A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate additional funds for all income‑eligible, four‑year old children to participate in the north carolina prekindergarten (nc pre‑k) program.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education, the sum of one hundred eighty million dollars ($180,000,000) recurring for the 2020‑2021 fiscal year to provide additional funds for all income‑eligible, four‑year old children in this State to participate in the North Carolina Prekindergarten (NC Pre‑K) program.
SECTION 2.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education, the sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) recurring for the 2020‑2021 fiscal year to incentivize higher pay for NC Pre‑K teachers in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
SECTION 2.(b)  By no later than July 1, 2021, the Division of Child Development and Early Education (Division) shall develop and implement a program to incentivize higher teacher education and compensation levels for teachers teaching in the NC Pre‑K program by providing subsidy payment enhancements to child care programs that use a salary scale and only employ lead teachers who have obtained a minimum of an associate's degree in child development or a related field. The incentive amount shall be differentiated based on the level of degree attained. The Division shall submit a progress report on the development and implementation of the program required by this subsection to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services by March 1, 2022.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2020.