Rep. Chesser files bill in North Carolina House to expand part-time public school enrollment

A new bill filed by State Rep. Allen Chesser in the North Carolina House seeks to enable part-time public school enrollment for students attending nonpublic schools, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 905 on April 10 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Public School Part-Time Enrollment.’

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

In essence, this bill mandates that North Carolina local school administrative units and charter schools allow students enrolled in nonpublic schools to enroll part-time in public school courses, programs, or services, provided they meet eligibility requirements for public school admission. The State Board of Education is directed to allocate funding for these part-time students, depending on their instructional time, matching either 100% or 50% of the average per pupil allocation. Local boards of education must develop a policy for part-time enrollment and make it available online, with the same requirement for charter schools. The bill appropriates $500,000 in nonrecurring funds for administrative costs and $270 million in recurring funds for part-time student funding from the General Fund for the 2025-26 fiscal year. This act takes effect on July 1, 2025, for the 2025-26 school year.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Chesser and Tricia Ann Cotham proposed the most bills (49) 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.

Chesser graduated from North Carolina Wesleyan University in 2019 with a BS.

Chesser, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 25th House district, replacing previous state representative James Gailliard.