Bill Summary for S 812 (2013-2014)

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Summary date: 

Jul 8 2014

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2013-2014 Session
Senate Bill 812 (Public) Filed Tuesday, May 20, 2014
AN ACT TO EXERCISE NORTH CAROLINA'S CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY OVER ALL ACADEMIC STANDARDS; TO REPLACE COMMON CORE; AND TO ENSURE THAT STANDARDS ARE ROBUST AND APPROPRIATE AND ENABLE STUDENTS TO SUCCEED ACADEMICALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY.
Intro. by Soucek, Tillman.

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Bill summary

The Conference Committee report deletes the 5th edition, replaces it with the language from the 3rd edition, and makes the following changes to the language from the 3rd edition.

Amends the whereas clauses.

Adds to the requirements of the State Board of Education (State Board) to (1) prohibit the State Board from entering into any agreement, understanding, or contract that would cede control of the Standard Course of Study and related assessments and (2) require involving and surveying a sample of parents, teachers, and the public to help determine academic content standards that meet and reflect the state's priorities and the usefulness of the content standards.  Deletes the provision requiring the  State Board to ensure that the implementation of Section 1 of the act is consistent with federal law and the conditions of federal grants. Adds that the State Board must maintain and reinforce the independence of the NC Standard Course of Study and related student assessment, rejecting usurpation and intrusion from federally mandated national or standardized controls.

Amends the requirements for appointing individuals to the Academic Standards Review Commission (Commission) to add school leadership (including principals and superintendents) to the list of groups of individuals that may be considered for appointment by the President Pro Tempore and by the Speaker of the House. Amends those individuals of the State Board who are named to the Commission to clarify that the appointments are (1) the Chair or the Chair's designee and (2) a member appointed by the Chair, representing the State Board's Task Force on Summative Assessment. Removes the provision allowing the Commission to contract with an individual who has an excellent national reputation in the area of school standards and assessments.

Requires the State Board to report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by July 15, 2015 (was, before the acquisition and implementation of a new assessment instrument), on the acquisition and implementation of a new assessment instrument to assess student achievement on the academic standards adopted pursuant to GS 115C-12(9c) (no longer includes the Common Core Smarter Balanced Consortium Assessments and the PARCC Assessment).

Makes technical and clarifying changes.

Amends the act's long title.