Safe Schools and Educational Access Act.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 820

Short Title: Safe Schools and Educational Access Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Theodros and Murdock (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
April 23, 2026
*S820-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO PROTECT ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS REGARDLESS 2
OF NATIONAL ORIGIN O R IMMIGRATION STATUS , TO ESTABLISH 3
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AS PROTECTED LOCATIONS FOR IMMIGRATION 4
ENFORCEMENT, AND TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR STUDENTS WITH LIMITE D 5
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY. 6
Whereas, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Plyler v. Doe (1982) that states 7
may not deny access to public education based on immigration status; and 8
Whereas, the North Carolina Constitution guarantees acces s to a sound basic 9
education for all students; and 10
Whereas, fear of immigration enforcement in or near schools can deter students from 11
attending school and undermine the educational mission of public institutions; and 12
Whereas, educational institutions function best when students and families trust that 13
schools are safe environments focused on learning; and 14
Whereas, North Carolina's population of multilingual learners continues to grow, 15
requiring additional support for language instruction and academic success; Now, therefore, 16
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 17
SECTION 1. Part 1 of Article 26 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended 18
by adding a new section to read: 19
"§ 115C-378.5. Protections for individuals based on immigration status. 20
(a) For purposes of this section, "immigration authorities" means persons representing or 21
working for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or U.S. Customs and Border 22
Protection (CBP). 23
(b) Public school units shall not deny a student admission, enrollment, or participation in 24
an educational program based on the student 's national origin or immigration status. Pub lic 25
school units shall not require documentation of immigration status as a condition of admission 26
or enrollment. 27
(c) Public school units shall not allow immigration authorities to perform immigration 28
enforcement actions on school grounds unless required by judicial warrant, court order, or State 29
or federal law. 30
(d) Public school units shall not disclose personally identifiable student information to 31
immigration authorities unless required by judicial warrant, court order, or State or federal law. 32
(e) Public school units may establish protocols for responding to requests from 33
immigration authorities while ensuring compliance with State and federal laws." 34
SECTION 2. Article 2 of Chapter 115D of the General Statutes is amended by 35
adding a new section to read: 36
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 820-First Edition
"§ 115D-20.3. Protections for individuals based on immigration status. 1
Community colleges shall comply with the protections for individuals based on immigration 2
status under G.S. 116-40.15." 3
SECTION 3. Part 3 of Article 1 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended 4
by adding a new section to read: 5
"§ 116-40.15. Protections for individuals based on immigration status. 6
(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: 7
(1) Immigration authorities . – Persons representing or working for U.S. 8
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or U.S. Customs and Border 9
Protection (CBP). 10
(2) Public institution of higher education. – A community college as defined in 11
G.S. 115D-2(2) or a constituent institution of The University of North 12
Carolina. 13
(b) A public institution of higher education shall not deny a student admission, 14
enrollment, or participation in an educational program based on the student 's national origin or 15
immigration status. The institution shall not require documentation of immigration status as a 16
condition of admission or enrollment. 17
(c) A public institution of higher education shall not allow immigration authorities to 18
perform immigration enforcement actions on campus unless required by judicial warrant, court 19
order, or State or federal law. 20
(d) A public institution of higher education shall not disclose personally identifiable 21
student information to immigration authorities unless required by judicial warrant, court order, 22
or State or federal law. 23
(e) A public institution of higher education may establish protocols for responding to 24
requests from immigration authorities while ensuring compliance with State and federal laws." 25
SECTION 4.(a) The title of Article 32F of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes 26
reads as rewritten: 27
"Supplemental School Funding.Funding and Other Allotments." 28
SECTION 4.(b) Article 32F of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by 29
adding a new section to read: 30
"§ 115C-472.30. Limited English proficient allotment. 31
To the extent funds are made available for this purpose, th e State Board of Education shall 32
allocate funds to local school administrative units, charter schools, region al schools , an d 33
laboratory schools operated under Article 29A of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes to provide 34
services to students with limited English proficiency. The State Board shall allocate these funds 35
under a formula that takes into account the average number of students in the units , charter 36
schools, regional schools, or laboratory schools over the past three years who have limited 37
English proficiency. Local school administrative units shall use funds allocated to them to pay 38
for classroom teachers, teacher assistants, tutors, textbooks, classroom materials/instructional 39
supplies/equipment, transportation costs, family engagement and translation services, bilingual 40
services for limited English proficient students, and professional development of teachers for 41
students with limited English proficiency. A county in which a local school administrative unit 42
receives funds under this section shall use the funds to supplement local current expense funds 43
and shall not supplant local current expense funds." 44
SECTION 4.(c) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 45
Public Instruction the sum of one hundred eighty-one million dollars ($181,000,000) in recurring 46
funds beginning with the 2026-2027 fiscal year to provide services and instructional supports for 47
students with limited English proficiency. 48
SECTION 4.(d) Section 7.15 of S.L. 2003-284 is repealed. 49
SECTION 5. Section 4 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2026. The remainder of 50
this act is effective when it becomes law. 51