§ 115C-316.5.  School health personnel allotment.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the term "school health personnel" refers to the same positions listed in G.S. 115C-316.2(a).

(b) To the extent funds are made available, the State Board of Education shall establish a funding allotment for school health personnel positions. The State Board is authorized to adopt rules for the allocation of school health personnel positions pursuant to this allotment. Rules adopted by the State Board pursuant to this section shall include, at a minimum, the following requirements:

(1) School health personnel positions are allocated on the basis of average daily membership.

(2) Each local school administrative unit receives sufficient funding for at least one school psychologist position.

(3) Local school administrative units are encouraged to fill positions under this allotment with full-time, permanent employees. If the local school administrative unit is unable to fill these positions by hiring a full-time, permanent employee, the allocation for the position may be converted to a dollar equivalent for the unit to contract with a third party to provide the relevant services for an amount of hours equivalent to the hours a full-time position employee would provide. (2021-180, s. 7.6(a); 2023-134, s. 7.27(g).)