GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2011

SESSION LAW 2011-327

SENATE BILL 166

AN ACT establishing the "no adult left behind" initiative to expand economic opportunities for working adults and achieve statewide workforce development goals and appropriating funds for that purpose.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  The General Assembly finds that:

(1)        No initiative could be undertaken by higher education that offers greater potential for a positive impact on workforce and economic development than the continued education of the adult citizens of this State.

(2)        The State's Commission on Workforce Development is instrumental in the economy of the State, and its collaboration with the State's institutions of higher education could greatly benefit adults in need of additional educational opportunities and job training.

(3)        There are community-based nonprofit organizations around the State that successfully increase access and foster success for working adults and other nontraditional students. These resources, when coordinated on a statewide level, could greatly benefit working adults and their families to achieve their economic goals.

SECTION 2.  The Commission on Workforce Development, acting as the lead agency, with the cooperation of other participating agencies, including the Department of Labor, the Department of Commerce, the Employment Security Commission, the North Carolina Community College System, The University of North Carolina, and the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities shall initiate the "No Adult Left Behind" Initiative (Initiative) geared toward achievement of major statewide workforce development goals. The Initiative may also include community-based nonprofit organizations that provide services or assistance in the areas of worker training, workforce development, and transitioning North Carolinians between industries in the current global labor market.

SECTION 3.(a)  The first goal of the Initiative is to increase dramatically to forty percent (40%) the percentage of North Carolinians who earn associate degrees, other two-year educational credentials, and baccalaureate degrees. Specific fields of study may be selected for the most intense efforts. The Commission on Workforce Development shall, as the lead agency along with the North Carolina Community College System and The University of North Carolina as key cooperating institutions, do all of the following:

(1)        Collaborate to provide model evening-weekend certificate and degree programs designed specifically for working adults and other nontraditional students.

(2)        Work together to promote systemic changes designed to increase access and foster success among adult workers and other nontraditional students.

(3)        Make it a priority to provide model evening-weekend certificate and degree programs in high-demand disciplines, occupations, and fields closely linked to economic development or that are the focus of public initiatives.

SECTION 3.(b)  The Commission on Workforce Development and the other lead participating institutions may enter into contracts with other qualified organizations, especially community-based nonprofits, to carry out components of the Initiative set forth in subsection (a) of this section.

SECTION 3.(c)  The Commission on Workforce Development shall submit to the Governor and to the General Assembly by May 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, details of its implementation of this act that shall include at least the following:

(1)        Goals, objectives, and accomplishments for the year toward implementation of this act.

(2)        An assessment of current adult educational programs to expand economic opportunities for adult workers as outlined by this act.

(3)        Recommendations for policy, program, or funding changes to effectuate the workforce development, adult education, and economic development goals set forth in this act.

SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2011.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 17^th day of June, 2011.

                                                                    s/  Walter H. Dalton

                                                                         President of the Senate

                                                                    s/  Thom Tillis

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

                                                                    s/  Beverly E. Perdue

                                                                         Governor

Approved 11:21 a.m. this 27^th day of June, 2011