Temporary Certificates for Practice in Areas of Critical Need

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Webster Barnaby and 3 co-sponsors

LEAs hosting NC Pre-K in school-owned buildings must include those students in ADM, boosting ADM totals and potential funding, effective July 1, 2025.

Chapter No. 2026-108

#subjectindex

Main purpose / intent

The bill requires local boards of education that operate NC Pre‑K programs in school-owned buildings to count those Pre‑K students in the district’s Average Daily Membership (ADM). The intent is to ensure NC Pre‑K pupils who receive instruction on public school campuses are included in ADM calculations that drive certain funding and staffing allocations.

Key provisions

Statutory change: Amends G.S. 115C‑47 by adding a new subdivision (1b).

Requirement: “A local board of education participating in the NC Prekindergarten (NC Pre‑K) program shall include NC Pre‑K students receiving instruction from an NC Pre‑K program located in a building owned by a local school administrative unit in the average daily membership for that local school administrative unit.”

Scope: Applies only to NC Pre‑K students who (1) are in NC Pre‑K programs and (2) receive instruction in a building owned by the local school administrative unit. It applies to local boards that participate in the NC Pre‑K program.

Effective date: July 1, 2025.

Who or what is affected

Local school administrative units (LEAs) that host NC Pre‑K programs in school‑owned buildings: they must count eligible Pre‑K students in ADM.

NC Pre‑K students instructed on public school campuses: will be included in ADM totals.

State education funding and resource allocation systems that use ADM as an input (e.g., state per‑pupil allotments, staffing formulas) — these may see changes where eligible Pre‑K students are added to counts.

NC Pre‑K programs operated off‑campus (in non‑school‑owned buildings) are not covered by this change and would not be counted under this provision.

Potential fiscal and operational impacts

LEAs that host NC Pre‑K in school buildings may see increased ADM totals, which can translate into additional state funding and potential changes in staffing allocations or program resources tied to ADM‑based formulas.

The change creates an incentive to colocate NC Pre‑K programs in district‑owned facilities.

Administrative impacts: districts will need to ensure accurate reporting systems to include eligible Pre‑K students in ADM.

The bill text does not specify per‑pupil dollar amounts; fiscal impacts will depend on how ADM is used in state funding formulas.

Procedural / timeline notes

Introduced (filed) in the 2025 session (filed/introduced in early April 2025 in the version provided).

Status reported by sponsor information: Passed first reading; statutory effective date is July 1, 2025.

Next steps (if not yet complete): further readings, committee action (if any remaining), and final enactment. Upon enactment, implementation would begin with the 2025–26 ADM reporting year consistent with the July 1 effective date.

If you want, I can:
- Draft a one‑page explainer for district administrators on how to implement ADM reporting changes; or
- Summarize likely fiscal effects using NC per‑pupil funding rates (if you provide current ADM‑based allotment figures).

Bill