2024 Short Session Legislative Priorities

The NC Association for Public Charter Schools is committed to being a voice for charter schools across the state. Each year we create a legislative agenda in preparation for the upcoming session of the General Assembly and share it with the charter school sector and the public. With the support of our school membership, legislative committee, and lobbying team, we build relationships with legislators and key stakeholders and educate them on current issues and challenges faced by charter schools. Our goal is to achieve equitable state policy for North Carolina’s charter schools.

Uniform Criminal Background Checks for Charters

SUMMARY

Current law does not provide the State Board of Education authority to require staff of charter schools to be checked for a criminal history.  The bill would require the following:  (1) Checks against the State and National Repositories of Criminal Histories for initial charter school boards of directors, (2) Checks against the State and National Repositories of Criminal Histories for licensure by the State Board of Education, and (3) Require criminal history checks by local boards of education, regional boards of directors, charter boards of directors, and chancellors of laboratory schools before employment.

EXAMPLE

Many of NC charter schools face issues when they attempt to do background checks that mirror the current district process and result in faulty background checks.  It was recently reported that an individual who was serving on a charter school board was just released from federal prison unbeknownst to the school.  Pursing uniformity in background checks for boards and staff would relieve the stress many schools face.

Allow Charter Schools to Join the State Health Plan

SUMMARY

The current window for a charter school to join the State Health Plan is during the school's first two years of operation.  The bill would eliminate the two-year restriction.

EXAMPLE

Since 2002, NC experienced a decrease in per-pupil revenue - the only state to do so at -.1%.  All the while the cost of educating students has gone up substantially.  Expenditures for employee benefits have seen a particularly large jump at 79%.  Schools will need to reconcile the disparity between revenue and spending all while the cost of educating children in our state continues to rise.  One way to do this is to allow more flexibility in when and how charter schools can enroll in the State Health Plan.