A new bill filed by State Rep. Amber M. Baker in the North Carolina House seeks to establish universal screening for academically gifted students in sixth grade, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 340 on March 6 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Universal AIG Screening in Middle Schools.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates the North Carolina State Board of Education to develop or purchase and disseminate a screening assessment in all middle schools aimed at identifying academically or intellectually gifted students. The assessment will be administered to all sixth-grade students. To support this initiative, the bill allocates $7 million in recurring funds from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction for the 2025-26 fiscal year to cover assessment costs. This act is set to take effect July 1, 2025, ensuring the implementation of universal AIG screening in middle schools across the state.
Of the four sponsors of this bill, Frances Jackson, PhD proposed the most bills (nine) 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.
Baker graduated from Winston-Salem State University with a BS.
Baker, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 72nd House district, replacing previous state representative Derwin Montgomery.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber M. Baker, Frances Jackson, PhD, Monika Johnson-Hostler, and Rodney D. Pierce | HB 340 | 03/06/2025 | Universal AIG Screening in Middle Schools. |
| Amber M. Baker, Frances Jackson, PhD, Monika Johnson-Hostler, and Rodney D. Pierce | HB 325 | 03/06/2025 | Legislative Building Field Trip Pilot Program. |
| Amber M. Baker, Carolyn G. Logan, and James Roberson | HB 249 | 02/27/2025 | Diversity in Pickleball Pilot Program. |
| Amber M. Baker, Carolyn G. Logan, Frances Jackson, PhD, and Monika Johnson-Hostler | HB 168 | 02/21/2025 | North Carolina CROWN Act. |
