Directs the State Board of Education (BOE) to eliminate the use of the NC Final Exam, used as part of statewide testing to assess teacher performance, and prohibits the exam's use for any other purpose.  Requires the BOE and Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to submit no later than March 15, 2020, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee (JLEOC) a plan on how to use other means to accomplish the purposes for which data is collected by the Final Exam.

Amends GS 115C-174.12 by adding new subsection (d1) directing local boards of education in even-numbered years to review local standardized testing in order to determine the number of tests administered to students and the number of hours required to complete the tests.  If the number of tests or hours exceeds the State combined average for the prior two-year period, the local board of education must submit to DPI and BOE by October 1 of that year a plan to eliminate some testing to reduce the number of tests or hours below the State average. 

Amends subsection (e) by requiring the BOE to include in its annual report to the JLEOC a summary of any local plans pursuant to subsection (d1).  Amends subsection (e1) (directing DPI to publish information online) by creating new subdivisions (1), with existing text reqarding a uniform calendar with State-required testing and reporting results of tests and (2) adding a new requirement for the publication of local standardized testing information as detailed in this subsection.

Requires DPI to examine the End-of-Grade English Language Arts assessment administered in the third grade as compared to the Read to Achieve alternative assessment to determine whether the former should be modified to better meet the goals of the latter (as set forth in GS Chapter 115C, Article 8, Part 1A).  Directs DPI to make modifications and to report to the JLEOC no later than March 15, 2020, on its work in this area.

The statutory amendments apply beginning with the 2020-21 school year; the remainder of this act is effective upon becoming law.