BROADEN SUCCESSFUL AP PARTICIPATION.

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View NCGA Bill Details2011-2012 Session
House Bill 965 (Public) Filed Wednesday, May 16, 2012
TO BROADEN SUCCESSFUL PARTICIPATION BY STUDENTS IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES AND TO CREATE PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES FOR SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS FOR STUDENT EXCELLENCE IN ADVANCE PLACEMENT COURSES, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION REFORM.
Intro. by Blackwell, Holloway, Johnson, Jordan.

Status: Re-ref Com On Appropriations Subcommittee on Education (House Action) (May 23 2012)
H 965

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: May 23 2012 - View Summary

    House committee substitute makes the following changes to 1st edition.
    Changes bill title to add “to help eliminate achievement and access gaps” and delete the word “courses” when referencing advanced placement.
    Section 1: Revises amendment to GS 115C-12(9)c1 to add reference to Advanced Placement examination participation and performance to the measures that must be reported on state and local school administrative unit annual report cards.
    Section 2: Revises amendment to new GC115C-83.1 to (1) clarify that the expenditure of available funds provided in subsection (a) are for the purposes of attaining the goal of the section; (2) adds to subsection (a)(1) the requirement that exemptions from student fees for AP examinations will be provided only for AP courses in which the student is enrolled (enrollment requirement not included in previous edition); (3) revises subsection (a)(2) to authorize bonuses for teachers of AP courses when students earn scores of three or higher on AP exams (was when students earned a passing score); (4) clarifies subsection (c) to include the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test to eligible diagnostic tests; (5) revises subsection (g) to establish the North Carolina Advanced Placement Partnership to assist in student readiness for and access to AP courses, and requires the Partnership to provide and assist in implementation of AP and Pre-AP professional development for teachers and school administrators with prioritized assistance to low-performing schools.
    Section 3: Adds new amendment to GS 115C-174.18 to add National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
    Section 4(b): Revises the total appropriation to $12,206,339 (was $11,660,921) and revises the appropriation for student AP test fees to $7,725,252 (was $7,179,834); deletes language providing for contingent funding for student AP test fees, and adds new requirement that the State Board of Education contract with an independent evaluator to assess the implementation and success of the AP program.
    Section 5: Adds new reporting requirement for the State Board of Education to report annually to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on data relating to student enrollment in AP courses, participation in AP tests, student performance, distribution of funds for student test fees, AP teacher bonuses, and professional development, and other related information.
    Makes other technical and conforming changes and renumbers Sections 3, 4, 5, and 6.


  • Summary date: May 16 2012 - View Summary

    Amends GS 115C-12(9)c1 to require that the annually issued “report card” for the state and each local school administrative unit (local unit) include measures of student performance and participation in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Enacts GS 115C-83.1, Advance Placement courses, to declare the intent of the state to make AP courses more accessible to all students and to encourage students to enroll in AP courses. Provides strategies to be implemented to achieve the goal of increasing student enrollment in AP courses.
    Appropriates $11,660,921 for 2012-13 from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction. Directs the State Board of Education to use the appropriated funds to provide (1) incentive funding to local units to be distributed to teachers of AP courses, (2) funds to local units to pay AP testing fees, and (3) funds to local units for professional development for teachers of AP courses. Specifies that $7,179,834 be used to pay for fees for testing in AP courses; $2,981,087 be used for teacher bonuses; and $1.5 million be used for professional development for teachers in AP courses. Provides additional conditions on the allocation of the portion of the appropriation for funding AP course testing fees.
    Effective July 1, 2012, and applies beginning with the 2012-13 school year.