Senate amendments make the following changes to the 3rd edition.

Amendment #7 changes subdivision (3) of proposed GS 115C-75.12(a), which includes in the term of a contract with an AS operator of an achievement school an optional extension of the contract by the State Board of Education for three years. Sets out that, if by the end of the five-year contract, the achievement school remains a qualifying school but has exceeded the average annual percentage growth of other qualifying schools and has shown growth over the term of the contract (previously, did not include the requirement that the qualifying school show growth over the term of the contract), the State Board of Education, upon the recommendation of the ASD Superintendent in his or her discretion, may continue the contract with the AS operator for an additional three-year term.

Amendment #9 adds a new Section 4.5 to direct the State Board of Education to authorize the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (CMS) Board of Education to create an innovation zone among Project LIFT Schools and Beacon Initiative schools, as provided in proposed GS 115C-71.13, for the 2017-18 through 2021-22 school years. Allows the CMS innovation zone to include up to five low-performing schools. Sets out definitions for Project LIFT schools and Beacon Initiative schools for purposes of Section 4.5. Amends the directive to the State Board of Education to contract with an independent research organization to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the ASD in turning around low-performing schools beginning in the 2017-18 school year through the 2021-22 school year, including the innovation zone established in Section 4.5 of the act.