A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to make various changes to education laws and combine certain education reports, as recommended by the STate Board of Education, the Department of Public Instruction, and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 115C‑156.2(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Beginning in 2019, the State Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by November 15 of each year on the following information:
(1)	The number of students in career and technical education courses who earned (i) community college credit and (ii) related industry certifications and credentials.
(2)	Implementation of high school diploma endorsements, including adding (i) college, (ii) career, and (iii) college and career endorsements to high school diplomas, through evaluation of at least the following data:
a.	Impact on the rates of high school graduation, college acceptance and remediation, and post‑high school employment.
b.	Beginning with the 2019‑2020 school year, the number of students who had to retake a nationally norm‑referenced college admissions test to meet the reading benchmark score required by G.S. 115C‑12(40) to receive a high school diploma endorsement and the number of students who were not awarded a high school diploma endorsement solely because of the inability to meet the benchmark score for reading required by G.S. 115C‑12(40)."
SECTION 1.(b)  Section 1(b) of S.L. 2013‑1, as amended by Section 16.1 of S.L. 2013‑410, Section 89 of S.L. 2014‑115, and Section 48(d) of S.L. 2017‑102, reads as rewritten:
"SECTION 1.(b)  The State Board of Education shall make high school diploma endorsements, as provided under this section, available to students graduating from high school beginning with the 2014‑2015 school year. The State Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the progress toward establishing specific college and career endorsements for high school diplomas and for awarding these endorsements by February 1, 2014."
SECTION 1.(c)  G.S. 115C‑12(40) reads as rewritten:
"(40)	To Establish High School Diploma Endorsements. – The State Board of Education shall establish, implement, and determine the impact of adding (i) college, (ii) career, and (iii) college and career endorsements to high school diplomas to encourage students to obtain requisite job skills necessary for students to be successful in a wide range of high‑quality careers and to reduce the need for remedial education in institutions of higher education. These endorsements shall reflect courses completed, overall grade point average, reading achievement, and other criteria as developed by the State Board of Education. A student shall only receive a high school diploma endorsement if that student receives on a nationally norm‑referenced college admissions test for reading, either administered under G.S. 115C‑174.11(c)(4) or as an alternative nationally norm‑referenced college admissions test approved by the State Board, at least the benchmark score established by the testing organization that represents the level of achievement required for students to have approximately a fifty percent (50%) chance of obtaining a grade B or higher or a seventy‑five percent (75%) chance of obtaining a grade C or higher in a corresponding credit‑bearing, first‑year college course. A student may retake a nationally norm‑referenced test as many times as necessary to achieve the required benchmark score for reading in order to receive a high school diploma endorsement prior to the student's graduation. The State Board of Education shall report annually to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on high school diploma endorsements in accordance with G.S. 115C‑156.2."
SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 115C‑238.55 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑238.55.  Evaluation of cooperative innovative high schools.
The State Board of Education and the governing Boards shall evaluate the success of students in cooperative innovative high schools approved under this Part. Success shall be measured by high school retention rates, high school completion rates, high school dropout rates, certification and associate degree completion, admission to four‑year institutions, postgraduation employment in career or study‑related fields, and employer satisfaction of employees who participated in and graduated from the schools. The Boards shall jointly report by March 15 of each year to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the evaluation of these schools. The report may be submitted jointly with the evaluation of the Career and College Promise Program required by G.S. 115D‑5(x)."
SECTION 2.(b)  G.S. 115D‑5(x) reads as rewritten:
"(x)	In addition to the evaluation of cooperative innovative high schools by the State Board of Education pursuant to G.S. 115C‑238.55, the State Board of Community Colleges, in conjunction with the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall evaluate the success of students participating in the Career and College Promise Program, including the College Transfer pathway and the Career and Technical Education pathway. Success shall be measured by high school retention rates, high school completion rates, high school dropout rates, certification and associate degree completion, admission to four‑year institutions, postgraduation employment in career or study‑related fields, and employer satisfaction of employees who participated in the programs. The Boards shall jointly report by March 15 of each year to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. The report may be submitted jointly with the evaluation of cooperative innovative high schools required by G.S. 115C‑238.55."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 115C‑64.15(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	The Commission shall consist of the following 14 members:
(1)	The Secretary of Commerce or his or her designee.
(2)	The State Superintendent of Public Instruction or his or her designee.
(3)	The Chair of the State Board of Education or his or her designee.
(4)	The President of The University of North Carolina or his or her designee.
(5)	The President of the North Carolina Community College System or his or her designee.
(6)	Three members appointed by the Governor who have experience in education.
(7)	Three members appointed by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as provided in G.S. 120‑121, who have experience in businesses operating in North Carolina.
(8)	Three members appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, as provided in G.S. 120‑121, who have experience in businesses operating in North Carolina."
SECTION 4.(a)  G.S. 115C‑268.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑268.1.  Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission.
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(c)	Membership. – The Commission shall consist of the following 18 members:
(1)	The General Assembly, upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, shall appoint the following:
a.	One superintendent.
b.	One principal.
c.	One dean, or dean's designee, of an educator preparation program at a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina.
d.	One dean, or dean's designee, of an educator preparation program at a nonpublic postsecondary educational institution in North Carolina.
e.	One dean, or dean's designee, of an educator preparation program at a historically black college or university in North Carolina.
f.	One teacher.
g.	One personnel administrator from a local school administrative unit in North Carolina with at least 30,000 students.
h.	One at‑large member.
(2)	The General Assembly, upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall appoint the following:
a.	One superintendent.
b.	One principal.
c.	One dean, or dean's designee, of an educator preparation program at a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina.
d.	One dean, or dean's designee, of an educator preparation program at a nonpublic postsecondary educational institution in North Carolina.
e.	One teacher.
f.	One personnel administrator from a local school administrative unit in North Carolina with less than 30,000 students.
g.	One member of the State Advisory Council on Indian Education.
h.	One at‑large member.
(3)	The State Teacher of the Year.
(4)	The Superintendent of Public Instruction or his or her designee.
(c1)	Appointments and Vacancies. – In making appointments to the Commission, the General Assembly is encouraged to select qualified citizens who are committed to improving the teaching profession and student achievement and who represent the racial, geographic, and gender diversity of the State. Before their appointment to this Commission, with the exception of the at‑large members, the members must have been actively engaged in the profession of teaching, in the education of students in educator preparation programs, or in the practice of public school administration for at least three years, at least two of which occurred in this State. Initial terms shall begin September 1, 2017, and shall be appointed as follows:
(1)	The members appointed pursuant to sub‑subdivisions c., e., g., and h. of subdivision (1) of this subsection and sub‑subdivisions a., b., d., and e. of subdivision (2) of this subsection shall serve two‑year terms expiring August 31, 2019.
(2)	The members appointed pursuant to sub‑subdivisions a., b., d., and f. of subdivision (1) of this subsection and sub‑subdivisions c., f., g., and h. of subdivision (2) of this subsection shall serve three‑year terms expiring August 31, 2020.
As the initial terms expire for members appointed as provided in this subsection, members shall be appointed to those seats to serve for two‑year terms. Vacancies in the membership shall be filled by the General Assembly, as provided in G.S. 120‑122, using the same criteria as provided in this subsection.
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SECTION 4.(b)  Notwithstanding any provision of S.L. 2017‑207 to the contrary, subsection (a) of this section applies to appointed members currently serving their terms on the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission.
SECTION 5.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.