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Bill

SB 628

Safe Schools Transparency Act.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Woodson Bradley and 4 co-sponsors

The bill mandates rapid parental notification of credible threats, establishes enforcement for noncompliance, and funds safety programs to improve school safety nationwide.

Passed 1st Reading
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 628

Overview

Senate Bill 628 (SB 628), introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly in 2025, is titled the Safe Schools Transparency Act. It aims to increase parental notification of school threats, establish penalties for failure to notify, reinstate a state-level task force on safer schools, and create a School Safety Fund to support safety-related programs and services. The measure builds on prior safety efforts (notably referencing Senate Bill 74 from 2023) and seeks to enhance transparency, accountability, and funding for school safety initiatives.

Main purpose and intent

  • Improve parental awareness of threats and safety plans affecting their children or schools.
  • Create enforcement mechanisms and penalties for non-notification.
  • Reestablish a statewide advisory body (Task Force for Safer Schools) to guide safety policy and practices.
  • Establish a dedicated funding stream (School Safety Fund) to support safety services, equipment, and training.

Key provisions and changes

Part I: Mandatory parental notification of threats and safety plans

  • § 115C-77.1. Mandatory notification of threats

    • Parents/guardians must be immediately notified of any credible threat meeting at least one of these criteria: 1) Threats targeting the parent’s child (including violence or bullying). 2) Threats targeting the student body, faculty, or campus (including planned attacks or bomb threats). 3) Incidents involving a student bringing a weapon or creating other security risks. 4) Threats requiring law enforcement intervention (lockdowns, evacuations).
    • School units must adopt a notification policy detailing responsible personnel and a definition of “high-level emergency.”
    • Notifications can be sent via text, email, phone, or school website posting, with at least two methods (one must be by phone for high-level emergencies).
    • Notifications must include threat details and actions taken; updates provided as information evolves.
    • Initial notification due within one hour of law enforcement confirming a credible threat, unless it would interfere with an active investigation (then within one hour after resolution or arrest as determined by law enforcement).

  • § 115C-77.2. Failure to notify

    • If a parent alleges failure to notify, they may file a complaint with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI).
    • DPI forwards the complaint to the Center for Safer Schools, which conducts the investigation.
    • A findings report must be provided to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education within 60 days; the Board must consider the report at its next regular meeting more than five days after submission.
    • If noncompliance is found, the State Board can take penalties including:
    • Reducing the public school unit’s central office administration allotment by up to $5,000 and transferring funds to the School Security Fund.
    • For repeated noncompliance, the Board can require corrective actions, mandatory training, or withhold additional funds.
    • Administrators responsible for violations can face penalties (reprimands, required training, or termination if involved in multiple violations).
    • Administrators who knowingly conceal a credible threat may face a Class A1 misdemeanor.
    • The Board must report actions to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee within 60 days; the General Assembly will consider governance of the affected unit.

  • § 115C-77.3. Annual school safety report and policies

    • Each school unit must publish an annual school safety report on its website and notify parents about its availability.
    • The report must include: number of threats, lockdowns, evacuations; status of security enhancements/equipment (e.g., cameras, Student Resource Officers); a summary of safety policies and response procedures.
    • Schools must publish safety policies online, including emergency response plans (excluding sensitive security details), student safety policies, and available mental health resources.

  • § 115C-77.4. Reporting of annual school safety reports

    • School units must provide a copy of the annual safety report to DPI by December 1 each year.
    • DPI must report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by February 1 each year, including a summary and compliance rates.

Part II: Reinstate Task Force for Safer Schools

  • Reinstates the Task Force for Safer Schools with duties to:

    • Advise the Center for Safer Schools and counsel the Governor, Superintendent, and General Assembly on statewide safety improvements.
    • Promote interagency collaboration and disseminate best practices and needs.
    • Collect and analyze data to monitor compliance with the notification requirements (G.S. 115C-77.1).

  • Members dissolved previously are offered to return with time equal to the remainder of their terms; vacancies filled by the original appointing authority if a member declines.

Part III: Establish School Safety Fund

  • § 115C-105.70. School Safety Fund

    • Establishes a nonreverting special revenue fund under the State Board of Education.
    • Fund receives appropriations and funds transferred from noncompliance (per 115C-77.2).
    • Allocations to local school units are based on average daily membership.
    • Eligible uses include:
    • Crisis services for students and families (e.g., respite services, support for foster care families, evidence-based therapies like TF-CBT, parent-child interaction therapy, DBT, child-parent psychotherapy).
    • Crisis-related services such as peer mentoring.
    • Purchase of safety equipment and related training.

  • A one-time appropriation of $25 million in nonrecurring funds is provided to DPI to be allocated to the School Safety Fund.

Who and what is affected

  • Public school units (districts, charter schools) are directly affected through:
    • New mandatory notification requirements to parents/guardians.
    • Obligations to publish annual safety reports and policies.
    • Potential penalties and funding shifts if noncompliant.
  • Parents/guardians gain a right to immediate notification about credible threats affecting their children or schools.
  • School administrators and district leaders are subject to new duties, potential penalties, and training requirements.
  • The Center for Safer Schools and DPI gain authority to investigate and enforce, and a periodic reporting requirement to legislative oversight.
  • The Task Force for Safer Schools is reinstated to guide statewide safety efforts.
  • Local school units have access to the School Safety Fund for crisis services, mental health supports, and safety equipment/training.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective dates:
    • Section 3 (establishment of the School Safety Fund and related provisions) becomes effective July 1, 2025.
    • The remainder of the act applies to the 2025-2026 school year.
  • Notifications: initial notice within one hour of law enforcement confirmation; two notification channels required (one must be by phone for high-level emergencies).
  • Investigations and penalties: complaints, investigations, and Board actions follow structured timelines (60-day investigation reporting; Board action at next regular meeting; oversight reporting within 60 days of action).
  • Funding: $25 million nonrecurring appropriation to the School Safety Fund.

Summary

SB 628 seeks to increase transparency and accountability around school threats by mandating rapid parental notification, establishing enforcement mechanisms for failures to notify, reinstating a statewide advisory body on school safety, and creating a dedicated fund to support crisis services, mental health resources, equipment, and training. It broadens reporting requirements and sets clear timelines for notification and investigation, while tying compliance to financial penalties and potential programmatic supports for safer schools.

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

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