NC S541

Changes kindergarten through third grade individual class size limits to one teacher per 24 students for 2017-2018 school year, and one teacher per 23 students beginning in 2018-2019 school year.

Requires local boards of education to provide nonrecurring monthly supplements to teachers whose individual classes exceed the maximum size, calculated as (students above maximum ÷ maximum class size) × teacher's monthly base salary.

Mandates local boards use only local funds to pay teacher supplements for oversized classes and prohibits counting supplements as retirement compensation.

Requires Department of Public Instruction to conduct periodic audits of reported class sizes and allows State Board to impose penalties on noncompliant local boards until class size requirements are met or waivers are granted.

Allows State Board waivers from class size requirements only for emergencies, unexpected enrollment increases over 2%, geographic isolation, solitary curricular classes, or charter school closures.