AN ACT TO UPDATE PRINCIPAL LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS AND TO DEVELOP A PORTFOLIO-BASED ASSESSMENT, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. SL 2023-125. Enacted September 28, 2023. Section 1 applies beginning July 1, 2024. The remainder is effective September 28, 2023.
PRINCIPAL LICENSURE CHANGES.
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View NCGA Bill Details | 2023-2024 Session |
AN ACT TO UPDATE PRINCIPAL LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS AND TO DEVELOP A PORTFOLIO-BASED ASSESSMENT, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.Intro. by Willis, Blackwell, Cotham, Torbett.
Bill History:
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Tue, 21 Mar 2023 House: Filed
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Thu, 23 Mar 2023 House: Passed 1st Reading
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Tue, 25 Apr 2023 House: Reptd Fav Com Substitute
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Tue, 25 Apr 2023 House: Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
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Thu, 27 Apr 2023 House: Reptd Fav
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Thu, 27 Apr 2023 House: Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
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Thu, 27 Apr 2023 House: Added to Calendar
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Thu, 27 Apr 2023 House: Passed 2nd Reading
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Thu, 27 Apr 2023 House: Passed 3rd Reading
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Fri, 28 Apr 2023 House: Regular Message Sent To Senate
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Mon, 1 May 2023 Senate: Regular Message Received From House
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Mon, 1 May 2023 Senate: Passed 1st Reading
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Mon, 1 May 2023 Senate: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
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Thu, 18 May 2023 Senate: Withdrawn From Com
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Wed, 24 May 2023 Senate: Reptd Fav Com Substitute
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Wed, 24 May 2023 Senate: Com Substitute Adopted
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Wed, 24 May 2023 Senate: Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
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Mon, 11 Sep 2023 Senate: Reptd Fav
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Tue, 12 Sep 2023 Senate: Passed 2nd Reading
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Tue, 12 Sep 2023 Senate: Passed 3rd Reading
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Tue, 12 Sep 2023 Senate: Special Message Sent To House
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Tue, 12 Sep 2023 Senate: Special Message Sent To House
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Tue, 12 Sep 2023 House: Special Message Received For Concurrence in S Com Sub
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Tue, 12 Sep 2023 House: Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
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Tue, 12 Sep 2023 House: Added to Calendar
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Tue, 12 Sep 2023 House: Withdrawn From Cal
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Tue, 12 Sep 2023 House: Placed On Cal For 09/19/2023
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Tue, 19 Sep 2023 House: Ordered Enrolled
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Wed, 20 Sep 2023 House: Ratified
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Thu, 21 Sep 2023 House: Pres. To Gov. 9/21/2023
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Thu, 28 Sep 2023 House: Signed by Gov. 9/28/2023
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Thu, 28 Sep 2023 House: Ch. SL 2023-125
Bill Summaries:
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Bill H 432 (2023-2024)Summary date: Sep 28 2023 - View Summary
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Bill H 432 (2023-2024)Summary date: May 24 2023 - View Summary
Senate committee substitute to the 2nd edition makes the following changes.
Part I
Amends GS 115C-284.1 (Administrator Preparation Programs) to extend the internship requirement from 350 hours to 500 hours.
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Bill H 432 (2023-2024)Summary date: Apr 25 2023 - View Summary
House committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes.
Part I
Deletes proposed changes to GS 115C-270.5.
Amends GS 115C-284.1, Administrator Preparation Programs (APP) as follows. Specifies that for an APP to recommend candidates for licensure it must be approved by the State Board of Education (Board). Specifies that an APP is an entity that meets all of the following: (1) prepares, trains, and recommends candidates for administrator licensure; (2) leads to Master's of School Administration (MSA) or Master's of Education in Educational Leadership unless the candidate already holds a master's or doctoral degree in an education-related field; and (3) is accredited by a programmatic accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of Education pursuant to federal law or was approved by the Board as a school administrator preparation program before April 1, 2023. Requires the Board to adopt rules for approval of an APP that ensure: (1) a rigorous approval process that requires that the criteria in GS 115C-284.1 are met; (2) an application process, peer review, and technical assistance provided by the Board; and (3) an approval period of five years and process for renewal. Grants the Board authority to approve an APP that meets the rules for approval set forth in GS 115C-284.1. Specifies nine additional minimum approval standards for APPs, in addition to already existing requirement that the rules for approval must incorporate the criteria developed in accordance with assessing proposals under the School Administrator Training Program. Directs the Board to develop rules to determine whether an applicant who completed an administrator preparation program outside the State meets or exceeds the requirement to hold a State administrator license. Makes conforming change to GS 115C-270.1 (definitions section of licensure provisions pertaining to personnel for elementary and secondary education school systems) by adding defined term approved administrator preparation program or approved APP.
Amends GS 115C-270.20 (licensure requirements) to change the proposed licensure requirements for administrators and provisional assistant principals and to add a student services personnel license, as follows. Now establishes the requirements for a five-year renewable license to administrators as: (1) a bachelor's degree; (2) successful completion of an approved APP; (3) at least four years of experience as a licensed professional educator; and (4) submission of a portfolio to the Board for approval that meets criteria adopted by the Board. (Was: (1) submission of a complete application to the Board; (2) payment of the applicable fee; (3) a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; (4) complete an accredited school administrator preparation program listed in GS 115C-284(c2) as amended by the act (discussed below) or approved by the Board; (5) at least four years of experience as a licensed professional educator and certain graduate degrees; (6) submission of a portfolio to the Board for approval.) Changes the licensure requirements for a provisional assistant principal license to: (1) a determination by the local board of education that there is a demonstrated need for administrators and the employee enrolls in an approved APP by the end of the first year of the provisional license and (2) the employee is participating in an internship required for completion of an APP. (Was, (1) the local board determines there is a demonstrated need for administrators and the employee enrolls in an approved school administration program leading to a master’s degree in school administration or educational leadership before the provisional license expires; or (2) the employee is enrolled in an approved master’s program in school administration and participates in the required internship under the master’s program.) Moves the requirement that continuing licensure for administrators include education in digital teaching to GS 115C-270.30 (licensure renewal).
Removes amendments to GS 115C-284 that would change the school administrator internship requirement from a yearlong internship to 1,000 hours in duration and which would require the Board to issue rules to determine whether or not applicants who completed a school administrator program outside the State meet or exceed the requirements to hold a State license. Moves bar on provisional licenses for principals to GS 115C-284(e).
Exempts individuals who are eligible for the principal license requirement waiver under Section 1 of SL 2021-170, as amended (making various changes to laws affecting principal licensure and other matters).
Makes Part I applicable beginning July 1, 2024 (was, applied beginning with applications for administrator licenses submitted on or after July 1, 2025).
Deletes Part III in its entirety, which was the requirement that the Department of Public Instruction, in consultation with the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission, to study ways to improve school administrator licensure and preparation processes to ensure that all school administrators in the State are prepared to lead schools that provide high-quality instruction to all students.
Makes conforming, technical, and organizational changes. Makes conforming changes to the act’s long title.
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Bill H 432 (2023-2024)Summary date: Mar 21 2023 - View Summary
Part I
Amends GS 115C-270.5 (pertaining to the State Board of Education (Board) establishment of licensure requirements) to grant the Board entire control over licensing of school administrator positions, in addition to professional educator positions. Amends the licensure requirements pertaining to administrators and student services personnel (GS 115C-270.2) to set forth requirements and application requirements for administrator licenses and provisional assistant principal licenses (“provisional AP license”) as follows. Sets forth the following requirements for administrator licenses: (1) submission of a complete application to the Board; (2) payment of the applicable fee; (3) a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; (4) complete an accredited school administrator preparation program listed in GS 115C-284(c2) as amended by the act (discussed below) or approved by the Board; (5) at least four years of experience as a licensed professional educator and certain graduate degrees; (6) submission of a portfolio to the Board for approval. Bars the Board from issuing a provisional license for principals. Permits the Board to issue a one-year provisional AP license to an employee of a local board only if (1) the local board determines there is a demonstrated need for administrators and the employee enrolls in an approved school administration program leading to a master’s degree in school administration or educational leadership before the provisional license expires; or (2) the employee is enrolled in an approved master’s program in school administration and participates in the required internship under the master’s program. Permits extension of the provisional license for no longer than two years while the employee is completing the program.
Requires the Board to adopt rules for the renewal and extension of all licenses and to determine and to fix the salary for each grade and type of license which it authorizes. Requires the Board to include continuing education in high-quality, integrated digital teaching and learning as a requirement of licensure renewal.
Amends GS 115C-284 as follows. Deletes the requirements pertaining to: (1) certification as a school administrator set forth in GS 115C-284(b1); (2) the Board’s control of certifying all applicants for supervisory and professional positions in all secondary schools in the State set forth in subsection(c); (3) outdated language set forth in subsection (c1). Amends the school administrator internship requirement from a yearlong internship to 1,000 hours in duration. Makes technical and conforming changes. Removes outdated language. Requires the Board to issue rules to determine whether or not applicants who completed a school administrator program outside the State meet or exceed the requirements to hold a State license. Removes language requiring applicants to hold a master’s degree in education administration.
Makes conforming changes to GS 115C-238.68 (pertaining to regional school employees), GS 115C-278.1 (method of employment of principals, assistant principals, supervisors, and directors), and GS 116-239.10 (laboratory schools) to refer to GS 115C-270.20 as amended by the act.
Applies to applications for licensure submitted on or after July 1, 2025.
Part II
Directs the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (PEPSC), in consultation with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the North Carolina Principal Fellows Commission, to develop a portfolio-based assessment system for use in applications for administrator licensure. Requires PEPSC to present recommendations to the Board for approval by June 15, 2024.
Part III
Requires DPI, in consultation with PEPSC, to study ways to improve school administrator licensure and preparation processes to ensure that all school administrators in the State are prepared to lead schools that provide high-quality instruction to all students. Requires DPI to recommended changes to the licensure and preparation processes based on the study and to submit the results and recommendations to the specified NCGA committee by February 15, 2024.
Committee substitute to the 1st edition changed the long title. Original long title was AN ACT TO UPDATE PRINCIPAL LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS, TO DEVELOP A PORTFOLIO-BASED ASSESSMENT, AND TO STUDY METHODS TO IMPROVE PRINCIPAL PREPARATION AND LICENSURE PROCESSES, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.