Rep. Lofton files bill in North Carolina House to study teacher compensation

A new bill filed by State Rep. Brandon Lofton seeks to establish a commission to study and report on market rate compensation for teachers in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 767 on April 3 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Market Rate Teacher Pay Study.’

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

In essence, this bill establishes the Joint Legislative Commission on Market Rate Compensation for Teachers in North Carolina to study and report on public school teacher compensation compared to other states nationwide. The commission will comprise seven members, including legislators, gubernatorial appointees, and the State Superintendent or their designee. It will examine issues such as teacher salaries, benefits, the wage gap with similarly educated professionals, teacher attrition rates, and the impact of financial incentives on recruitment and retention. The commission must hold at least five public meetings across the state and may report interim findings to the 2025 General Assembly, with a final report and any legislative recommendations due by the end of the 2026 Regular Session. The commission will dissolve on Dec. 31, 2026, or upon submitting its final report. This act is effective upon becoming law.

Of the two sponsors of this bill, Donny Lambeth proposed the most bills (52) 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.

Lofton graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2001 with a BA and again in 2004 from New York University School of Law with a JD.

Lofton, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2019 to represent the state’s 104th House district, replacing previous state representative Andy Dulin.