A new bill filed by State Rep. David Willis seeks to improve oversight and streamline processes related to charter schools in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 556 on March 27 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘2025 Charter Schools Review Board Omnibus.’
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 all state rules related to charter schools in North Carolina require approval from the Charter Schools Review Board, which is empowered to hire legal counsel without needing additional permissions. It exempts charter schools from reporting class ranks on transcripts and allows them to use alternative teacher evaluations. Low-performing charters must report improvement plans only to the Review Board. The bill permits the Review Board to evaluate decisions related to federal funding for charter schools and establishes an expedited application process for remote charter academies with separate grading. It also outlines a standardized process for transferring funds to charter schools and requires separate performance evaluations for remote academies. The bill is effective upon becoming law and applies to the 2025-26 academic year.
A related bill, SB 689, was also filed in the North Carolina Senate, introduced by Sen. Brad Overcash (and two others) on March 25, 2025.
Willis proposed another 19 bills 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.
Willis graduated from Appalachian State University in 1996.
Willis, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 68th House district, replacing previous state representative D. Craig Horn.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Willis | HB 556 | 03/27/2025 | 2025 Charter Schools Review Board Omnibus. |
| David Willis, Brian Biggs, Hugh Blackwell, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 566 | 03/27/2025 | Principal Fellows Changes. |
| David Willis, Allen Chesser, Brenden H. Jones, and Grant L. Campbell, MD | HB 572 | 03/27/2025 | Veterans/eTMS Pilot Program. |
| David Willis, Charles Smith, Kyle Hall, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 543 | 03/26/2025 | Criminal Background Check For Athlete Agents. |
| David Willis, Kyle Hall, Matthew Winslow, and Ray Pickett | HB 490 | 03/24/2025 | Propel NC Funding and Tuition Surcharge. |
| David Willis, Donnie Loftis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Stephen M. Ross | HB 430 | 03/18/2025 | Protect Youth From Harms of Vaping & Nicotine. |
| David Willis, Brian Biggs, Ray Pickett, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 414 | 03/17/2025 | 1-to-1 Credit for Career and College Promise. |
| David Willis, Brian Biggs, and Heather H. Rhyne | HB 415 | 03/17/2025 | Modify Math & Social Studies Grad. Req. |
| David Willis, Jake Johnson, Steve Tyson, and Zack Hawkins | HB 424 | 03/17/2025 | Gaming Laws/Allow Certain Social Games. |
| David Willis, Donnie Loftis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Stephen M. Ross | HB 425 | 03/17/2025 | Protect Youth From Harms of Vaping & Nicotine. |
| David Willis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, James Roberson, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 365 | 03/11/2025 | Workforce Education Act. |
| David Willis, Allen Chesser, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Ray Pickett | HB 373 | 03/11/2025 | UNC Tuition Discounts for Certain Students. |
| David Willis, Jeff Zenger, Jonathan L. Almond, and Neal Jackson | HB 301 | 03/05/2025 | Social Media Protections for Minors Under 16. |
| David Willis, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Bill Ward, and Charles W. Miller | HB 270 | 03/03/2025 | Revise Law on the Death Penalty. |
| David Willis and Dean Arp | HB 170 | 02/21/2025 | Restore Down-Zoning/Union Co. |
| David Willis, Brian Biggs, Hugh Blackwell, and John A. Torbett | HB 144 | 02/17/2025 | Elect SBE/Superintendent as SBE Chair. |
| David Willis, Paul Scott, and Todd Carver | HB 106 | 02/11/2025 | Revive High-Need Retired Teachers Program. |
| David Willis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, Harry Warren, and John R. Bell, IV | HB 12 | 01/29/2025 | Observe Standard Time All Year. |
| David Willis, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., and Charles W. Miller | HB 2 | 01/29/2025 | Entry Fees for Interscholastic Sports Events. |
| David Willis, Ben T. Moss, Jr., Celeste C. Cairns, and Keith Kidwell | HB 7 | 01/29/2025 | NC REACH Act. |
