North Carolina school tip line law

Does North Carolina require a school tip line?

Yes, for public secondary schools. Each public secondary school's governing body must develop and operate an anonymous tip line, in coordination with local law enforcement and social services agencies. The Center for Safer Schools must implement and maintain a statewide anonymous safety tip line application, in collaboration with DPI (the Department of Public Instruction) and the DPS (Department of Public Safety) Division of Emergency Management. To meet the tip line duty, schools may use the state app or another app that meets DPI standards and guidelines. DPI, in consultation with DPS, may develop standards and guidelines for developing, operating and staffing tip lines.

Which schools are covered?

The tip line duties cover public schools serving grades six or higher: local school administrative unit schools, the schools for the deaf or blind, UNC-controlled schools, charter schools and regional schools. Private (nonpublic) schools are not within the statute's tip line duty. A 2023 law, S.L. 2023-10, requires each school for the deaf or blind to develop and operate an anonymous tip line under the same statute.

What must schools do?

Public secondary schools must inform students about the app and give them chances to learn its purpose and function. Each governing body must work with the Center for Safer Schools so that school employees receive adequate training in the app's operation.

Who runs the statewide app?

The Center for Safer Schools is administratively located in the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). S.L. 2024-57 moved the Center to the SBI, and DPI states the move happened in December 2024. The SBI describes the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SSARS) as a free, statewide program for students, staff and community members to confidentially report safety concerns. The SBI says SSARS helps public school units meet legislative requirements and lets the Center track data and trends statewide. The Center's 2022 legislative presentation ties SSARS to G.S. 115C-105.51 and gives its live date as November 4, 2019. DPI contracted with Sandy Hook Promise to provide SSARS starting in the 2019-20 school year. By the Center's count, 98 districts and 145 charter schools were actively using SSARS as of April 28, 2022.

How are tips routed and answered?

The statute sets no hours of operation, response timeline or triage procedure for tips; beyond coordination with local law enforcement and social services and the link to the state's risk management system, routing is left to the program. DPI and DPS must make sure the app is integrated with the statewide School Risk and Response Management System (SRRMS). Where technically feasible, the SRRMS must integrate anonymous tip lines established under G.S. 115C-105.51. At the 2019 launch, DPI said tips would go to a crisis center staffed 24/7 by trained counselors who triage, categorize and deliver them. That is the agency's 2019 description; current staffing was not separately confirmed. In the same 2019 description, the crisis center notifies school-based representatives after hours for life-threatening tips and contacts local 911 dispatch in cases of imminent threat.

Is tip data public?

All data and information the tip line app acquires and stores are not public records and are exempt from public inspection. Data acquired and stored in the SRRMS are not public records either.

What about false reports?

Under a general criminal statute, not specific to the tip line, making a report of planned mass violence at a school, knowing or having reason to know it is false, is a Class H felony. A court may also order a person convicted of a false mass-violence report to pay restitution, including costs of the disruption.

What data is collected?

DPI's Division of School Operations may collect the annual aggregate number and type of tips. Aggregate tip data must not carry identifying information on the reporter, including the school and the date of the tip.

Is there funding?

G.S. 115C-105.51 appropriates no money and names no funding source for school tip lines or the statewide app.

Any recent bills?

No 2025-2026 session bill, including the 2026 First Extra Session, contains the text "115C-105.51," per the legislature's official bill text search on October 28, 2026.