Senate committee substitute to the 1st edition deletes the previous provisions and now provides the following.

Amends GS 115C-270.15 to require the State Board of Education (State Board) to permit an applicant to satisfy any exam requirement of the initial professional license (IPL) before or during the second year of the IPL so long as the applicant took the exam at least once during the first year of the license (previously referred to years of teaching rather than licensure and testing rather than exam requirements). Adds a new mandate for the State Board to direct the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to monitor teachers' compliance with IPL requirements. Directs DPI to notify teachers found to not be in compliance with any of the requirements. Prohibits the State Board from converting an IPL to a continuing professional license until a teacher satisfies the exam requirements of the statute.

Amends GS 115C-270.20 to create a three-year nonrenewable limited license for certain teachers. Requires the license to be requested by the local board currently employing the individual and limits its use for continued employment of the individual at that local school administrative unit. Details the requirements of the license, including that the individual was issued an IPL but is not qualified for a CPL due to failure to satisfy the exam requirement; the local board submits a signed affidavit to the State Board stating that the teacher is effective and will be encouraged to continue to pursue a CPL; and the local unit is located in a development tier one or tier two area, or a development tier three area with a population of less than 100,000.

Extends the initial professional licenses of K-6 or special education general curriculum teachers that are set to expire on June 30, 2019, due to failure to fulfill the exam requirements, to June 30, 2020. 

Requires the State Board to comply with the monitoring compliance in GS 115C-270.15 beginning with applicants for teacher licensure on or after July 1, 2019.