GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2005

 

 

SESSION LAW 2005-155

HOUSE BILL 404

 

 

AN ACT to repeal a duplicative school accreditation requirement.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C-12(9)c. reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-12.  Powers and duties of the Board generally.

The general supervision and administration of the free public school system shall be vested in the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall establish policy for the system of free public schools, subject to laws enacted by the General Assembly. The powers and duties of the State Board of Education are defined as follows:

. . .

(9)       Miscellaneous Powers and Duties. - All the powers and duties exercised by the State Board of Education shall be in conformity with the Constitution and subject to such laws as may be enacted from time to time by the General Assembly. Among such duties are:

. . .

c.         To adopt rules requiring all local boards of education to implement the Basic Education Program on an incremental basis within funds appropriated for that purpose by the General Assembly and by units of local government. Beginning with the 1991-92 school year, the rules shall require each local school administrative unit to implement fully the standard course of study in every school in the State in accordance with the Basic Education Program so that every student in the State shall have equal access to the curriculum as provided in the Basic Education Program and the standard course of study.

The Board shall establish benchmarks by which to measure the progress that each local board of education has made in implementing the Basic Education Program.

The Board shall develop a State accreditation program that meets or exceeds the standards and requirements of the Basic Education Program. The Board shall require each local school administrative unit to comply with the State accreditation program to the extent that funds have been made available to the local school administrative unit for implementation of the Basic Education Program.

The Board shall use the State accreditation program to monitor the implementation of the Basic Education Program."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C-81(a3) reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-81.  Basic Education Program.

. . .

(a3)     Alcohol and Drug Education Program to Be Recommended and Implemented:

(1)       A comprehensive education program that includes alcohol and drug use prevention education must be available to every child in North Carolina schools in kindergarten through high school.

(2)       The State Board of Education shall develop and maintain a recommended list of alcohol and drug use prevention education materials that include components for teacher training and ongoing assessment and evaluation to verify success and ensure the use of up-to-date information and strategies.

(3)       The Department of Public Instruction will work to strengthen instructional offerings in the content and skill areas of the Basic Education Program in which alcohol and drug use prevention education is addressed. Curricular materials and resources will be developed that meet, extend, and supplement drug and alcohol education as outlined in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and the Teacher Handbook for the competency-based curriculum.

(4)       The Department of Public Instruction shall recommend to the State Board of Education any drug use prevention education support materials that should be removed or added to the recommended list of curricular resources developed and maintained by the State Board of Education.

(5)       Local boards of education may select supplemental alcohol and drug use prevention education materials from the list maintained by the State Board of Education, or develop their own supplemental materials to be approved by the State Board of Education.

(6)       Local boards of education shall implement alcohol and drug use prevention education as a primary part of their comprehensive health education program.

(7)       Local boards of education will provide for ongoing evaluation of drug use prevention education resources, to include participation in on-going evaluations with the Department of Public Instruction.

(8)       Local boards of education must implement an approved drug and alcohol education prevention program for kindergarten through sixth grade by the 1990-91 school year, and for seventh grade through twelfth grade by the 1991-92 school year.

(9)       Local boards of education will meet educational State accreditation standards related to instruction in preventing alcohol and drug use in grades K-12.

(10)     The Department of Public Instruction, in conjunction with local school districts, will provide for staff development to train educators and support personnel to implement a comprehensive alcohol and drug use prevention education program.

(11)     Sequential, age-appropriate instruction will be provided that has the following features:

a.         Reaches all students in all grades;

b.         Presents a clear and consistent message that the use of alcohol and illicit drugs and the misuse of other drugs is unhealthy and harmful;

c.         Reflects current research and theory;

d.         Includes all abusable substances;

e.         Utilizes information that is current and accurate;

f.          Involves students in active "hands-on" learning experiences;

g.         Integrates substance abuse education with other health and social issues and other subject and skill areas of the North Carolina Basic Education Program and Standard Course of Study;

h.         Promotes understanding and respect for the law and values of society;

i.          Encourages health, safe, and responsible attitudes and behaviors;

j.          Includes strategies to involve parents, family members, and the community;

k.         Includes information on intervention and treatment services;

l.          Is continually open to revision, expansion and improvement."

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 27th day of June, 2005.

 

 

                                                                    s/ Beverly E. Perdue

                                                                         President of the Senate

 

 

                                                                    s/ James B. Black

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

 

 

                                                                    s/ Michael F. Easley

                                                                         Governor

 

 

Approved 7:00 p.m. this 5th day of July, 2005