§ 115D-21.5.  NC Career Coach Program.

(a) Purpose. - There is established the NC Career Coach Program to place community college career coaches in high schools to assist students with determining career goals and identifying community college programs that would enable students to achieve these goals.

(b) Memorandum of Understanding. - The board of trustees of a community college and a local board of education of a local school administrative unit within the service area of the community college shall enter into a memorandum of understanding for the placement of career coaches employed by the board of trustees of the community college in schools within the local school administrative unit. At a minimum, the memorandum of understanding shall include the following:

(1) Requirement that the community college provides the following:

a. Hiring, training, and supervision of career coaches. The board of trustees may include a local board of education liaison on the hiring committee to participate in the decision making regarding hiring for the coach positions.

b. Salary, benefits, and all other expenses related to the employment of the career coach. The coach will be an employee of the board of trustees and will not be an agent or employee of the local board of education.

c. Development of pedagogical materials and technologies needed to enhance the advising process.

d. Criminal background checks required by the local school administrative unit for employees working directly with students.

e. Agreement that, while on any school campus, the career coach will obey all local board of education rules and will be subject to the authority of the school building administration.

(2) Requirement that the local school administrative unit provides the following to career coaches:

a. Access to student records, as needed to carry out the coach's job responsibilities.

b. Office space on site appropriate for student advising.

c. Information technology resources, including, but not limited to, Internet access, telephone, and copying.

d. Initial school orientation and ongoing integration into the faculty and staff community.

e. Promotion of school-wide awareness of coach duties.

f. Facilitation of coach's access to individual classes and larger assemblies for the purposes of awareness-building.

(c) Application for NC Career Coach Program Funding. - The board of trustees of a community college and a local board of education of a local school administrative unit within the service area of the community college jointly may apply for available funds for NC Career Coach Program funding from the State Board of Community Colleges. The State Board of Community Colleges shall establish a process for award of funds as follows:

(1) Advisory committee. - Establishment of an advisory committee, which shall include representatives from the NC Community College System, the Department of Public Instruction, the Department of Commerce, and at least three representatives of the business community, to review applications and make recommendations for funding awards to the State Board.

(2) Application submission requirements. - The State Board of Community Colleges shall require at least the following:

a. Evidence of a signed memorandum of understanding that meets, at a minimum, the requirements of this section.

b. Evidence that the funding request will be matched with local funds in accordance with the following:

1. Matching funds may come from public or private sources.

2. The match amount shall be determined based on the development tier designation of the county in which the local school administrative unit is located where the career coach is assigned on the date of the award of funds by the State Board of Community Colleges according to the following:

I. If located in a tier one county as defined in G.S. 143B-437.08, no local match shall be required.

II. If located in a tier two county as defined in G.S. 143B-437.08, one dollar ($1.00) of local funds for every two dollars ($2.00) in State funds shall be required.

III. If located in a tier three county as defined in G.S. 143B-437.08, one dollar ($1.00) of local funds for every one dollar ($1.00) in State funds shall be required.

(3) Awards criteria. - The State Board of Community Colleges shall develop criteria for consideration in determining the award of funds that shall include the following:

a. Consideration of the workforce needs of business and industry in the region.

b. Targeting of resources to enhance ongoing economic activity within the community college service area and surrounding counties.

c. Geographic diversity of awards.

(d) Annual Report. -

(1) The board of trustees of a community college that employs one or more career coaches shall report annually to the State Board of Community Colleges on implementation and outcomes of the program, including the following information:

a. Number of career coaches employed.

b. Number of local school administrative units served and names of schools in which career coaches are placed.

c. Number of students annually counselled by career coaches.

d. Impact of career coaches on student choices, as determined by a valid measure selected by the State Board of Community Colleges.

(2) The State Board of Community Colleges shall report annually no later than October 1 to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the following:

a. A compilation of the information reported by the board of trustees of community colleges, as provided in subdivision (1) of this subsection.

b. Number and names of partnership applicants for NC Career Coach Program funding.

c. Number, names, and amounts of those awarded NC Career Coach Program funding. (2015-241, s. 10.14(a); 2018-5, s. 9.3; 2019-235, s. 3.3.)