North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina House Bill H573 Latest Draft

Bill / Amended Version Filed 04/01/2025

                            GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA 
SESSION 2025 
H 	1 
HOUSE BILL 573 
 
 
Short Title: Remove Testing Requirement for Teacher Lisc. 	(Public) 
Sponsors: Representatives Cotham and Carver (Primary Sponsors). 
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site. 
Referred to: Education - K-12, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules, 
Calendar, and Operations of the House 
April 1, 2025 
*H573 -v-1* 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 
AN ACT TO REPEAL THE STANDARDIZED TESTING REQUIREMENT FOR TEACHER 2 
LICENSURE AND TO PRO HIBIT THE STATE BOAR D OF EDUCATION FROM 3 
ADOPTING RULES OR PO LICIES IMPLEMENTING A STANDARDIZED TESTING 4 
REQUIREMENT FOR TEAC HER LICENSURE. 5 
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6 
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 115C-269.15(a) is repealed. 7 
SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 115C-269.25(g) is repealed. 8 
SECTION 1.(c) G.S. 115C-270.15 is repealed. 9 
SECTION 1.(d) Article 17E of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by 10 
adding a new section to read: 11 
"§ 115C-270.15A.  Prohibition on examination requirements. 12 
The State Board of Education shall not adopt any rules or policies requiring any applicant for 13 
a teacher license pursuant to G.S. 115C-270.20 to complete a standardized examination as a 14 
condition for receiving a teacher license." 15 
SECTION 1.(e) G.S. 115C-270.20(4a) reads as rewritten: 16 
"(4a) Limited license. – A three-year renewable license issued to an individual who 17 
meets the requirements of this subdivision. A limited license shall only be 18 
requested by the local board of education currently employing or seeking to 19 
employ the individual and shall be used for continued employment only in 20 
that local school administrative unit. The State Board shall not require 21 
individuals to demonstrate preparation through achieving a prescribed 22 
minimum score on a standardized examination for a limited license. To 23 
receive a limited license, one of the following shall be met: 24 
a. In-state licensee. – Both of the following are met: 25 
1. The individual was issued an IPL or RL, but failed to fulfill 26 
examination requirements under G.S. 115C-270.15 licensure 27 
requirements adopted by the State Board after three years of 28 
licensure. 29 
2. The local board of education submits to the State Board an 30 
affidavit stating that the teacher is currently employed by that 31 
local board, is an effective teacher, and will be encouraged to 32 
continue to pursue a CPL. The affidavit shall be signed by both 33  General Assembly Of North Carolina 	Session 2025 
Page 2  House Bill 573-First Edition 
the principal and superintendent for the school to which the 1 
teacher is currently assigned. 2 
…." 3 
SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to anyone 4 
applying for a teacher license on or after that date. 5