Sen. Lee files bill in North Carolina Senate to boost advanced teaching roles funding

A new bill filed by Sen. Lee seeks to enhance funding for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Advanced Teaching Roles program, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

The bill, filed as SB 506 on March 25 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘ATR Salary Sups and Grant Increases.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill allocates additional recurring funds from the General Fund to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to enhance the Advanced Teaching Roles program. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, $16.2 million is appropriated to increase salary supplements, bringing the total to $27.1 million. For the 2026-27 fiscal year, an additional $20.1 million is appropriated, raising the total to $31 million. Additionally, $1 million is appropriated for 2025-26 to expand the program, bringing the total funding to $6.5 million for that year. The act takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Lee proposed the most bills (34) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Lee graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1991 with a BA and again in 1997 from Wake Forest University Law School with a JD.

Lee, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 7th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Jim Perry.