As you may recall, NCSCA's Legislative Priority of:

• Align pay scale with that of other advanced degree level professionals while protecting NBPTS pay

made it to the final version before being sent to the budget conference committee. However, this priority did not end up in the final conference committee substitute of the budget.

As a compromise though, the final budget does allocate recurring funding for $1,000 annual supplements for school counselors! Specifically:

School counselors who are licensed as counselors at the master's degree level or higher shall receive a salary supplement each month of one hundred dollars ($100.00).

NC school counselors will still be paid on the teacher / instructional support pay scale and will still benefit from any step increases that occur with that scale, including NBPTS pay supplements.

You can find this in the budget document on page 110, beginning on line 4 - PART VII-A. COMPENSATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES

Additional information can be found by visiting the following budget related links below. For questions, email us anytime at governmentrelations@ncschoolcounselor.org

Specifically:

Lifetime License for Professional Educators. – The State Board of Education shall issue a lifetime license, which shall require no renewal, to an individual currently licensed as a professional educator who has met at least one of the following criteria:

(1) Completed 30 or more years of creditable service with the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System.

(2) Completed a combined total of 30 or more years of employment as a licensed teacher, administrator, or student services personnel in one or more public school units in North Carolina.

Additional information will be available from NC DPI's Educator's Licensure Division once the budget becomes law. Visit their website at: https://www.dpi.nc.gov/educators/educators-licensure

See the latest updates from our lobbyist, The Policy Group, by clicking below.

For questions, email us anytime at governmentrelations@ncschoolcounselor.org

Glossary of Legislative Terms

Biennium- A two-year term of legislative activity

Public Bill- Legislation enacted into law that applies to the public at large

Local Bill- Legislation put into law that has limited application (How many counties)- Local bills do not have to be signed by the governor

Sponsor- The legislator who presents a bill or resolution for consideration

Resolution- A document that expresses the sentiment or intent of the legislature or a chamber. Resolutions, when finalized, go to the Secretary of State

DPI = NC Department of Public Instruction

LEA = Local Education Agency

NCGA = North Carolina General Assembly

LB/LOB = Legislative Building/Legislative Office Building

SBE = North Carolina State Board of Education

SISP = Specialized Instructional Support Personnel

HB/SB = House Bill/Senate Bill

JR = Joint Resolution

SL = Session Law

GS = General Statute

PCS = Proposed Committee Substitute