First Grade Reading Promise.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 969

Short Title: First Grade Reading Promise. (Public)
Sponsors: Senator Hanig (Primary Sponsor).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 4, 2026
*S969-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO APPROPRIAT E FUNDS FOR HIGH -DOSAGE TUTORING BASED O N THE 2
SCIENCE OF READING, TO CLARIFY THAT SCHO OLS MAY USE VIRTUAL 3
TUTORING PROGRAMS, A ND TO REQUIRE READ T O ACHIEVE PUBLIC 4
ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTING. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 7
Public Instruction the sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 8
2026-2027 fiscal year to provide first grade students with access to in -person and virtual 9
high-dosage early literacy tutoring that is based on the science of reading. 10
SECTION 2. G.S. 115C-83.6(c) reads as rewritten: 11
"(c) Local school administrative units are encouraged to partner with community 12
organizations, businesses, and other groups to provide volunteers, mentors, or tutors to assist 13
with the provision of literacy interventions that enhance reading development and proficiency. 14
Tutoring may be provided virtually." 15
SECTION 3. G.S. 115C-83.10 reads as rewritten: 16
"§ 115C-83.10. Accountability measures. 17
(a) Each local board of education shall publish annually on a website maintained by that 18
local school administrative unit and report in writing to the State Board of Education by 19
September 1 of each year the following information on the prior school year:year, disaggregated 20
by school for each grade level in which there are at least 30 students: 21
(1) The number and percentage of third grade students demonstrating and not 22
demonstrating reading proficiency on the State-approved standardized test of 23
reading comprehension administered to third grade students. 24
(2) The number and percentage of third grade students who take and pass an 25
alternative assessment of reading comprehension and the name of each 26
alternative assessment used for this purpose with the number of students who 27
passed it. 28
(3) The number and percentage of third grade students retained for not 29
demonstrating reading proficiency. 30
(4) The number and percentage of third grade students exempt from mandatory 31
third grade retention by category of exemption as listed in G.S. 115C-83.7(b). 32
(5) The number and percentage of first grade students demonstrating and not 33
demonstrating reading comprehension at grade level. 34
(6) The number and percentage of second grade students demonstrating and not 35
demonstrating reading comprehension at grade level. 36
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 969-First Edition
(7) For each grade level, the number and percentage of students eligible for 1
priority enrollment in reading camp under G.S. 115C-83.11(b) and, for each 2
grade level, the number and pe rcentage of those students who attend reading 3
camp. 4
…." 5
SECTION 4. Section 1 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2026. The remainder of 6
this act is effective when it becomes law. Section 3 of this act applies beginning with information 7
published and reported in the 2026-2027 school year. 8