Bill > S636

This bill aims to improve the number and quality of school psychologists in North Carolina through a comprehensive set of initiatives. For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the bill provides school psychologists with a monthly salary supplement of $650, with an additional 12% monthly supplement for those holding a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential. The bill establishes a School Psychologists Grant Program that allows public school units to apply for grants to recruit school psychologists, with priority given to units without a full-time school psychologist and a maximum signing bonus of $5,000 per psychologist. Additionally, the bill creates a school psychologists internship program that provides stipends to full-time students in approved school psychology preparation programs, with field supervisors eligible for a salary supplement between $500 and $1,200. The legislation also appropriates $5 million for Appalachian State University to host a virtual school psychology training program and $1.6 million to support school psychology programs at five University of North Carolina campuses with the goal of doubling the number of school psychologists produced. In total, the bill allocates $20.4 million in funds to support these initiatives, with the goal of improving student mental health and well-being by addressing the shortage of school psychologists in North Carolina.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S636