S257 - Appropriations Act of 2017. (SL 2017-57)

Overview: S.L. 2017-57, Sec. 7.23H (SB 257, Sec. 7.23H) makes the following changes:

• Replaces the term "vocational" with the term "career" to consistently use the terminology "career and technical education" (CTE) throughout statutes related to education.
• Requires local boards of education (local boards) to offer, as part of CTE instruction, at least two work-based learning opportunities consisting of on-the-job training through an internship, cooperative education, or an apprenticeship program.
• Encourages local boards to implement career awareness programs for students in grade five on available CTE programs. A local board that adopts a fifth grade career awareness program must report on activities and student outcomes to the State Board of Education (SBE) annually by October 1. The SBE must submit a consolidated report on program outcomes and legislative recommendations to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee (JLEOC) by November 15 annually.
• Requires local boards to provide CTE agriculture teacher personnel with adequate resources to provide a CTE agriculture education program for 12 calendar months, including work-based learning services and instructional and leadership development. Also requires, beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, CTE agriculture teacher personnel serving students in grades nine through 12 be employed for 12-month terms, unless a waiver is sought and granted on an annual basis by the Department of Public Instruction and North Carolina State University, Agricultural and Extension Education.
• Requires local boards to be assisted by business advisory councils (councils) in providing CTE instruction. The councils will identify economic and workforce development trends related to training and education needs of the local community and advocate for strong local CTE programs, and upon agreement, can serve more than one local board. The councils must have at least nine members that reflect the education, business, and community makeup of the local school administrative unit (LEA) as follows:
• Ex officio education representatives:
• Superintendent of the LEA, or designee.
• CTE program director of the LEA (nonvoting member).
• President of the community college that serves the LEA, or designee.
• A principal of a school located in the LEA, as assigned by the superintendent.
• Business, industry, workforce and economic development stakeholders, and community representatives (must make up the majority of the council):
• Local business and industry owners.
• Representatives from local manufacturing centers and factories.
• Human resource directors employed at businesses and industries in the community.
• Representatives from community based organizations.
• Representatives from economic and workforce development organizations.
• Parents of students enrolled in career and technical education courses.
• Representative or manager of the local apprenticeship coalition.
• Encourages LEAs to complete the application process for the NCWorks Work Ready Certified Communities initiative.

This section became effective July 1, 2017.