Bill Summary for H 315 (2019-2020)

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Summary date: 

Mar 26 2019

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2019-2020 Session
House Bill 315 (Public) Filed Thursday, March 7, 2019
AN ACT TO MODERNIZE THE SELECTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Intro. by Elmore, Arp, Johnson.

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Bill summary

House committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes.

Amends the proposed definition of supplemental material for new Part 3C, now defining the term to mean educational materials that supplement specific instruction for the standard course of study selected and procured by a local board of education for a grade or course or general education needs of the school (previously did not specify materials selected and procured by a local board). Additionally, amends the proposed definition of unfit materials, now defining the term to mean instructional or supplemental materials determined to be inappropriate for use in either an elementary or secondary school because the material is either (1) obscene; (2) inappropriate to the age, maturity, or grade level of students; or (3) not aligned with the standard course of study (previously, included material educationally unsuitable or pervasively vulgar; did not include material that is obscene or not aligned with the standard course of study). Makes conforming changes throughout proposed Part 3C, Selection of Instructional Material, to Article 8, General Education, of GS Chapter 115C concerning challenges to and determinations of unfit materials.

Specifies that local boards are required to adopt written policies concerning selection and procurement of supplemental materials for a grade or course or for general education needs at a school or throughout the entire local school administrative unit (previously, generally required written policies for the selection and procurement of supplemental materials).

Now provides for electronic and written notice to be provided by a local board to all parents of students in the local unit, in the same manner as provided in GS 115C-102.50 (as enacted), of the opportunity to review materials in the program repository when adopting, modifying, or amending a health and safety program and the instructional and supplemental materials of that program (previously, GS 115C-102.35 provided for separate and distinct notice requirements for the public and for parents, and distinct from those provided in GS 115C-102.50). Maintains the previously specified required contents of the notice. Makes a conforming deletion.

Clarifies that the continuous repository local boards of education are required to maintain is of current instructional and supplemental materials that have been selected and purchased by the local boards pursuant to Article 8 (previously, instructional and supplemental materials purchased by local boards). Further specifies that classroom materials developed by teachers are not required to be included in the repository.

Provides that optional supplemental materials available through the school library are not included in the materials that can be challenged on the grounds that they are unfit and evaluated by local community media advisory committees created pursuant to proposed GS 115C-102.60.