GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2013

S                                                                                                                                                    D

SENATE DRS85051-MK-41A  (02/07)

 

 

 

Short Title:        Clarify Education Reporting Requirements.

(Public)

Sponsors:

Senator Tucker (Primary Sponsor).

Referred to:

 

 

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to eliminate unnecessary reports and clarify current education program requirements.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

PART I. REPEAL DISADVANTAGED STUDENT SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING REPORT

SECTION 1.(a) Section 7.8(b) of S.L. 2005-276 is repealed.

SECTION 1.(b)  Section 7.8(b) of S.L. 2007-323 is repealed.

 

PART II. ELIMINATE STATE BOARD REPORT ON PERSONAL EDUCATION PLANS

SECTION 2. G.S. 115C-105.41(a) reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-105.41.  Students who have been placed at risk of academic failure; personal education plans; transition teams and transition plans.

(a)        In order to implement Part 1A of Article 8 of this Chapter, local school administrative units shall identify students who are at risk for academic failure and who are not successfully progressing toward grade promotion and graduation, beginning in kindergarten. Identification shall occur as early as can reasonably be done and can be based on grades, observations, diagnostic and formative assessments, State assessments, and other factors, including reading on grade level, that impact student performance that teachers and administrators consider appropriate, without having to await the results of end-of-grade or end-of-course tests. No later than the end of the first quarter, or after a teacher has had up to nine weeks of instructional time with a student, a personal education plan for academic improvement with focused intervention and performance benchmarks shall be developed or updated for any student at risk of academic failure who is not performing at least at grade level, as identified by the State end-of-grade test and other factors noted above. Focused instructional supports and services, reading interventions, and accelerated activities should include evidence-based practices that meet the needs of students and may include coaching, mentoring, tutoring, summer school, Saturday school, and extended days. Local school administrative units shall provide these activities free of charge to students. Local school administrative units shall also provide transportation free of charge to all students for whom transportation is necessary for participation in these activities.

Local school administrative units shall give notice of the personal education plan and a copy of the personal education plan to the student's parent or guardian. Parents should be included in the implementation and ongoing review of personal education plans. If a student's school report card provides all the information required in a personal education plan, then no further personal education plan is mandated for the student.

Local school administrative units shall certify that they have complied with this section annually to the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall periodically review data on the progress of identified students and report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee.

No cause of action for monetary damages shall arise from the failure to provide or implement a personal education plan under this section."

 

PART III. REPEAL REPORT ON TEACHER MENTORING

SECTION 3. Section 7.8 of S.L. 2008-107, as amended by Section 1(b) of S.L. 2009-305, is repealed.

 

PART IV. REPEAL UNC REPORT TO STATE BOARD ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

SECTION 4.  G.S. 116-11(12a) is repealed.

 

PART V. CLARIFY TEACHER LICENSE AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

SECTION 5.  G.S. 115C-296 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C-296. Board sets licensure requirements; reports; lateral entry and mentor programs.

…

(b)        It is the policy of the State of North Carolina to maintain the highest quality teacher education programs and school administrator programs in order to enhance the competence of professional personnel licensed in North Carolina. To the end that teacher preparation programs are upgraded to reflect a more rigorous course of study, the State Board of Education, as lead agency in coordination and cooperation with the University Board of Governors, the Board of Community Colleges and such other public and private agencies as are necessary, shall continue to refine the several licensure requirements, standards for approval of institutions of teacher education, standards for institution-based innovative and experimental programs, standards for implementing consortium-based teacher education, and standards for improved efficiencies in the administration of the approved programs.

(1)        Licensure standards. -

a.         The licensure program shall provide for initial licensure after completion of preservice training, continuing licensure after three years of teaching experience, and license renewal every five years thereafter, until the retirement of the teacher. The last license renewal received prior to retirement shall remain in effect for five years after retirement. The licensure program shall also provide for lifetime licensure after 50 years of teaching.

b.         The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall evaluate and develop enhanced requirements for continuing licensure. The new requirements shall reflect more rigorous standards for continuing licensure and shall be aligned with quality professional development programs that reflect State priorities for improving student achievement.

c.         The State Board of Education, in consultation with local boards of education and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall reevaluate and enhance the requirements for renewal of teacher licenses. The State Board shall consider modifications in the license renewal achievement and to make it a mechanism for teachers to renew continually their knowledge and professional skills.

(2)        Teacher education programs. -

a.         The State Board of Education, as lead agency in coordination with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, and any other public and private agencies as necessary, shall continue to raise standards for entry into teacher education programs.

b.         To further ensure that teacher preparation programs remain current and reflect a rigorous course of study that is aligned to State and national standards, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall do all of the following to ensure that students preparingare prepared to teach in elementary schoolsschools:

1.         (i) haveProvide students with adequate coursework in the teaching of reading and mathematics;mathematics.

2.         (ii) are assessedAssess students prior to certification licensure to determine that they possess the requisite knowledge in scientifically based reading and mathematics instruction that is aligned with the State Board's expectations;expectations.

3.         (iii) continue to receiveContinue to provide students with preparation in applying formative and summative assessments within the school and classroom setting through technology-based assessment systems available in North Carolina schools that measure and predict expected student improvement; andimprovement.

4.         (iv) are preparedPrepare students to integrate arts education across the curriculum.

c.         The State Board of Education, in consultation with local boards of education and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall evaluate and modify, as necessary, the academic requirements of teacher preparation programs for students preparing to teach science in middle and high schools to ensure that there is adequate preparation in issues related to science laboratory safety.

The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall evaluate and develop enhanced requirements for continuing licensure. The new requirements shall reflect more rigorous standards for continuing licensure and to the extent possible shall be aligned with quality professional development programs that reflect State priorities for improving student achievement.

The State Board of Education, in consultation with local boards of education and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall reevaluate and enhance the requirements for renewal of teacher licenses. The State Board shall consider modifications in the license renewal achievement and to make it a mechanism for teachers to renew continually their knowledge and professional skills. The State Board shall adopt new standards for the renewal of teacher licenses by May 15, 1998.

d.         The standards for approval of institutions of teacher education shall require that teacher education programs for all students include demonstrated competencies in (i) the identification and education of children with disabilities and (ii) positive management of student behavior and effective communication techniques for defusing and deescalating disruptive or dangerous behavior.

e.         The State Board of Education shall incorporate the criteria developed in accordance with G.S. 116-74.21 for assessing proposals under the School Administrator Training Program into its school administrator program approval standards.

All North Carolina institutions of higher education that offer teacher education programs, masters degree programs in education, or masters degree programs in school administration shall provide performance reports to the State Board of Education. The performance reports shall follow a common format, shall be submitted according to a plan developed by the State Board, and shall include the information required under the plan developed by the State Board.

(b1)      The State Board of Education shall develop a plan to provide a focused review ofrequire teacher education programsprograms, master's degree programs in education, and master's degree programs in school administration to submit annual performance reports. The performance reports shall provide the State Board of Education with a focused review of the programs and the current process of accrediting these programs in order to ensure that the programs produce graduates that are well prepared to teach. The plan shall include the development and implementation of a school of education performance report for each teacher education program in North Carolina.

(1)        Report contents. - The performance report for each teacher education program and master's degree programs in education and school administration in North Carolina shall follow a common format and include at least the following elements:

a.         (i) qualityQuality of students entering the schools of education, including the average grade point average and average score on preprofessional skills tests that assess reading, writing, math and other competencies;competencies.

b.         (ii) graduation rates;Graduation rates.

c.         (iii) time-to-graduation rates;Time-to-graduation rates.

d.         (iv) averageAverage scores of graduates on professional and content area examination for the purpose of licensure;licensure.

e.         (v) percentagePercentage of graduates receiving initial licenses;licenses.

f.          (vi) percentagePercentage of graduates hired as teachers;teachers.

g.         (vii) percentagePercentage of graduates remaining in teaching for four years;years.

h.         (viii) graduateGraduate satisfaction based on a common survey; andsurvey.

i.          (ix) employerEmployer satisfaction based on a common survey.

j.          Effectiveness of teacher education program graduates.

The performance reports shall follow a common format. The performance reports shall be submitted annually. The State Board of Education shall develop a plan to be implemented beginning in the 1998-99 school year to reward and sanction approved teacher education programs and masters of education programs and to revoke approval of those programs based on the performance reports and other criteria established by the State Board of Education.

The State Board also shall develop and implement a plan for annual performance reports for all masters degree programs in education and school administration in North Carolina. To the extent it is appropriated, the performance report shall include similar indicators to those developed for the performance report for teacher education programs. The performance reports shall follow a common format.

(2)        Submission of annual performance reports. - Both plans for performance Performance reports also shall include a method to provide the annual performance reports be provided annually to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, the State Board of Education, and the boards of trustees of the independent colleges. The State Board of Education shall review the schools of education performance reports and the performance reports for masters degree programs in education and school administration each year the performance reports are submitted.

(3)        Educator preparation program report card. - The State Board shall create a higher education educator preparation program report card reflecting the information collected in the annual performance reports for each North Carolina institution offering teacher education programs and master's of education programs. The report cards shall, at a minimum, summarize information reported on all of the performance indicators for the performance reports required by subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(4)        Annual State Board of Education report. - The State Board shall submit the performance report for the 1999-2000 school year to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by December 15, 2000. Subsequent performance reportsThe educator preparation program report cards shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on an annual basis by October 1.

(5)        State Board of Education action based on performance. - The State Board of Education shall reward and sanction approved teacher education programs and master's of education programs and revoke approval of those programs based on the performance reports and other criteria established by the State Board of Education.

…."

 

PART VI. REPEAL CHILD NUTRITION STATE STANDARDS REPORT

SECTION 6.  Section 2 of S.L. 2005-457 is repealed.

 

PART VII. EFFECTIVE DATE

SECTION 7.  This act is effective when it becomes law. Section 5 of this act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 school year.