 33
bonus under both subdivision (1) of subsection (f) and subdivision (1) of 34
subsection (g) of this section but shall not receive more than seven thousand 35
dollars ($7,000) pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (f) and subdivision 36
(1) of subsection (g) of this section in any given school year. 37
(3) A qualifying teacher who is an eligible teacher under sub-sub-subdivision a.2., 38
b.2., or c.2. of subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section may receive a 39
bonus under both subdivisi on (2) of subsection (f) and subdivision (2) of 40
subsection (g) of this section but shall not receive more than two bonuses 41
pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (f) and subdivision (2) of subsection 42
(g) of this section in any given school year. 43
(4) A qualifying teacher who is an eligible teacher under sub-sub-subdivision a.3., 44
b.3., or c.3. of subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section may receive a 45
bonus under both subdivision (3) of subsection (f) and subdivision (3) of 46
subsection (g) of this s ection but shall not receive more than two bonuses 47
pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (f) and subdivision (3) of subsection 48
(g) of this section in any given school year. 49
SECTION 1.(i) Bonuses Not Compensation. – Bonuses awarded to a teacher 50
pursuant to this section shall be in addition to any regular wage or other bonus the teacher receives 51
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 482-First Edition Page 5
or is scheduled to receive. Notwithstanding G.S. 135-1(7a), the bonuses awarded under this 1
section are not compensation under Article 1 of Chapter 135 of the General Statutes, Retirement 2
System for Teachers and State Employees. 3
SECTION 1.(j) Study and Report. – The State Board of Education shall study the 4
effect of the program on teacher performance and retention. The State Board shall report the 5
results of its f indings and the amount of bonuses awarded to the President Pro Tempore of the 6
Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Joint Legislative Education Oversight 7
Committee, and the Fiscal Research Division by March 15 of each year of the 2025 -2027 fiscal 8
biennium. The report shall include, at a minimum, the following information: 9
(1) Number of students enrolled and taking examinations in each of the following 10
categories of courses: 11
a. Advanced Placement. 12
b. International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. 13
c. Cambridge AICE program. 14
d. Courses needed for the attainment of an industry certification or 15
credential. 16
(2) Number of students receiving outcomes on examinations resulting in the 17
award of a bonus for a teacher in each category of courses identi fied in 18
subdivision (1) of this subsection. 19
(3) Number of teachers receiving a bonus in each category of courses identified 20
in subdivision (1) of this subsection. 21
(4) The amounts awarded to teachers for each category of courses identified in 22
subdivision (1) of this subsection. 23
(5) The type of industry certifications and credentials earned by the students, the 24
value ranking for each certification and credential, the number of bonuses 25
earned for each certification or credential, and the total bonus amount awarded 26
for each certification or credential. 27
(6) Average bonus amount awarded to each qualifying teacher who is an eligible 28
teacher under sub -sub-subdivision a.1., b.1., or c.1. of subdivision (3) of 29
subsection (b) of this section. 30
(7) The percentage of teachers who received a bonus pursuant to this section and 31
were eligible to receive a bonus for teaching in the same grade level or course 32
in January 2024 or January 2025, or both, where applicable, pursuant to one 33
of the following programs: 34
a. The Advanced Course and CTE Bonus Program provided in Section 35
7A.4 of S.L. 2021-180. 36
b. The Growth-Based Teacher Bonus Program provided in Section 7A.2 37
of S.L. 2022-74. 38
(8) The percentage of teachers who received a bonus pursuant to this section and 39
received a bonus for teaching in the same grade level or course in either 40
January 2024 or January 2025 pursuant to one of the programs listed in 41
subdivision (7) of this subsection. 42
(9) The percentage of teachers who received a bonus pursuant to this section and 43
received a bonus for teaching in the same grade level or course in January 44
2024 or January 2025, or both, where applicable, pursuant to one of the 45
programs listed in subdivision (7) of this subsection. 46
(10) The statistical relationship between a teacher receiving a b onus in January 47
2026 or 2027 pursuant to this section and receiving a bonus pursuant to a 48
predecessor bonus program. For purposes of this subdivision, the following 49
are predecessor programs: 50
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 6 House Bill 482-First Edition
a. Bonuses awarded pursuant to Section 7A.4(c) of S.L. 2021 -180 are 1
predecessors to bonuses awarded pursuant to subsection (c) of this 2
section. 3
b. Bonuses awarded pursuant to Section 7A.4(d) of S.L. 2021 -180 are 4
predecessors to bonuses awarded pursuant to subsection (d) of this 5
section. 6
c. Bonuses awarded pursuant to su bdivision (1) of subsection (c) and 7
subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of Section 7A.2 of S.L. 2022 -74 are 8
predecessors to bonuses awarded pursuant to subdivision (1) of 9
subsection (f) and subdivision (1) of subsection (g) of this section. 10
d. Bonuses awarde d pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (c) and 11
subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of Section 7A.2 of S.L. 2022 -74 are 12
predecessors to bonuses awarded pursuant to subdivision (2) of 13
subsection (f) and subdivision (2) of subsection (g) of this section. 14
e. Bonuses awarded pursuant to subdivision (c)(3) and subdivision (d)(3) 15
of Section 7A.2 of S.L. 2022-74 are predecessors to bonuses awarded 16
pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (f) and subdivision (3) of 17
subsection (g) of this section. 18
(11) The distribution of statewide and local growth bonuses awarded pursuant to 19
this section as among qualifying public school units and, where applicable, 20
schools within those units. 21
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 22