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SB 524

An Act amending Titles 27 (Environmental Resources) and 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in administrative provisions, providing for definitions, for coal-powered plants, for regulations, for natural gas and coal permit database, for natural gas and coal permit review procedure and for withdrawal from Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; in development relating to oil and gas, further providing for well permits and providing for leases in State parks and forests; and making an editorial change.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Scott Hutchinson and 4 co-sponsors

Expands eligibility for education salary supplements to certified school social workers with master’s, six-year, or doctoral degrees (or legacy criteria), with $500,000 recurring f

Referred to Environmental Resources & Energy
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Bill Summary · SB 524

SB 524 — School Social Workers / Master's Pay (North Carolina)

Status: Passed 1st Reading (Introduced Feb 20, 2025 — bill text reflects 2023 session language)
Subjects: Education; Salaries & Benefits; School Staff; Public Instruction; Appropriations

Main purpose

SB 524 amends G.S. 115C‑302.10 to ensure that certified school social workers are eligible for education‑based salary supplements (the "M" salary schedule or supplements for six‑year/doctoral preparation) regardless of whether a master’s degree is formally required for licensure. The change is intended to allow more school social workers to qualify for higher pay tied to advanced academic preparation.

Key provisions

  • Revises G.S. 115C‑302.10 to expand eligibility for the "M" salary schedule and education‑based supplements to include:
    • Certified school social workers with a degree at the master’s, six‑year, or doctoral level who would have qualified under State Board of Education policy TCP‑A‑006 as it existed on June 30, 2013.
    • Other teachers and instructional support personnel who already qualify (unchanged): those for whom a master’s is required for licensure; personnel previously on the M schedule; and those who began coursework prior to Aug. 1, 2013, meeting other legacy criteria.
  • Appropriates $500,000 in recurring General Fund dollars to the Department of Public Instruction to implement the supplement eligibility for school social workers.
  • Effective date: July 1, 2023. Applies starting with the 2023–2024 school year.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: certified school social workers in North Carolina who hold a master’s (or six‑year/doctoral) degree or meet the legacy criteria described above — specifically those who previously were ineligible for the M‑schedule supplement solely because a master’s was not required for licensure.
  • Employers: local school administrative units and the NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI). The state appropriation is intended to provide resources to support the increased salary outlays.
  • Budget/fiscal actors: State budget (General Fund) via the recurring $500,000 appropriation to DPI.

Fiscal and implementation notes

  • The bill includes a $500,000 recurring appropriation to DPI to fund the change. The bill text does not specify the number of employees covered; therefore, the appropriation may or may not fully cover total statewide costs depending on take‑up and supplement amounts. Local school payroll administration will need to apply revised eligibility rules.
  • Because the effective date is retroactive to July 1, 2023 (applying for the 2023–24 school year), implementation requires DPI and local systems to apply the change to current year payrolls and budgeting.

Context and limitations

  • The provision references State Board policy TCP‑A‑006 as of June 30, 2013, preserving certain legacy eligibility standards for those who began graduate coursework before specified cutoffs.
  • The bill changes eligibility criteria but does not alter licensure requirements or mandate that school social workers obtain master’s degrees; it simply makes those with advanced degrees (or who meet the 2013 policy legacy criteria) eligible for salary supplements.

If you want, I can:
- Prepare a short fiscal estimate sketching potential per‑employee supplement amounts and how many social workers might be covered; or
- Draft a one‑page memo for local school districts summarizing implementation steps (payroll coding, documentation, outreach).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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