GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2011

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 342

 

 

Short Title:        High School Accreditation.

(Public)

Sponsors:

Representatives Blackwell and Holloway (Primary Sponsors).

For a complete list of Sponsors, see Bill Information on the NCGA Web Site.

Referred to:

Education, if favorable, Appropriations.

March 15, 2011

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT prohibiting any public institution of higher education  from soliciting or using information regarding the accreditation of a secondary school attended by a student as a factor affecting admissions, loans, scholarships, or other educational activity at the Public institution, unless the accreditation was conducted by a state agency; authorizing the state board of education to accredit  schools in a local school administrative unit at the request of and at the expense of that unit; and modifying the budget of the department of public instruction accordingly.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 116-11 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"§ 116-11.  Powers and duties generally.

The powers and duties of the Board of Governors shall include the following:

(8b)      The Board of Governors shall adopt a policy that prohibits any constituent institution from soliciting or using information regarding the accreditation of a secondary school that a person attended as a factor affecting admissions, loans, scholarships, or other educational activity at the constituent institution, unless the accreditation was conducted by a State agency. For purposes of this subdivision, the term 'accreditation' shall include certification or any other similar approval process."

SECTION 2.  Article 1 of Chapter 115D of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 115D-1.3.  Accreditation of secondary school shall not be a factor in admissions, loans, scholarships, or other educational policies.

(a)        For purposes of this section, the term 'accreditation' shall include certification or any other similar approval process.

(b)        The State Board of Community Colleges shall adopt a policy that prohibits any community college from soliciting or using information regarding the accreditation of a secondary school that a person attended as a factor affecting admissions, loans, scholarships, or other educational activity at the community college, unless the accreditation was conducted by a State agency."

SECTION 3.  G.S. 115C-12 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"§ 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:

(38)      Power to accredit schools. - Upon the request of a local board of education, the State Board of Education shall evaluate schools in local school administrative units to determine whether the education provided by those schools meets acceptable levels of quality. The State Board shall adopt rigorous academic standards for accreditation after consideration of (i) the standards of regional and national accrediting agencies, (ii) the Common Core Standards adopted by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers, and (iii) other information it deems appropriate.

The local school administrative unit shall compensate the State Board for the actual costs of the accreditation process."

SECTION 4.  The receipts collected by the State Board of Education pursuant to G.S. 115C-12(38), as enacted by Section 3 of this act, are hereby appropriated to the Department of Public Instruction for the 2010-2011 fiscal year and the 2011-2012 fiscal year. These funds are in addition to other funds appropriated to the Department for the 2010-2011 fiscal year and the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law. Sections 1 and 2 of this act apply to academic semesters beginning on or after July 1, 2011.