H1030 - 2016 Appropriations Act. (SL 2016-94)

Overview: Sec. 8.32 of S.L. 2016-94 makes the following changes:

• Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to provide written notification to the General Assembly of its intent to conduct a mandatory student or parent survey, either statewide or in any local school administrative unit (LEA), and a copy of the survey. The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) must also notify superintendents of plans to conduct a parent or student survey in an LEA and give the superintendents an opportunity to provide feedback prior to administration of the survey.
• Requires local boards of education (local boards) to notify the SBE by September 1 annually of any local testing to be administered in the LEA, a calendar of those tests, and the source of funds for the local testing program. The SBE is required to report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee (JLEOC) by October 15 annually on statewide administration of the testing program and a summary of local testing programs.
• Requires the SBE to develop minimum criteria for qualifications of adjunct instructors in each career and technical education career cluster. Local boards may hire qualified individuals to serve as adjunct instructors on an annual or semester basis, subject to the following requirements for the instructor:
• May be employed for no more than 10 hours a week.
• Is subject to a criminal history check.
• Is not required to hold or apply for licensure as a teacher.
• Has completed the preservice training required for lateral entry teachers.
• For applications submitted on or after July 14, 2016, requires teachers employed by local boards to show evidence of a rating of at least proficient on the teacher's most recent annual evaluation to maintain a continuing license. A teacher who does not satisfy this requirement, but has been placed on a mandatory improvement plan, may receive an initial degree license if the teacher satisfies other licensure requirements.
• For applications submitted on or after July 14, 2016, requires applicants with an out-of-state license to provide evidence of that teacher's effectiveness, when available, as measured by the state of current licensure, including any growth measures. Out-of-state license applicants who provide this information receive priority in review of applications over out-of-state license applicants who do not provide this information. An out-of-state license applicant that does not include the information is only eligible for an initial degree license.
• Requires that mentor teachers participating in the mentor teacher training program be rated as at least "accomplished" on the North Carolina Teacher Evaluation System and have met expectations for student growth.
• Requires that students in educator preparation programs have field experiences in every semester, and that the number of hours increase in each semester prior to the student's residency or internship. All programs must also include a field experience in a low-performing school for at least one semester.
• Requires that teachers that have been licensed for less than two years must be observed at least three times annually by the principal or the principal's designee, at least once annually by a teacher, and at least once annually by a principal. At least two of those observations must be conducted in the first semester of the school year, and if practicable, at least one observation in the first grading period of the school year.

This section became effective July 14, 2016, and applies beginning with the 2016-2017 school year.