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HB 911

Occupational and Physical Therapist Salaries/Employment.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Mary Belk and 5 co-sponsors

Requires NC local schools to publish minimum salary schedules for full-time school-based OTs/PTs and report annually on staffing; salary supplements depend on appropriations.

Passed 1st Reading
0
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Bill Summary · HB 911

Summary — HB 911: Occupational & Physical Therapist Salaries/Employment

Status & Sponsors
- Bill Number: HB 911
- Title: Occupational & Physical Therapist Salaries/Employment
- Primary Sponsors: Rep. Terry Cummings; co-sponsors Emanuel “Chris” Welch and John Fitzpatrick
- Introduced: (filed Nov. 12, 2024; House first reading recorded Apr. 14, 2025)
- Current status: Passed 1st Reading (as of Apr. 14, 2025)
- Statutory references amended/added: G.S. 115C‑316(b1); adds new G.S. 115C‑316.3

Purpose / Intent
- Establish minimum, transparent salary schedules for occupational therapists (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) employed by local school systems; provide targeted salary supplements for OTs and PTs; and require annual workforce reporting to better track staffing, vacancies, and use of contractors. The bill aims to improve recruitment/retention of school-based therapists.

Key Provisions
1. Minimum salary schedules (G.S. 115C‑316(b1))
- Every local board of education must adopt and publicize a minimum salary schedule for full‑time, permanent OTs and PTs (applies to positions funded with State, local, or federal funds).
- Schedules must differentiate pay by years of licensed experience, using evenly divided intervals no greater than five years apart and capped at 30 years of experience. Local boards may pay above the minimum so long as State‑funded salaries remain within State noncertified salary grades.
- Annual reporting: local boards submit their adopted schedules to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) by Oct. 15; DPI compiles and reports to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by Dec. 15.

  1. 2025–26 transitional guarantee

    • For FY 2025–26, therapists paid under an adopted schedule must receive the greater of (a) the applicable amount on the adopted schedule or (b) the salary they received in FY 2024–25.

  2. Salary supplements (contingent on appropriation)

    • For FY 2025–26 (and only if the General Assembly appropriates funds), full‑time permanent OTs and PTs receive monthly supplements in addition to State salary:
      • A supplement equal to 10% of the salary that a teacher on the "A" teacher salary schedule would receive if that teacher had five more years’ experience than the therapist; and
      • $350 per month.
    • Therapists may also be eligible for supplements tied to advanced academic preparation (six‑year degree or doctoral level).
    • Funds for supplements must supplement, not supplant, existing pay; supplements become effective July 1, 2025 only if appropriated.

  3. Workforce reporting (new G.S. 115C‑316.3)

    • Annual local report (due Feb. 15): each local board reports (by therapist type) number employed directly by the unit, number employed by third‑party contractors, and number of vacant positions.
    • State report (due Apr. 15): DPI forwards compiled data to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee.

Who is affected
- Primary: occupational therapists and physical therapists employed full‑time in North Carolina public schools.
- Secondary: local boards of education (must adopt, publish, and report salary schedules; administer supplements if funded); Department of Public Instruction (data collection/reporting); state budget/appropriations (if supplements are funded).

Budgetary/Implementation notes
- The salary supplement provisions take effect only if the General Assembly appropriates funds for FY 2025–26; otherwise, the minimum schedule and reporting requirements still apply.
- The bill creates new reporting requirements that may increase administrative workload for local HR offices and DPI. Potential fiscal impact depends on the degree to which local boards increase baseline pay and whether the State funds the supplements.

Effective date
- Except where otherwise provided, the act is effective when it becomes law. The supplement provisions are effective July 1, 2025 only if funds are appropriated by the General Assembly for FY 2025–26.

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

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