NCSBA Legislative Update – June 7, 2019

NCSBA Legislative Update – June 7, 2019

This Week at the Legislature

The pace picked up at the General Assembly this week as more committees began meeting to hear bills that had crossed over from the other chamber. Conferees for budget negotiation were named and negotiators will get down to business starting next week. Click here to see the list of conferees.

The highlight of the week was a special convening of the General Assembly in the old chambers at the Capitol in honor of the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Following the special session, there was a ceremony held outside of the Capitol building honoring those killed on D-Day and specifically recognizing the 39 North Carolinians who sacrificed their lives. The following articles share more coverage of both the special session and the ceremony.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article231119213.html

https://www.wral.com/north-carolina-honors-veterans-for-75th-anniversary-of-d-day/18435383/

https://abc11.com/community-events/ww2-d-day-ceremony-at-nc-general-assembly/5335055/

 

Movement of K-12 Education Bills

The following bills were approved by the House Rules committee and will be calendared for next week.

SB 219: Modify Teacher Licensing Requirements

  • Primary Sponsors: Senators McInnis, R-Richmond; Tillman, R-Randolph; Johnson, R-Union
  • Makes changes to the testing requirements for an initial professional teacher license (IPL), provides a one-year IPL extension for certain teachers, and implements a three-year nonrenewable license for teachers who were issued an IPL but did not qualify for a continued professional license (CPL)
  • The House made the following changes to the bill:
    • Provide a three-year transitional license for teachers from other states
    • Authorize LEAs to determine experience credit for teachers from other states to pay them at the commensurate level on the State salary schedule during the first year of the license
    • Reduce the service requirement for a lifetime teaching license from 50 years to 30 years
    • Add “Individuals issued transitional licenses shall not be required to demonstrate preparation through achieving a prescribed minimum score on a standardized examination.”
    • Clarify that a lifetime license be issued to a currently licensed teacher that “has completed 30 or more years of creditable service with the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System.”

SB 448: Amend Appt for Compact on Education/Military

  • Primary Sponsor: Senator Brown, R-Onslow
  • An individual appointed by the Governor as Compact Commissioner is no longer required to be a licensed NC attorney, but rather an individual who represents at least one LEA with a high concentration of military children

SB 500: Modify Advanced Math Course Enrollment

  • Primary Sponsors: Senators Smith, D-Northampton; Tillman, R-Randolph; Chaudhuri, D-Wake
  • Makes the following modifications to the implementation of advanced math courses and opportunities for grades three and higher:
    • When practicable, LEAs shall offer advanced learning opportunities in math in grades three through five
    • Any grade three through five student who scores at the highest level on the EOG shall be provided advanced learning opportunities in math approved for that student’s grade level
    • Before a parent or guardian can provide written consent for their student to be excluded or removed from an advanced learning opportunity for students in grades three through five or from an advanced math course for students in grades six and higher, it is required that the parent or guardian be informed that the student’s placement was determined by the student’s achievement at the highest level on the previous EOG or EOC
  • The House made the following changes to the bill:
    • Remove the high school math placement requirement
    • Extend certain reporting and implementation deadlines by one year
    • Require the submission of implementation plans

 

The following bills were approved by the Senate Education/Higher Education committee and referred to the Senate Rules committee.

HB 57: Create Term for Public Schools & Codify NCVPS

  • Primary Sponsors: Representatives Elmore, R-Wilkes; Johnson, R-Cabarrus; Horn, R-Union
  • Codifies the NC Virtual Public School (NCVPS) program and defines a “public school unit” as a local school administrative unit, a charter school, a regional school, or a school providing elementary or secondary instruction operated by the SBE or the University of North Carolina
  • The Senate amended the bill to clarify that NCVPS is not a public school unit

HB 924: Teacher Contract Changes

  • Primary Sponsors: Representatives D. Hall, R-Caldwell; Horn, R-Union
  • Clarifies eligibility for extended teacher contracts by defining a year of employment as not less than the standard 120 workdays performed as a teacher in a full-time permanent position, which had previously been the standard for career status
  • The Senate amended the bill to add the contents of SB 134: Economics & Financial Literacy Act to the bill

 

State Board of Education Meeting — June 5 & 6

Board members and advisors met this week to discuss an array of topics including charter school approvals, equity strategies in public schools, and incorporating computer science into education standards. Digital learning and computer science curriculum were covered twice in this month’s meeting: once during a Special Committee on Digital Learning and Computer Sciences presentation and once during a Student Learning and Achievement Committee presentation. Students could start learning about computer science as early as kindergarten, where teachers could explain the importance of computer and account passwords. By incorporating computer science into NC’s education standards, specific courses wouldn’t be required, but rather the integration of the subject matter into already existing courses. SBE Chair Davis requested that the meeting minutes reflect a Board approval of computer science becoming part of NC’s education standards.

The Board also heard from staff in DPI’s Exceptional Children Division about a policy recommendation concerning autism spectrum disorder. With the number of autistic students increasing, staff members proposed a policy change in autism identification practices used in schools. Although some Board members expressed their concern about the changes being potentially more restrictive, the presenters explained that the changes would help give school staff a deeper clarity of autism as updated data and information have become available.

During the Board’s monthly legislative update, a 2019-20 budget comparison was presented.

Click here to access DPI’s 2019-20 budget information, which includes the budget comparison and House and Senate budget summaries.

Click here to access all Board materials.

 

June 10-14 Legislative Meeting Calendar

Monday, June 10

1:00 pm – Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee – Legislative Office Building, rm 544 (audio)

Friday, June 14

10:00 am – NC Child Well-Being Transformation Council – Legislative Office Building, rm 423

 

 

Leanne E. Winner
Director of Governmental Relations
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6686

Bruce Mildwurf
Associate Director of Governmental Relations
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6692

Richard Bostic
Assistant Director of Governmental Relations
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6677

Rebekah Howard
Governmental Relations Research Specialist
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6688

North Carolina School Boards AssociationNCSBA Legislative Update – June 7, 2019