GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1989 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 720

HOUSE BILL 53

 

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER OF THE YEAR TO SERVE AS AN ADVISORY MEMBER TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 115C-11 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-11.  Organization and internal procedures of Board.

(a)       Presiding Officer.  The State Board of Education shall elect from its membership a chairman and vice-chairman. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Per diem and expenses of the appointive members of the Board shall be provided by the General Assembly. The chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the Board. In the absence of the chairman, the vice-chairman shall preside; in the absence of both the chairman and the vice-chairman, the Board shall name one of its own members as chairman pro tempore.

(a1)     Student advisors - The Governor is hereby authorized to appoint two high school students who are enrolled in the public schools of North Carolina as advisors to the State Board of Education. The student advisors shall participate in State Board deliberations in an advisory capacity only. The State Board may, in its discretion, exclude the student advisors from executive sessions.

The Governor shall make initial appointments of student advisors to the State Board as follows:

(1)       One high school junior shall be appointed for a two-year term beginning September 1, 1986, and expiring June 14, 1988; and

(2)       One high school senior shall be appointed for a one-year term beginning September 1, 1986, and expiring June 14, 1987. When an initial or subsequent term expires, the Governor shall appoint a high school junior for a two-year term beginning June 15 of that year. If a student advisor is no longer enrolled in the public schools of North Carolina or if a vacancy otherwise occurs, the Governor shall appoint a student advisor for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Student advisors shall receive per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 138-5.

(a2)     State Teacher of the Year Advisor.-Each State Teacher of the Year, as designated by the Department of Public Instruction, shall serve ex officio as advisor to the State Board of Education. Each State Teacher of the Year shall begin service as advisory member to the State Board at the commencement of the teacher's term as State Teacher of the Year and shall serve for two years. The State Teachers of the Year shall participate in State Board deliberations and committee meetings in an advisory capacity only. The State Board may, in its discretion, exclude the State Teachers of the Year from executive sessions.

In the event a vacancy occurs in the State Teacher of the Year's advisory position, the teacher who was next runner-up to that State Teacher of the Year shall serve as the advisory member to the Board for the remainder of the unexpired term. The State Teacher of the Year advisors to the State Board shall receive per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 138-5.

(b)       Regular Meetings of Board. - The regular meetings of the Board shall be held each month on a day certain, as determined by the Board. The Board shall determine the hour of the meeting, which may be adjourned from day to day, or to a day certain, until the business before the Board has been completed.

(b1)     Annual meeting with the State Board of Community Colleges and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina.  The State Board of Education shall meet with the State Board of Community Colleges and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina at least once a year to discuss educational matters of mutual interest and to recommend to the General Assembly such policies as are appropriate to encourage the improvement of public education at every level in this State.  The meeting in 1987 and every three years thereafter shall be hosted by the University Board of Governors, the meeting in 1988 and every three years thereafter shall be hosted by the State Board of Education, and the meeting in 1989 and every three years thereafter shall be hosted by the State Board of Community Colleges.

(c)       Special Meetings. - Special meetings of the Board may be set at any regular meeting or may be called by the chairman or by the secretary upon the approval of the chairman: Provided, a special meeting shall be called by the chairman upon the request of any five members of the Board. In case of regular meetings and special meetings, the secretary shall give notice to each member, in writing, of the time and purpose of the meeting, by letter directed to each member at his home post-office address. Such notice must be deposited in the Raleigh Post Office at least three days prior to the date of meeting.

(d)       Voting. - No voting by proxy shall be permitted. Except in voting on textbook adoptions, all voting shall be viva voce unless a record vote or secret ballot is demanded by any member, and a majority of those present and voting shall be necessary to carry a motion.

(e)       Voting on Adoption of Textbooks. - A majority vote of the whole membership of the Board shall be required to adopt textbooks, and a roll call vote shall be had on each motion for such adoption or adoptions. A record of all such votes shall be kept in the minute book.

(f)        Committees. - The Board may create from its membership such committees as it deems necessary to facilitate its business. The chairman of the Board shall with approval of the majority of the Board appoint members to the several committees authorized by the Board and to any additional committees which the chairman may deem to be appropriate.

(g)       Record of Proceedings. - All of the proceedings of the Board shall be recorded in a well-bound and suitable book, which shall be kept in the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and open to public inspection.

(h)       Rules and Regulations. - The Board shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations not inconsistent herewith, to govern its proceedings which the Board may amend from time to time, which rules and regulations shall become effective when filed as provided by law: Provided, however, a motion to suspend the rules so adopted shall require a consent of two thirds of the members. The rules and regulations shall include, but not be limited to, clearly defined procedures for electing the officers of the State Board referred to in G.S. 115C-11(a), fixing the term of said officers, specifying how the voting shall be carried out, and establishing a date when the first election shall be held."

Sec. 2.  Service of the State Teacher of the Year as advisory member to the State Board shall begin with the teacher who is named State Teacher of the Year for 1989-90.

Sec. 3.  The State Board of Education shall use funds available to it for support of the Teacher of the Year advisory member position on the State Board.

Sec. 4.  This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 3rd day of August, 1989.