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Last Action

Ref to the Com on Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House2025-04-01

Vote Breakdown

No floor votes recorded.

Plain Language Summary

This bill aims to increase the number and quality of school psychologists in North Carolina through six main parts: providing salary supplements to school psychologists, establishing a grant program for schools to recruit psychologists, creating an internship program with stipends, funding virtual training programs, increasing university training program funding, and joining an interstate compact to allow school psychologists to practice across state lines.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this bill addresses a critical shortage of school psychologists in North Carolina schools.
• •The salary increases and recruitment bonuses would help attract and retain qualified professionals, improving students' access to mental health and counseling services.
• •The internship and training program funding would increase the pipeline of new school psychologists, while the interstate compact would allow schools to recruit psychologists from other states, particularly helping rural areas with persistent shortages.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents may be concerned about the total cost—approximately $23.1 million in initial appropriations—and whether these funds represent the best use of education dollars.
• •Some might question whether salary supplements alone will solve workforce shortages without addressing underlying factors.
• •Others may worry about the administrative complexity of the interstate compact and whether it could affect licensing standards or quality control across states.