Chapter 115C - Article 19

Article 19.

Principals and Supervisors.

§ 115C-284. Method of selection and requirements.

(a) Principals and supervisors shall be elected by the local boards of education upon the recommendation of the superintendent, in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 115C-276(j).

(b) In the city administrative units, principals shall be elected by the board of education of such administrative unit upon the recommendation of the superintendent of city schools.

(b1) Repealed by Session Laws 2023-125, s. 1(d), effective September 28, 2023.

(c1) Repealed by Session Laws 2023-125, s. 1(d), effective September 28, 2023.

(c2) Repealed by Session Laws 2023-125, s. 1(d), effective September 28, 2023.

(c3) Repealed by Session Laws 2023-125, s. 1(d), effective September 28, 2023.

(d) Repealed by Session Laws 1989, c. 385, s. 1.

(d1) Repealed by Session Laws 2023-125, s. 1(d), effective September 28, 2023.

(e) The State Board shall not issue provisional licenses for principals. It shall be unlawful for any board of education to employ or keep in service any principal or supervisor who neither holds nor is qualified to hold a license in compliance with the provision of the law or in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education. However, a local board of education may select a retired principal or retired assistant principal to serve as an interim principal for the remainder of any school year, regardless of licensure status.

(f) The allotment of classified principals shall be one principal for each duly constituted school with seven or more state-allotted teachers.

(g) Local boards of education shall have authority to employ supervisors in addition to those that may be furnished by the State when, in the discretion of the board of education, the schools of the local school administrative unit can thereby be more efficiently and more economically operated and when funds for the same are provided in the current expense fund budget. The duties of such supervisors shall be assigned by the superintendent with the approval of the board of education.

(h) All principals and supervisors employed in the public schools of the State or in schools receiving public funds, shall be required either to hold or be qualified to hold a license in compliance with the provision of the law or in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education. (1955, c. 1372 art. 5, ss. 4, 27; art. 6, s. 6; art. 18, ss. 1-4; 1963, c. 688, s. 3; 1965, c. 584, ss. 6, 20.1; 1969, c. 539; 1971, c. 1188, s. 1; 1973, cc. 236, 733; c. 770, ss. 1, 2; 1975, c. 437, s. 7; c. 686, s. 1; c. 731, ss. 1, 2; c. 965, s. 3; 1977, c. 1088, s. 4; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 1103, s. 4; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 975, s. 16; 1989, c. 385, s. 1; 1991, c. 689, s. 200(a); 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 1030, s. 28; 1993, c. 392, s. 2; 1999-30, s. 1; 1999-394, s. 1; 2006-264, s. 56(b); 2007-517, s. 1; 2008-187, s. 43; 2013-11, s. 2; 2017-189, s. 2(j); 2023-125, s. 1(d).)

§ 115C-284.1. Administrator preparation programs.

(a) Role of APPs. - To recommend candidates for licensure, an administrator preparation program (APP) shall be approved by the State Board. For the purposes of this section, an APP is any entity that meets all of the following:

(1) Prepares, trains, and recommends candidates for administrator licensure.

(2) Leads to a Master's of School Administration (MSA) or Master's of Education in Educational Leadership unless the candidate already holds a master's or doctoral degree in an education-related field.

(3) Meets one of the following:

a. Is accredited by a programmatic accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of Education pursuant to federal law.

b. Was approved by the State Board of Education as a school administrator preparation program prior to April 1, 2023.

(b) State Board Authority. - The State Board shall have the authority to approve an APP that meets the requirements established by rule as provided in subsection (c) of this section.

(c) Rules for Granting State Approval. - The State Board shall adopt rules for granting approval to APPs in accordance with this section. The rules shall ensure the following:

(1) A rigorous approval process that requires that the criteria in this section are met.

(2) An application process, peer review, and technical assistance provided by the State Board.

(3) An approval period of five years and process for renewal of approval.

(d) Minimum Approval Standards. - At a minimum, the rules established as provided in subsection (c) of this section shall require APPs to meet the following requirements:

(1) Require all candidates to complete an internship that is at least 500 hours in duration.

(2) Require the development of portfolios that meet criteria adopted by the State Board and provide evidence that candidates are applying their training to actual school needs and challenges.

(3) Require that all APP candidates demonstrate competencies in (i) using digital and other instructional technologies and (ii) supporting teachers and other school personnel to use digital and other instructional technologies to ensure provision of high-quality, integrated digital teaching and learning to all students.

(4) Align with the standards for the evaluation of school executives and specifically address the use of the results of the Teacher Working Conditions Survey.

(5) Require evidence of a high level of institutional commitment, including dedicated resources, for APP improvements and redesign.

(6) Require the use of cross-functional work teams to determine a common curriculum framework that (i) is designed to align with defined standards, (ii) includes rigorous core courses, and (iii) will produce administrators who meet the defined standards. The cross-functional work teams shall include school-based personnel, faculty from schools of education and other disciplines from institutions of higher education, and representatives of State agencies.

(7) Require the use of cross-functional work teams to design and periodically update specific standards regarding placement, required activities, and evaluations of clinical experiences. These standards shall include appropriate training for the school leaders who agree to accept and supervise interns.

(8) Require written agreements between the institution of higher education and a public school unit to govern their shared responsibility for (i) recruitment and preparation of school administrators, especially with regard to clinical experiences, including the internship, and (ii) a new administrator's success once employed.

(9) Require authentic partnerships between adjunct faculty and full-time faculty to fully address the need for both practical, field-based experience and academic, theory-based experience. These partnerships may require a change in the institution of higher education's definition of scholarly activity and its reward system.

(10) Incorporate the criteria developed in accordance with G.S. 116-74.21 for assessing proposals under the School Administrator Training Program.

(e) The State Board of Education shall develop rules to determine whether an applicant who completed an administrator preparation program outside the State meets or exceeds the requirements to hold a North Carolina administrator license. (2017-189, s. 2(k); 2023-125, s. 1(e).)

§ 115C-285. Salary.

(a) Principals and supervisors shall be paid promptly when their salaries are due provided the legal requirements for their employment and service have been met. All principals and supervisors employed by any local school administrative unit who are to be paid from local funds shall be paid promptly as provided by law and as state-allotted principals and supervisors are paid.

Principals and supervisors paid from State funds shall be paid as follows:

(1) Classified principals and State-allotted supervisors shall be employed for a term of 12 calendar months. Each local board of education shall establish a set date on which monthly salary payments to classified principals and State-allotted supervisors shall be made. This set pay date may differ from the end of the calendar month of service. Classified principals and State-allotted supervisors shall only be paid for the days employed as of the set pay date. Payment for a full month when days employed are less than a full month is prohibited as this constitutes prepayment. They shall earn annual vacation leave at the same rate provided for State employees. On a day that employees are required to report for a workday but pupils are not required to attend school due to inclement weather, an employee may elect not to report due to hazardous travel conditions and to take one of his annual vacation days or to make up the day at the time agreed upon by the employee and his immediate supervisor. They shall be provided by the board the same or an equivalent number of legal holidays as those designated by the State Human Resources Commission for State employees.

(2) Supervisors and classified principals paid on an hourly or other basis whether paid from State or from local funds may accumulate annual vacation leave days as follows: annual leave may be accumulated without any applicable maximum until June 30 of each year. On June 30 of each year, any supervisor or principals with more than 30 days of accumulated leave shall have the excess accumulation converted to sick leave so that only 30 days are carried forward to July 1 of the same year. All vacation leave taken by the employee will be upon the authorization of his immediate supervisor and under policies established by the local board of education. An employee shall be paid in a lump sum for accumulated annual leave not to exceed a maximum of 240 hours or 30 days when separated from service due to resignation, dismissal, reduction in force, death, or service retirement. Upon separation from service due to service retirement, any annual vacation leave over 30 days will convert to sick leave and may be used for creditable service at retirement in accordance with G.S. 135-4(e). If the last day of terminal leave falls on the last workday in the month, payment shall be made for the remaining nonworkdays in that month. Employees retiring on disability retirement may exhaust annual leave rather than be paid in a lump sum. The provisions of this subdivision shall be accomplished without additional State and local funds being appropriated for this purpose. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and regulations for the administration of this subdivision.

(3) Notwithstanding any provisions of this section to the contrary no person shall be entitled to pay for any vacation day not earned by that person. Vacation days shall not be used for extending the term of employment of individuals and shall not be cumulative from one fiscal year to another fiscal year, except as provided in subdivision (5) of this section.

(4) Each local board of education shall sustain any loss by reason of an overpayment to any principal or supervisor paid from State funds.

(5) All of the foregoing provisions of this section shall be subject to the requirement that at least fifty dollars ($50.00), or other minimum amount required by federal social security laws, of the compensation of each school employee covered by the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System or otherwise eligible for social security coverage shall be paid in each of the four quarters of the calendar year.

(6) The State Board of Education, in fixing the State standard salary schedule of principals as authorized by law, shall provide that principals who entered the armed or auxiliary forces of the United States after September 16, 1940, and who left their positions for such service, shall be allowed experience increments for the period of such service as though the same had not been interrupted thereby, in the event such persons return to the position of teachers, principals or superintendents in the public schools of the State after having been honorably discharged from the armed or auxiliary forces of the United States.

(7) All persons employed as principals in the schools and institutions listed in G.S. 115C-325.10 shall be compensated at the same rate as are teachers in the public schools in accordance with the salary schedule adopted by the State Board of Education.

(8) A teacher who becomes an assistant principal shall be paid, on a monthly basis, at least as much as he or she would earn as a teacher employed by that local school administrative unit.

(8a) A teacher who becomes a principal shall be paid on a monthly basis, at least as much as he or she would earn as a teacher employed by that local school administrative unit.

(9) An assistant principal who becomes a principal shall be paid, on a monthly basis, at least as much as he or she would earn as an assistant principal employed by that local school administrative unit.

(b) Every local board of education may adopt, as to principals and supervisors not paid out of State funds, a salary schedule, but it likewise shall recognize a difference in salaries based on different duties, training, experience, professional fitness, and continued service in the same school system; but if any local board of education shall fail to adopt such a schedule, the State salary schedule shall be in force.

(c) The board of education may withhold the salary of any supervisor or principal who delays or refuses to render such reports as are required by law, but when the reports are delivered in accordance with law, the salary shall be paid forthwith. (1955, c. 1372, art. 5, s. 32; art. 6, s. 13; art. 17, s. 9; art. 18, s. 6; 1961, c. 1085; 1965, c. 584, s. 3; 1971, c. 1052; 1973, c. 315, s. 2; c. 647, s. 1; 1975, c. 383; c. 437, s. 9; c. 608; c. 834, ss. 1, 2; 1979, c. 600, ss. 1-5; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; c. 639, s. 4; c. 946, s. 2; 1983, c. 872, s. 2; 1985, c. 757, s. 145(d); 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 975, s. 15; 1987, c. 414, s. 5; 1989, c. 386, s. 1; 1993, c. 321, s. 73(b); 1995, c. 450, s. 18; 1997-443, s. 8.38(g); 1999-237, s. 28.26(d); 2013-360, s. 9.7(g); 2013-382, s. 9.1(c); 2015-241, ss. 9.5(a), (b); 2016-94, s. 9.3(a).)

§ 115C-285.1. Principal recruitment supplement.

(a) Definitions. - The following definitions shall apply in this section:

(1) Eligible employer. - The governing board of a local school administrative unit with an eligible school.

(2) Eligible school. - A low-performing school, as defined in G.S. 115C-105.37, that received an overall school performance score that placed it in the bottom five percent (5%) of all schools in the State in the prior school year.

(3) Qualifying principal. - A principal who is paid on the Exceeded Growth column of the Principal Salary Schedule.

(4) Qualifying school. - An eligible school selected by the Department to participate in the Program.

(b) Program; Purpose. - The Department of Public Instruction shall establish the Principal Recruitment Supplement Program (Program). To the extent funds are made available, the purpose of the Program shall be to provide significant, time-limited salary supplements to qualifying principals who accept employment as principals of qualifying schools.

(c) Salary Supplement. - A qualifying principal who accepts a position as a principal in a qualifying school shall receive an annual salary supplement of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000), paid on a monthly basis, as long as the principal is employed as the principal of that school, up to a maximum period of 36 months, subject to the following:

(1) A qualifying principal who contracts with an eligible employer to receive the salary supplement shall not be excluded in future years from contracting with the same eligible employer or a different eligible employer for another salary supplement, subject to the requirements of this section.

(2) A qualifying principal who accepts employment as a principal at a qualifying school shall continue to receive the salary supplement during performance of the contract, up to 36 months, even if one or more of the following occur:

a. The principal is no longer a qualifying principal.

b. The school is no longer an eligible school.

(3) Notwithstanding G.S. 135-1(7a), salary supplements provided pursuant to this section are not compensation under Article 1 of Chapter 135 of the General Statutes, the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System.

(d) Time Line. - To the extent funds are made available for the Program, the following time line shall apply:

(1) No later than December 1, 2019, and October 1 of each year thereafter, the Department shall notify an eligible employer with one or more eligible schools that the eligible employer may be selected to participate in the Program.

(2) No later than January 15, 2020, and November 1 of each year thereafter, each eligible employer that seeks to participate in the Program shall notify the Department of its intent.

(3) No later than January 31, 2020, and November 15 of each year thereafter, the Department shall notify any eligible employer with a qualifying school that the school qualifies for the Program, up to a statewide total of 40 schools. In making its selections, the Department shall prioritize eligible schools with the lowest overall school performance scores.

(4) No later than May 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, each eligible employer with a qualifying school shall do all of the following:

a. Execute all applicable contracts with qualifying principals.

b. Notify the Department of the (i) identity of principals and schools in the unit that will participate in the Program, (ii) length of the contract period between the eligible employer and each qualifying principal, and (iii) length of time the qualifying principal will receive the salary supplement.

(5) No later than August 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, all qualifying principals identified pursuant to sub-subdivision (4)b. of this subsection shall begin employment as a principal at the applicable qualifying school.

(e) Additional Funds. - In the event an eligible employer is unable to award funds for the salary supplement because of resignation, dismissal, reduction in force, death, retirement, or failure to execute a contract with a qualifying principal, the Department shall award the funds, as soon as is practicable, to another eligible employer identified in subdivision (a)(1) of this section.

(f) Supplement Not Supplant. - Salary supplements provided to qualifying principals pursuant to this section shall be used to supplement and not supplant State and non-State funds already provided for principal compensation.

(g) Report. - No later than March 15, 2021, and every year thereafter in which funds are expended under the Program, the Department shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division on the Program, including, at a minimum, the following information:

(1) The impact of the Program on school performance, including the performance of (i) schools receiving a principal under the Program and (ii) schools that lost a principal due to the Program.

(2) The number of principals participating in the Program.

(3) The identity of schools participating in the Program.

(4) The length and rate of retention of principals (i) within the Program and (ii) at specific schools within the Program. (2019-247, s. 2.5; 2020-3, s. 2.13(b).)

§115C-286. Rules for conduct of principals and supervisors.

The conduct of principals and supervisors, the kind of reports they shall make, and their duties in the care of school property are subject to the rules of the local board, as provided in G.S. 115C-47(18). (1981, c. 423, s. 1.)

§ 115C-286.1. Evaluations of principals.

Local school administrative units shall evaluate all principals and assistant principals at least once each year. Either the superintendent or the superintendent's designee shall conduct the evaluations.

The State Board of Education shall ensure that the standards and criteria for the evaluations include the accountability measures of teacher retention, teacher support, and school climate. The State Board shall revise its evaluation instruments to include these measures. A local board shall use the performance standards and criteria adopted by the State Board unless the board develops an alternative evaluation that is properly validated and that includes standards and criteria similar to those adopted by the State Board. (2005-276, s. 7.29.)

§ 115C-287: Repealed by Session Laws 1993, c. 210, s. 5.

§ 115C-287.1. Method of employment of principals, assistant principals, supervisors, and directors.

(a)(1) All persons employed as school administrators shall be employed pursuant to this section.

(2) Repealed by Session Laws 2013-360, s. 9.6(d), effective July 1, 2014.

(3) For purposes of this section, school administrator means a:

a. Principal;

b. Assistant principal;

c. Supervisor; or

d. Director,

whose major function includes the direct or indirect supervision of teaching or of any other part of the instructional program.

(4) Repealed by Session Laws 2013-360, s. 9.6(d), effective July 1, 2014.

(b) Local boards of education shall employ school administrators upon the recommendation of the superintendent. The initial contract between a school administrator and a local board of education shall be for two to four years, ending on June 30 of the final 12 months of the contract. In the case of a subsequent contract between a principal or assistant principal and a local board of education, the contract shall be for a term of four years. In the case of an initial contract between a school administrator and a local board of education, the first year of the contract may be for a period of less than 12 months provided the contract becomes effective on or before September 1. A local board of education may, with the written consent of the school administrator, extend, renew, or offer a new school administrator's contract at any time after the first 12 months of the contract so long as the term of the new, renewed, or extended contract does not exceed four years. Rolling annual contract renewals are not allowed. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the filling of an administrative position on an interim or temporary basis.

(c) The term of employment shall be stated in a written contract that shall be entered into between the local board of education and the school administrator. The school administrator shall not be dismissed or demoted during the term of the contract except for the grounds and by the procedure by which a teacher may be dismissed or demoted for cause as set forth in G.S. 115C-325.4.

(d) If a superintendent intends to recommend to the local board of education that the school administrator be offered a new, renewed, or extended contract, the superintendent shall submit the recommendation to the local board for action. The local board may approve the superintendent's recommendation or decide not to offer the school administrator a new, renewed, or extended school administrator's contract.

If a superintendent decides not to recommend that the local board of education offer a new, renewed, or extended school administrator's contract to the school administrator, the superintendent shall give the school administrator written notice of his or her decision no later than May 1 of the final year of the contract. The superintendent's reasons may not be arbitrary, capricious, discriminatory, personal, political, or prohibited by State or federal law. No action by the local board or further notice to the school administrator shall be necessary unless the school administrator files with the superintendent a written request, within 10 days of receipt of the superintendent's decision, for a hearing before the local board. Failure to file a timely request for a hearing shall result in a waiver of the right to appeal the superintendent's decision. If a school administrator files a timely request for a hearing, the local board shall conduct a hearing pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 115C-45(c) and make a final decision on whether to offer the school administrator a new, renewed, or extended school administrator's contract.

If the local board decides not to offer the school administrator a new, renewed, or extended school administrator's contract, the local board shall notify the school administrator of its decision by June 1 of the final year of the contract. A decision not to offer the school administrator a new, renewed, or extended contract may be for any cause that is not arbitrary, capricious, discriminatory, personal, political, or prohibited by State or federal law.

(e) Repealed by Session Laws 1995, c. 369, s. 1.

(f) If the superintendent or the local board of education fails to notify a school administrator by June 1 of the final year of the contract that the school administrator will not be offered a new school administrator's contract, the school administrator shall be entitled to 30 days of additional employment or severance pay beyond the date the school administrator receives written notice that a new contract will not be offered.

(f1) If, prior to appointment as a school administrator, the school administrator held career status as a teacher in the local school administrative unit in which he or she is employed as a school administrator, the school administrator shall retain career status as a teacher if the school administrator is not offered a new, renewed, or extended contract by the local board of education, unless the school administrator voluntarily relinquished career status or is dismissed or demoted pursuant to G.S. 115C-325.

(g) Repealed by Session Laws 2013-360, s. 9.6(d), effective July 1, 2014.

(h) An individual who holds a provisional assistant principal's license and who is employed as an assistant principal under G.S. 115C-270.20(b)(2) shall be considered a school administrator for purposes of this section. Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, a local board may enter into one-year contracts with a school administrator who holds a provisional assistant principal's license. If the school administrator held career status as a teacher in the local school administrative unit prior to being employed as an assistant principal and the State Board of Education for any reason does not extend the school administrator's provisional assistant principal's license, the school administrator shall retain career status as a teacher unless the school administrator voluntarily relinquished career status or is dismissed or demoted pursuant to G.S. 115C-325. Nothing in this subsection or G.S. 115C-270.20(b)(2) shall be construed to require a local board to extend or renew the contract of a school administrator who holds a provisional assistant principal's license. (1993, c. 210, s. 6; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 677, s. 16(a); 1995, c. 369, s. 1; 1998-220, s. 16; 1999-30, s. 3; 2003-291, s. 1; 2013-360, s. 9.6(d); 2014-115, s. 65; 2017-157, s. 2(e); 2023-125, s. 1(g).)

§ 115C-288. Powers and duties of principal.

(a) To Grade and Classify Pupils. - The principal shall have authority to grade and classify pupils, except as provided in G.S. 115C-83.7(a). In determining the appropriate grade for a pupil who is already attending a public school, the principal shall consider the pupil's classroom work and grades, the pupil's scores on standardized tests, and the best educational interests of the pupil. The principal shall not make the decision solely on the basis of standardized test scores. If a principal's decision to retain a child in the same grade is partially based on the pupil's scores on standardized tests, those test scores shall be verified as accurate.

A principal shall not require additional testing of a student entering a public school from a school governed under Article 39 of this Chapter if test scores from a nationally standardized test or nationally standardized equivalent measure that are adequate to determine the appropriate placement of the child are available.

(b) To Make Accurate Reports to the Superintendent and to the Local Board. - The principal shall make all reports to the superintendent. Every principal of a public school shall make such reports as are required by the boards of education, and the superintendent shall not approve the vouchers for the pay of principals until the required monthly and annual reports are made: Provided, that the superintendents may require teachers to make reports to the principals and principals to make reports to the superintendent: Provided further, that any principal or supervisor who knowingly and willfully makes or procures another to make any false report or records, requisitions, or payrolls, respecting daily attendance of pupils in the public schools, payroll data sheets, or other reports required to be made to any board or officer in the performance of his duties, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and the certificate of such person to teach in the public schools of North Carolina shall be revoked by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

(c) To Improve Instruction and Community Spirit. - The principal shall give suggestions to teachers for the improvement of instruction.

(d) To Conduct Fire Drills and Inspect for Fire Hazards. - It shall be the duty of the principal to conduct a fire drill during the first week after the opening of school and thereafter at least one fire drill each school month, in each building in his charge, where children are assembled. Fire drills shall include all pupils and school employees, and the use of various ways of egress to simulate evacuation of said buildings under various conditions, and such other regulations as shall be prescribed for fire safety by the State Fire Marshal, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Board of Education. A copy of such regulations shall be kept posted on the bulletin board in each building.

It shall be the duty of each principal to inspect each of the buildings in his charge at least twice each month during the regular school session. This inspection shall include cafeterias, gymnasiums, boiler rooms, storage rooms, auditoriums and stage areas as well as all classrooms. This inspection shall be for the purpose of keeping the buildings safe from the accumulation of trash and other fire hazards.

It shall be the duty of the principal to file two copies of a written report once each month during the regular school session with the superintendent of his local school administrative unit, one copy of which shall be transmitted by the superintendent to the chairman of the local board of education. This report shall state the date the last fire drill was held, the time consumed in evacuating each building, that the inspection has been made as prescribed by law and such other information as is deemed necessary for fire safety by the State Fire Marshal, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Board of Education.

It shall be the duty of the principal to minimize fire hazards pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 115C-525.

(e) To Discipline Students and to Assign Duties to Teachers with Regard to the Discipline, General Well-being, and Medical Care of Students. - The principal shall have authority to exercise discipline over the pupils of the school under policies adopted by the local board of education in accordance with G.S. 115C-390.1 through G.S. 115C-390.12. The principal may use reasonable force pursuant to G.S. 115C-390.3 and may suspend students pursuant to G.S. 115C-390.5. The principal shall assign duties to teachers with regard to the general well-being and the medical care of students under G.S. 115C-307 and Article 26A of this Chapter.

(f) To Protect School Property. - The principal shall protect school property as provided in G.S. 115C-523.

(g) To Report Certain Acts to Law Enforcement and the Superintendent. - When the principal has personal knowledge or actual notice from school personnel that an act has occurred on school property involving assault resulting in serious personal injury, sexual assault, sexual offense, rape, kidnapping, indecent liberties with a minor, assault involving the use of a weapon, possession of a firearm in violation of the law, possession of a weapon in violation of the law, or possession of a controlled substance in violation of the law, the principal shall immediately report the act to the appropriate local law enforcement agency.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State Board of Education shall not require the principal to report to law enforcement acts in addition to those required to be reported by law.

For purposes of this subsection, "school property" shall include any public school building, bus, public school campus, grounds, recreational area, or athletic field, in the charge of the principal.

The principal or the principal's designee shall notify the superintendent or the superintendent's designee in writing or by electronic mail regarding any report made to law enforcement under this subsection. This notification shall occur by the end of the workday in which the incident occurred when reasonably possible but not later than the end of the following workday. The superintendent shall provide the information to the local board of education.

Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted to interfere with the due process rights of school employees or the privacy rights of students.

(h) To Make Available School Budgets and School Improvement Plans. - The principal shall maintain a copy of the school's current budget and school improvement plan, including any amendments to the plan, and shall allow parents of children in the school and other interested persons to review and obtain such documents in accordance with Chapter 132 of the General Statutes.

(i) To Evaluate Licensed Employees and Develop Mandatory Improvement Plans. - Each school year, the principal assigned to a low-performing school that has not received an assistance team shall provide for the evaluation of all licensed employees assigned to the school. The principal also shall develop mandatory improvement plans as provided under G.S. 115C-333(b) and G.S. 115C-333.1(b) and shall monitor an employee's progress under a mandatory improvement plan.

(j) To Transfer Student Records. - The principal shall not withhold the transfer of student records, except as is provided in G.S. 115C-403(b).

(k) To Sign Driving Eligibility Certificates and to Notify the Division of Motor Vehicles. - In accordance with rules adopted by the State Board of Education, the principal or the principal's designee shall do all of the following:

(1) Sign driving eligibility certificates that meet the conditions established in G.S. 20-11.

(2) Obtain the necessary written, irrevocable consent from parents, guardians, or emancipated juveniles, as appropriate, in order to disclose information to the Division of Motor Vehicles.

(3) Notify the Division of Motor Vehicles when a student who holds a driving eligibility certificate no longer meets its conditions.

(l) To Establish School Improvement Teams. - Each school year, the principal shall ensure that a school improvement team is established under G.S. 115C-105.27 for the purpose of developing, reviewing, and revising a school improvement plan.

(m) To Address the Unique Needs of Military-Connected Students. - The principal shall develop a means for serving the unique needs of students identified as military-connected students as required in G.S. 115C-12(18)f. (1955, c. 1372, art. 17, ss. 6, 8; 1957, c. 843; 1959, c. 573, s. 13; c. 1294; 1965, c. 584, s. 15; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 975, s. 4; 1987, c. 572, s. 3; 1993, c. 327, s. 1; c. 539, s. 883; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 716, s. 7.1; 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 18, s. 18.27; 1997-443, s. 8.29(t); 1998-5, s. 7; 1998-220, s. 13; 1999-243, s. 7; 1999-373, s. 2; 2001-424, s. 28.17(b); 2005-22, s. 5; 2009-410, s. 1; 2011-145, s. 7.13(s), (t); 2011-248, s. 1; 2011-282, s. 11; 2011-348, s. 5; 2011-391, s. 14(b); 2012-142, s. 7A.1(g); 2012-149, s. 7; 2012-194, s. 55(c); 2014-15, s. 2; 2015-264, s. 82; 2023-151, s. 12.3.)

§ 115C-289. Assignment of principal's duties to assistant or acting principal; duties of State-funded assistant principals.

(a) Any duty or responsibility assigned to a principal by statute, State Board of Education regulation, or by the superintendent may, with the approval of the local board of education, be assigned by the principal to an assistant principal designated by the local board of education or to an acting principal designated by a principal.

(b) All persons employed as assistant principals in State-allotted positions, or as assistant principals in full-time positions regardless of funding source, in the public schools of the State or in schools receiving public funds, shall, in addition to other applicable requirements, be required either to hold or be qualified to hold a principal's certificate or a provisional assistant principal's certificate in compliance with applicable law and in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education. It shall be unlawful for any board of education to employ or keep in service any assistant principal who neither holds nor is qualified to hold a principal's certificate or a provisional assistant principal's certificate in compliance with applicable law and in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education. Persons who hold a provisional assistant principal's certificate and who are employed as assistant principals shall be employed under G.S. 115C-287.1(h).

(d) Assistant principals paid from State funds shall not have regularly assigned teaching duties. (1977, c. 539; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1987, c. 328; c. 830, s. 89(c); 1991, c. 689, s. 200(b); 1999-30, s. 2.)

§ 115C-289.1. Supervisor duty to report; intimidation of school employee.

(a) When a supervisor of a school employee has actual notice that the school employee has been the victim of an assault by a student in violation of G.S. 14-33(c)(6) resulting in physical injury, as that term is defined in G.S. 14-34.7, the supervisor shall immediately report to the principal the assault against the school employee. For the purpose of this subsection, the term "supervisor of a school employee" does not include the principal or superintendent.

(b) A principal, superintendent, or supervisor of a school employee shall not, by threats or in any other manner, intimidate or attempt to intimidate that school employee from reporting to law enforcement an assault by a student under G.S. 14-33(c)(6).

(c) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to interfere with the due process rights of school employees or the privacy rights of students. (2012-149, s. 8.)

§ 115C-289.2. Report on the state of the school administration profession in North Carolina.

(a) State of the School Administration Profession Report. - The State Board of Education shall monitor and compile an annual report by December 15 annually on school principals in North Carolina that includes data on the decisions of principals to leave the profession of school administration or move to a different position, as provided in subsection (b) of this section. The State Board shall adopt standard procedures for each local board of education to use in requesting information required by this report and shall require each local board of education to report the information to the State Board in a standard format adopted by the State Board.

(b) Principals Leaving Their Position. - The report shall include the following data on the decisions of principals to leave their position in the prior school year, including reasons for leaving their position:

(1) The number of principals who left the profession without remaining in the field of education.

(2) The number of principals who left their position for employment as a principal in another school in the State, including principals who left for employment within another local school administrative unit, a nonpublic school, or a charter school.

(3) The number of principals who left their position for another type of educational position and the type of educational position to which the principals moved.

(4) The number of principals who left their position in low-performing schools as defined in G.S. 115C-105.37.

(5) The number of principals who left their position in order to move to a low-performing school, as defined in G.S. 115C-105.37, and the impact of the principal recruitment supplement authorized in G.S. 115C-285.1 on the principal's decision to accept the position at the low-performing school.

(c) Principal and School Performance. - The State of the School Administration Profession Report prepared by the State Board of Education pursuant to this section shall analyze the relationship between the data included in subsection (b) of this section and student growth, student achievement, and school performance, as calculated by G.S. 115C-83.15(c), including the extent to which principal attrition and mobility led to changes in school performance.

(d) Report Consolidation. - The report required by this section shall be consolidated with the report on the State of the Teaching Profession required by G.S. 115C-299.5. (2023-134, s. 7.77(b).)

§ 115C-290. Reserved for future codification purposes.