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Read. Follow. Verify.North Carolina establishes seventh-grade career development pilot program in 12 partnered schools
Last action · May 5, 2025: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate action)Sponsors: Hugh Blackwell and 4 others
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What This Bill Would Do
North Carolina directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction to create an Annual Pilot Program for seventh-grade students at 12 select partnered schools starting in the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. Participating schools must provide students with planning time and counseling to update their career plans annually through graduation. The measure takes effect when it becomes law.
Students enrolled in the 12 selected schools gain dedicated instructional time with school counselors to annually update graduation and career paths, while parents receive annual notices regarding course offerings, graduation requirements, and financial aid resources.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Students
Students in seventh grade at partnered schools must complete annual career development plan reviews, receive planning time and counseling, and follow remedial coursework plans if college and career standards are unmet.
School Counselors
School counselors must assist students with plan updates, attempt to meet with parents, and provide financial aid information starting in the tenth grade.
Parents
Parents receive annual written notices, course listings, and graduation requirements, and are encouraged to participate in plan development and review sessions.
Local Boards of Education
Local boards governing partnered schools must ensure students are provided planning time, counselor assistance, and easily accessible plans.
Key Facts
- The Superintendent of Public Instruction must establish an Annual Career Development Plan Pilot Program for seventh-grade students starting in the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years.
- The Superintendent must select 12 partnered schools that are proportionally representative of public high schools in the State.
- Partnered schools must have seventh-grade students complete an annual review of their Career Development Plans through high school graduation.
- Local boards of education must ensure students receive counselor assistance and planning time during the instructional day each school year to update plans.
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- For students with disabilities, an IEP team may assist in completing and updating the student's plan.
- School counselors must attempt to meet with parents either in person or virtually before creating or updating a plan to explain its effects.
- Beginning in tenth grade, counselors must provide students and parents information on state and federal financial aid programs and the FAFSA.
- Eleventh-grade students not meeting career and college readiness standards must receive a plan for enrolling in remedial coursework for their senior year.
- The Superintendent must report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by August 15, 2026, and annually thereafter on the progress of the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which students are required to participate in the Career Development Plan Pilot Program?
What role do parents play in the pilot program?
What happens if an eleventh-grade student does not meet college and career readiness standards?
What else do you want to know?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
14 actions- May 5, 2025SenateRef To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- May 5, 2025SenatePassed 1st Reading
- May 5, 2025SenateRegular Message Received From House
- May 1, 2025HouseRegular Message Sent To Senate
- May 1, 2025HousePassed 3rd Reading
- May 1, 2025HousePassed 2nd Reading
Show 8 earlier actions
- Apr 30, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 05/01/2025
- Apr 30, 2025HouseCal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
- Apr 30, 2025HouseReptd Fav
- Apr 29, 2025HouseRe-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Apr 29, 2025HouseReptd Fav
- Apr 14, 2025HouseRef to the Com on Education - K-12, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Apr 14, 2025HousePassed 1st Reading
- Apr 10, 2025HouseIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Mandatory Annual Career Plan Reviews in Pilot Schools
The bill mandates continuous annual tracking and updating of individual career plans for middle and high school students in select public schools.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.ncleg.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance50How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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