House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 2nd edition.

Amends GS 115C-105.41(a) to remove the requirement that local school administrative units (LEAs) must annually certify to the State Board of Education (SBE) that they have developed and implemented Personal Education Plans (PEPs)for students atrisk of academic failure.

Repeals Section 1 of SL 2013-11, which also amends GS 115C-296, to resolve conflicts regarding effective dates with the amendments in this act [Section 5.(b)]toGS 115C-296, which providesrequirements for teacher licensure and educator preparation program requirements. Amends subsection (c1), which authorizes the State Board of Community Colleges to provide a program of study for lateral entry teachers to earn a teaching license. Directs the SBE to take specifiedaffirmative steps toensure that lateral entry teachers are prepared to teach (was, ensure lateral entry teachers are prepared to teach).Makes technical changes.

Amends GS 115C-296, as amended by Section 5.(b) of this act, to include the digital learning components of SL 2013-11 in teacher licensure requirements, teacher education programs, and lateral entry teacher requirements.Effective July 1, 2017, and applies beginning with the 2017-18 school year.

Amends GS 96-33 to exempt LEAs from having to report requested information directly to the Labor and Economic Analysis Division.Instead, requires the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to collect and report the information on behalf of the LEAs.

Provides that to the extent required by federal law, reports from LEAs on data related to economically disadvantaged students need only be filed with the SBE once per school year (was, twice per school year).

Directs DPI to simplify and minimize the data entry requirements of LEAs. Eliminates the following reports which LEAs must currently submit to the SBE: (1) Principal's Monthly Report, (2) Teacher Vacancy Report, (3) Professional Personnel Activity Report, (4) Pupils in Membership by Race and Sex, (5) Report of School Sales of Textbooks and Used Books, and (6) School Activity Report. Requires DPI to continue to collect the information in these reports that is required by state or federal law. Provides that LEAs continue to be responsible for any required data entry into the student information management system (PowerSchool or any component of the Information Improvement System).

Amends GS 115C-12(18)to require thatany reporting requirements that are a part of the Uniform Education Reporting System be incorporated into the PowerSchool Application to the extent possible. Amends GS 115C-12(19) to direct the SBE to adopt a policy not to require LEAs to have to provide information that is not necessary to comply with state or federal law or that is not relevant to student outcomes or the efficient operation of public schools. Also provides that the SBE evaluate the need for continuation of individual reports, including considering whether those individual reports exceed what is required by state and federal law.

Amends GS 115C-107.2(d) to direct the SBE to simplify the narrative portion of forms used in compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to develop a student's IEP.

Except as otherwise indicted, this act is effective when it becomes law.