Senate Bill 354 Summary

• Appropriates $74.2 million for 2019-2020 and $119.1 million for 2020-2021 to provide compensation increases for public school employees including teachers, assistant principals, and central office staff.

• Establishes teacher salary schedules starting at $3,500 monthly for entry-level positions with increases based on years of experience, plus supplements for National Board certification, advanced degrees, and specialized roles.

• Provides $500 one-time bonuses to teachers with 25+ years of experience (November 2019 and October 2020) and salary supplements to highly qualified new graduates teaching in low-performing schools or high-need subjects.

• Creates a consolidated teacher bonus program for performance-based incentives tied to Advanced Placement courses, career and technical education credentials, and EVAAS student growth metrics, with maximum annual bonuses of $3,500-$7,000.

• Contingent provisions increase funding for community colleges, UNC system, and North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics tuition grants if House Bill 966 becomes law.