North Carolina HB 1086: Create Pretrial Release Study Committee.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 2
HOUSE BILL 1086
Committee Substitute Favorable 5/12/26

Short Title: Child Care Initiative Funds/Reform/Study. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
April 30, 2026
*H1086-v-2*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH CAREER-READY LEAD TEACHER ACADEMIES TO PROVIDE 2
ALTERNATIVE PATHWAYS TO CAREERS IN CHILD CARE; TO APPROPRIATE 3
FUNDS TO THE NORTH CAROLINA PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN, INC., TO 4
EXPAND MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, 5
FAMILIES, AND STAFF IN CHILD CARE FACILITY SETTINGS AND ESTABLISH 6
THE NORTH CAROLINA PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN, INC., SPECIAL FUND; TO 7
IMPLEMENT REFORMS REGARDING CHILD CARE CENTER ADMINISTRATORS 8
UNDER THE LAWS PERTAINING TO CHILD CARE; TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY 9
OF PROVIDING LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR CHILD CARE 10
PROVIDERS; AND TO UPDATE THE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS FOR SMART 11
START. 12
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 13
14
PART I. CAREER-READY LEAD TEACHER ACADEMY PILOT PROGRAM 15
SECTION 1.1. The purpose of this Part is to provide alternative pathways to career 16
advancement in licensed child care. To that end, the North Carolina Partnership for Children, 17
Inc., in collaboration with the North Carolina Community Colleges System Office, shall develop 18
and implement a two-year pilot program that expands the child care workforce academies 19
currently operating in Johnston and Wayne Counties. The pilot program shall establish 20
career-ready lead teacher academies across the State designed to provide free, comprehensive 21
training and support to individuals, with no experience or education in child care, who are 22
interested in pursuing a career in child care. 23
SECTION 1.2. Local partnerships in the following counties shall participate in the 24
pilot program described under this Part: Johnston and Wayne. The North Carolina Partnership 25
for Children, Inc. (NCPC), in collaboration with the Community Colleges System Office, shall 26
select 10 additional local partnerships to participate in the pilot program with at least one local 27
partnership selected from each of the four local partnership regions of the statewide Smart Start 28
network, which regions are the West, Mid-West, Mid-East, and East. 29
SECTION 1.3. The Community Colleges System Office and local community 30
colleges shall coordinate to ensure that graduates of the career-ready lead teacher academies meet 31
all requirements to be credentialed with the North Carolina Early Childhood Credential as lead 32
teachers in child care in this State. 33
SECTION 1.4.(a) Each child care career-ready lead teacher academy (academy) 34
shall seek to enroll no less than 10 students, with a goal of enrolling 15 students in each course. 35
The academy shall operate up to eight hours per day over a two- to three-week period. A 36

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 1086-Second Edition
participating community college shall strive to offer an academy up to three times per year, with 1
at least one of the three academies occurring at the end of the traditional public school calendar 2
year to allow participation by interested high school and college students. The academy shall be 3
offered free-of-charge to applicants. Students participating in the academy shall receive the 4
knowledge, skills, and training, including the necessary health screenings, background checks, 5
and fingerprinting, required for employment as a lead teacher in a licensed child care program in 6
this State. Upon successful completion of the academy, each student shall receive either a North 7
Carolina Early Childhood Credential or a Provisional NC Early Childhood Credential that will 8
enable the student to begin working as either a lead teacher or group leader in a licensed child 9
care program immediately upon graduation. 10
SECTION 1.4.(b) A local partnership may provide each graduate with a one-time 11
stipend. If a one-time stipend for completing the course is provided, the amount shall be at the 12
discretion of the local partnership but shall not be less than one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00). 13
SECTION 1.4.(c) Students shall be eligible to receive an additional one-time stipend 14
in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500.00) in State funds after completing one year of 15
employment as a lead teacher in a licensed child care program in this State. To receive the 16
additional stipend under this subsection, the graduate shall do each of the following: 17
(1) Begin full-time employment as a lead teacher in a licensed child care center 18
or licensed family child care home within three months from the date of 19
graduation from an academy. 20
(2) Complete the one-year of employment required by this subsection within a 21
consecutive 12-month period at the same child care program. 22
SECTION 1.4.(d) The stipends provided under this section shall be available to a 23
graduate of an academy who is employed by a licensed ch