Bill targeting oversight of nonpublic schools using scholarships introduced in North Carolina House

State Rep. Tracy Clark has introduced a bill in the North Carolina House that would impose stricter accountability and reporting standards on nonpublic schools that receive Opportunity Scholarship funds, the North Carolina State House reports.

Designated as HB 1184 and filed April 30 during the 2025 regular session, the bill’s short title is ‘Voucher School Transparency Act.’

Based on the bill text, here is an overview clarifying its main provisions.

The measure increases annual reporting requirements for nonpublic schools participating in the Opportunity Scholarship program. It requires greater disclosure regarding tuition, enrollment numbers, attendance, curriculum, faculty licensing, accreditation, safety plans, graduation statistics, and testing outcomes, as well as prohibits additional charges based on use of scholarship funds. The legislation updates testing requirements, calls for aggregate publication of specific test results, and aligns assessment choices with recommendations from a University of North Carolina study funded with a $50,000 allocation. The state auditor would annually review at least three school audits, submitting reports on taxpayer fund usage and student outcomes. Most provisions would take effect July 1, 2026.

Among the bill’s four sponsors, Phil Rubin sponsored the most measures (38) during the 2025 regular session.

North Carolina legislators use a step-by-step legislative process to turn a bill into law. After a legislator files a bill, it goes to committee for review, then must be read three times in each chamber. If amended between chambers, both houses must pass an identical version. The finalized version proceeds to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 when lawmakers are out of session) to sign, veto or allow it to become law without signature.

Additional bill information and legislative actions are available here.

Clark earned a bachelor’s degree in 2007 and an additional degree in 2012, both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Clark, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina House in 2024, representing the 57th House district and succeeding Ashton Clemmons.