Rep. Belk files bill in North Carolina House to amend ATR program statutes

A new bill filed by State Rep. Mary Belk in the North Carolina House seeks to enhance flexibility and support for teachers in the Advanced Teaching Roles program, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 839 on April 9 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Advanced Teaching Roles Updates.’

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

In essence, this bill aims to provide flexibility within the Advanced Teaching Roles (ATR) program by amending specific statutes regarding classroom excellence and class size flexibility. It redefines a classroom excellence teacher as one who manages at least 20% more students compared to a previous year without salary supplements. The bill allows ATR schools, with State Board of Education approval, to exceed maximum class size requirements for kindergarten through third grade for up to three years when state funds are provided. Additionally, it increases the permissible percentages of teachers designated as adult leadership teachers from 15% to 25% and classroom excellence teachers from 5% to 10% within ATR schools, with eligible teachers receiving salary supplements of $10,000 and $3,000, respectively. The act is effective upon becoming law and applies to the 2025-26 school year.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Julia Greenfield proposed the most bills (25) 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.

Belk graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2006 with a BA.

Belk, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2017 to represent the state’s 88th House district, replacing previous state representative Rob Bryan.