Bill Summaries: S599 EXCELLENT EDUCATORS FOR EVERY CLASSROOM.

Printer-friendly: Click to view
Tracking:
  • Summary date: Jul 28 2017 - View Summary

    AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR PREPARATION AND STANDARDS COMMISSION, TO AUTHORIZE THE EXPANSION OF EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS AND TO CREATE A SYSTEM THAT HOLDS ALL PROGRAMS ACCOUNTABLE, TO REORGANIZE AND CLARIFY THE EDUCATOR LICENSURE PROCESS, AND TO ENSURE AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION ON TEACHER VACANCIES OCCURRING IN NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Enacted July 27, 2017. Effective July 27, 2017, and applies beginning with the 2017-18 school year. 


  • Summary date: Jun 29 2017 - View Summary

    Conference report makes the following changes to the 5th edition.

    Amends proposed GS 115C-268.1 (Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission). Reduces the membership of the Commission from 19 to 18, and amends seat designations as follows: replaces the seats appointed at the recommendation of the President Pro Tem. of the Senate, designated for (1) an elementary school teacher and (2) a middle or high school teacher with seats for (1) a dean, or dean's designee, of an educator preparation program at a historically black college or university in the State and (2) a teacher. Replaces the two seats appointed at the recommendation of the Speaker of the House, designated for (1) an elementary school teacher and (2) a middle or high school teacher, with one seat designated for a teacher.

    Makes a technical change to proposed GS 115C-268.5 (Powers and duties of the Commission).

    Amends proposed GS 115C-269.25 (Clinical partnerships and practice in educator preparation programs). Deletes the listed standards for clinical educators who supervise students in residencies. Applies the listed standards for clinical educators who supervise students in internships to clinical educators and clinical mentors who supervise students in internships and residencies.

    Deletes the provision directing the State Board of Education to establish a three-year Educator Preparation Pilot Program.

    Directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop a program to publicly recognize individuals who have engaged in at least 40 years of licensed teaching in North Carolina. Beginning in the 2017-18 school year and annually thereafter, the program shall include public recognition of any qualifying teachers.


  • Summary date: Jun 26 2017 - View Summary

    House amendments make the following changes to the 4th edition.

    Amendment #1 provides for the following if SB 257 (Appropriations Act of 2017) of the 2017 Regular Session becomes law.

    Amends Section 8.29(a) of SL 2016-94, as amended, providing that a teacher assistant must continue to receive salary and benefits while student teaching in the local administrative unit in accordance with GS 115C-269.30(c) (currently, GS 115C-310(b)) while participating in the teacher assistant tuition reimbursement pilot program.

    Amends GS 115C-269.30, as amended by the act. Modifies subsection (c) to require teacher assistants to continue to receive their salary and benefits while interning in the same local school administrative unit where they are employed as a teacher assistant (was, permits teacher assistants to continue receiving their salary and benefits at the discretion of the local school administrative unit). Makes technical and clarifying changes.

    Amends GS 115C-300.1(c) as enacted by the act, by removing the requirement that mentor teachers rated at the proficient or accomplished levels as part of the NC Teacher Evaluation System have also met expectations for student growth as part of the specified criteria the State Board of Education (State Board) must develop for selecting teachers to be participants in the mentor teacher training program. 

    Amends GS 115C-269.25(e), as enacted by the act, by removing the requirement that clinical educators who supervise student internships have met expectations as part of a student growth assessment system used by a school in the field of licensure sought by the student. 

    Amends GS 115C-270.10, as enacted by the act, by adding new subsection (a1) requiring the State Board to reimburse the initial application fee for any new graduate from any recognized Educator Preparation Program (EPP) the first time an applicant submits an application for teacher licensure if the applicant has successfully earned an initial professional license in North Carolina. Directs the State Board to issue the reimbursement for the application fee within 30 days of the date the applicant successfully earns an initial professional license in North Carolina.

    Amendment #2 provides for the following if SB 257 (Appropriations Act of 2017) of the 2017 Regular Session becomes law.

    Amends Section 7.26B(b) of SB 257, requiring that the Reading Improvement Commission within the Department of Public Instruction also make recommendations on (1) the effectiveness of professional development in the area of literacy in developing the capacity of teachers in grades four through 12 for improving student performance in reading and (2) whether requiring professional development in the area of literacy for licensure renewal would be effective in improving student performance in reading, and if so, how much professional development should be structured and provided in order to maximize student outcomes. 

    Amendment #3 amends proposed GS 115C-268.1, adding another member to those appointed by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House to the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission, increasing the total number of members from 18 to 19. Specifies that this member is to be a member of the State Advisory Council on Indian Education.


  • Summary date: Jun 21 2017 - View Summary

    House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 3rd edition.

    Amends proposed GS 115C-268.5, regarding the powers and duties of the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (Commission). Directs the Commission, in developing and recommending rules related to the appropriate courses for calculation of individual and cohort grade point averages (GPAs) for admission to educator preparation programs (EPPs), to consider which of two methods of calculating GPA would be most appropriate for clinical residency students.

    Amends proposed GS 115C-269.15, regarding minimum admissions requirements for EPPs. Creates an exception to the individual GPA requirements for clinical resident students if the hiring local school administrative unit determines that the student has at least 10 years of relevant experience. Amends the exception to the individual GPA requirement for a program leading to licensure in career and technical education to provide that the determination that the student has at least five years of relevant experience is to be made by the hiring local school administrative unit. Makes organizational changes, clarifying that the cohort GPA requirements apply to all EPP students, regardless of whether their program leads to licensure in career and technical education.

    Amends proposed GS 115C-269.25, regarding clinical partnerships and practice in educator preparation programs. Requires an EPP to ensure that clinical educators that supervise students in internships be rated at least at the "proficient" level (3rd edition: at the "accomplished" level). Provides that the principal must determine which clinical educator best meets the needs of each intern, and shall assign the most appropriate clinical educator to that intern, with priority consideration for clinical educators rated "distinguished" and "accomplished." Requires documentation of reasons for determining that a teacher rated as "proficient" is the most appropriate clinical educator for an intern. Amends the requirements for Clinical mentors, replacing the requirement that an educator be rated "accomplished" with requirements identical to those at proposed GS 115C-300.1(c), for mentor teachers (added in this committee substitute, see below).

    Amends GS 115C-284(e). Authorizes a local board of education to select a retired principal or retired assistant principal to serve as an interim principal for the remainder of any school year, regardless of licensure status. Makes a conforming change.

    Amends proposed GS 115C-300.1, regarding new teacher induction programs. Deletes the requirement that the State Board of Education (SBOE) conduct a study of the needs of new teachers. Replaces the currently proposed requirements for the SBOE's criteria in selecting mentor teachers, now requiring them to be rated at least as "proficient," or to be retired. Provides that the principal shall determine which mentor teacher best meets the needs of each new teacher, and shall assign the most appropriate mentor teacher to that new teacher, with priority consideration for those mentor teachers rated as "distinguished" and "accomplished." Requires documentation of reasons that a teacher rated as "proficient," or a retired teacher, was selected as the most appropriate mentor. Provides for "accomplished" teachers to be mentors at a different school building from which the mentor is assigned under certain criteria. Deletes provisions directing SBOE to allot funding for mentoring services.

    Amends proposed GS 115C-270.20, regarding licensure requirements. Amends the requirements for retirement licensure to require that the licensee have been employed by a local school administrative unit after retirement, either as a substitute teacher, or as a part-time provider of listed services, including tutoring and teacher mentoring.

    Amends proposed GS 115C-270.30, regarding licensure renewal. Amends the literacy-related continuing education requirements to make them apply only to elementary school teachers (3rd edition also applied them to middle school teachers). Makes a conforming change to the requirements for renewal of retirement licensure. Provides that a member of the General Assembly is exempt from the continuing education credit requirements for teachers during any five-year licensure renewal cycle in which the member serves in the General Assembly, as long as the member notifies the Department of Public Instruction of the exemption during that five-year licensure renewal cycle.

    Provides that any professional educator license issued by SBOE before the effective date of this act continues in effect until the expiration of that license. Authorizes SBOE to continue to issue lateral entry licenses for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years in accordance with State Board Policy LICN-001 as it was in effect on the effective date of this act.

    Creates a three-year Educator Preparation Pilot Program from the 2017-18 to 2019-20 school years. Directs SBOE, upon recommendation of the superintendent, to select up to two new EPPs to be part of the program by October 1, 2017. Provides requirements for the selection of the EPPs, and provides that they are deemed recognized EPPs for the duration of the pilot period, and are permitted to recommend clinical residency candidates for licensure without receiving State approval.

    Amends GS 115C-218.90. Requires the board of directors of each charter school located in a local school administrative unit to adopt a policy that mirrors the local board of education's policy, if any, that provides for periodic checks of criminal history of employees. Directs the board of directors to indicate, upon inquiry by another local board of education, charter school, or regional school in the State, as to the reason for an employee's resignation or dismissal, if an employee's criminal history was relevant to the employee's resignation or dismissal.

    Amends GS 115C-238.73. Authorizes the board of directors of a regional school to adopt a policy providing for uniform periodic checks of criminal history of employees, which shall not be required to be paid for by the employees. Directs a board of directors to indicate, upon inquiry by any other local board of education, charter school, or regional school in the State as to the reason for an employee's resignation or dismissal. Directs the board of directors to report the reason for an employee's resignation to SBOE if a teacher's criminal history is relevant to a teacher's resignation.

    Amends GS 115C-325. Creates an exemption to the meeting, notice, and reply requirements in subsection (f) prior to suspending a career employee without pay, for when the teacher is incarcerated or in the custody of a local, State, private, or federal correctional facility. When that is the case, the superintendent must provide written notice of charges, written explanation of the basis for the charges, and an opportunity for the teacher to respond in writing. Amends subsection (o) to require that a local board of education notify SBOE if a teacher's criminal history is relevant to a teacher's resignation without the consent of the superintendent.

    Amends GS 115C-325.5, creating an exemption identical to that created in the amendments to GS 115C-325(f).

    Amends GS 115C-325.9, creating a notification requirement identical to that created in the amendments to GS 115C-325(o).

    Amends GS 115C-332. Authorizes local boards of education to adopt a policy for periodic checks of criminal history of employees, identical to that authorized in the amendments to GS 115C-238.73.

    Subject to the enactment of H 155 (Modify Educator Licensure Requirements), 2017 Regular Session, amends GS 115C-325(f) and (o), as amended by this act, to replace the term "teacher" with either "career employee," and to delete a reference to "probationary employees."


  • Summary date: Jun 12 2017 - View Summary

    Senate amendment #1 makes the following changes to the 2nd edition.

    Amends proposed GS 115C-268.5 (Powers and duties of the Commission), adding to the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission's duties set out in subdivision (a)(1). Requires the Commission to include appropriate courses to be used for the calculation of individual and cohort GPAs for admission to educator preparation programs (EPPs), which can account for prior degrees attained, type of license, and areas of licensure, in the rules the Commission is required to develop and recommend to the State Board of Education pertaining to EPPs. Makes organizational changes.

    Adds new subsection (c) to proposed GS 115C-269.15 (Minimum admissions requirements for educator preparation programs). Prohibits a recognized EPP from admitting a student into an EPP in a program leading to licensure in career and technical education unless that student either: (1) earned a minimum GPA of at least 2.7 or (2) has at least five years of relevant experience. Makes conforming changes to subsection (b), making the admissions requirements in subsection (b) applicable to admissions into an EPP in a program leading to licensure in any area other than career and technical education. 


  • Summary date: May 24 2017 - View Summary

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

    Adds to the membership of the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (Commission) established in new GS 115C-268.1, increasing the membership from 16 to 18. Adds two personnel administrators from local school administrative units in North Carolina with at least 30,000 students to the Commission to be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of one by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and one by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    Adds to new GS 115C-268.5 (Powers and duties of the Commission). Amends subdivision (a)(1), which requires the Commission to develop and recommend to the State Board of Education (State Board) rules related to all aspects of the educator preparation programs in accordance with Article 17D, to specifically require these rules to include requirements for appropriate pedagogy to be included in residency license programs. Amends subdivision (a)(2), which requires the Commission to develop and recommend to the State Board rules related to all aspects of professional standards for NC educators in accordance with Article 17E (Licensure), to specifically require these rules to include specific hour requirements for (1) preservice training and field experiences prior to entering the classroom for individuals issued residency licenses and (2) preservice training prior to entering the classroom for individuals issued emergency licenses. Adds a new subsection, requiring the Commission to recommend ways to ensure that the clinical practice requirements described in GS 115C-269.25(d) effectively prepare high quality professional educators who meet the demands of NC schools. 

    Modifies new GS 115C-269.20 (Content and pedagogy requirements). Adds to subsubdivision (a)(4)a., which requires Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) providing training for middle and high school teachers to include adequate coursework in the relevant content area, to provide that for clinical residency programs, students can instead demonstrate a mastery of the relevant content area through the passage of the relevant content area examination approved by the State Board.

    Modifies new GS 115C-269.25 (Clinical partnerships and practice in educator preparation programs). Amends subsection (d), setting forth the clinical practice requirements that EPPs must require, to include in the residency criteria the qualification that the resident completes field experiences and training required by the State Board prior to the residency (previously, required the resident to complete at least 30 hours of field experience and 150 hours of coursework and/or training prior to the residency).

    Modifies subsection (c) of new GS 115C-269.35 (Accountability for educator preparation programs) by eliminating the requirement that EPPs annually provide performance reports to the UNC Board of Governors to be incorporated into the Teacher Quality Dashboard. Instead, adds to new GS 115C-269.50 (EPP report cards), requiring the State Board to provide the information from each EPP's annual performance report to the UNC Board of Governors to be incorporated into the Teacher Quality Dashboard to provide greater accessibility and comparability of data on the performance of EPPs in the State.

    Amends subdivision (a)(2) of new GS 115C-270.20 concerning an emergency license (EL). Adds that applicants for ELs must meet all other requirements established by the State Board, including preservice training, prior to teaching (previously, did not expressly include that preservice training requirements be met, and did not specify that the requirements must be met prior to teaching). Adds new subdivision (a)(5), providing for a one-year, once renewable residency license (RL). Details requirements that must be met for an RL: (1) the license must be requested by the local board of education and accompanied by a certification of supervision from the recognized educator preparation program in which the individual is enrolled and (2) the individual meets four qualifications, including that the individual has either completed coursework relevant to the requested licensure area or passed the content area examination relevant to the requested licensure area that has been approved by the State Board. Adds new subsection (c) to proposed GS 115C-270.20, providing that for individuals seeking licensure in a career or technical education area, the State Board can establish alternate criteria related to that area to establish competency in lieu of a bachelor's degree.

    Provides that any professional educator license issued by the State Board prior to the effective date of the act continues in effect until the expiration of that license. Permits the State Board to continue to issue lateral entry licenses for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years in accordance with State Board Policy LICN-001 as it was in effect on the effective date of the act.

    Makes conforming changes to GS 115C-325.1(6)a. and GS 115C-325.4(a)(11).

    Makes organizational changes.


  • Summary date: Apr 4 2017 - View Summary

    Enacts new GS Chapter 115, Article 17C (Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission).

    Establishes a 16-member Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (Commission) under, but independent of, the State Board of Education (SBOE), consisting of seven members each appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as specified; the State teacher of the year; and the Superintendent of Public Instruction or his or her designee. Members serve two-year terms, beginning on September 1, 2017. Provides for the organization, meeting, compensation, and supporting personnel of the Commission.

    Directs the Commission to develop and recommend to SBOE rules related to all aspects of educator preparation programs and professional standards for North Carolina educators, in accordance with GS Chapter 115, Articles 17D and 17E, and to make requested recommendations to the SBOE on those subjects. Directs SBOE to adopt or reject the rules recommendations without making substantive changes. Directs SBOE to develop and adopt its own rules in the event that the SBOE twice fails to adopt the Commission's recommendations. Directs the Commission to report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the SBOE, by December 1, 2018, on its activities, recommendations, and findings.

    Repeals GS 115C-296.8 through GS 115C-296.13 (regarding approval, admissions, pedagogy, clinical partnerships, lateral entry, and reporting for educator preparation programs), and GS 115C-309 and GS 115C-310 (regarding student teachers).

    Enacts new GS Chapter 115C, Article 17D (Educator Preparation Programs).

    Defines 16 terms as they are used in the Article.

    Requires Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) to prepare students for educator licensure and to meet the standards of this Article. Authorizes and directs SBOE to authorize and recognize EPPs as specified, and authorizes SBOE to regulate EPPs in accordance with this Article. Directs SBOE to adopt rules for approving EPPs, including a rigorous approval process, an application process, peer review, and technical assistance, and an approval period of five years, and five listed required minimums for approval standards. Directs EPPs seeking approval to complete the SBOE application process, and to undergo a peer review process. Directs SBOE to provide technical assistance to EPPs seeking approval, on four listed topics including improving education quality and EPP performance.

    Prohibits EPPs from admitting students that do not meet one of three listed criteria regarding education or test performance, or students with a grade point average below 2.7. Provides requirements for cohort grade point averages.

    Directs SBOE to include listed minimum requirements with demonstrated competencies in its rules on required EPP instruction, including instructional requirements for all EPPs, instructional requirements for EPPs providing training for elementary education teachers, EPPs providing training for elementary and special education general curriculum teachers, and instructional requirements for EPPs providing training for middle and high school teachers.

    Directs EPPs to establish and maintain partnerships with schools that are focused on student achievement, continuous school improvement, and the professional development of educators, as well as those preparing educators. Requires EPPs to enter into memoranda of understanding with local school administrative units or partner schools where students are placed or employed. Provides requirements for the Memoranda, including one for a plan for collaborative clinical educator or mentor selection, orientation, and student placement. Directs EPPs, to the extent practical, to require field experience in every semester, as specified. Directs EPPs to require clinical practice in the form of an internship or a residency, as specified. Directs EPPs to ensure that clinical educators that supervise students in internships and residencies meet listed requirements regarding licensure, experience, and performance. Provides that an intern under the supervision of a clinical educator or principal has the protection of the laws accorded to a licensed educator. Directs EPPs to require a nationally normed and valid pedagogy assessment to determine clinical practice performance, as determined by SBOE.

    Directs SBOE to consult with the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina (BOG) and North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities to develop and adopt a program to facilitate the processes by which teacher assistants become teachers, in which teacher assistants are enrolled in a recognized EPP and are employed in an NC public school. Provides nonbinding guidance and discretionary authority for local school administrative units in administering the program.

    Directs SBOE to adopt rules to establish standards of performance to govern continuing accountability for EPPs, based on four listed types on information, including proficiency and growth of students taught by educators holding an initial professional license. Directs SBOE to require all recognized EPPs to submit annual performance reports, including 13 listed indicators, to itself, the BOG, and the board of trustees of the entity submitting the report. Directs SBOE to provide, upon request, certain data required to be included in an EPP's annual performance report, with provisions for maintaining confidentiality of information in a teacher's personnel file.

    Directs SBOE to adopt rules establishing risk factors for assessment of the overall risk level of each EPP, including a history of the EPPs compliance with State law and rules, and whether the EPP meets the accountability performance standards in this Article.

    Directs SBOE to at least annually review the accountability status of each EPP, and to adopt rules necessary for sanction of EPPs that do not meet accountability standards or comply with State law or rules, including the assignment of warned, probation, or revoked statuses according to listed criteria, and other sanctions deemed necessary, including at least one of four listed possible sanctions. Requires the revocation of an EPP's accountability status to comply with notice requirements, and to be effective for at least two years. Prohibits an EPP with revoked status from admitting new students, but allows the EPP to continue training students previously admitted, with the assistance of SBOE and other EPPs if necessary. Provides notice requirements for revocation of an EPP's authorized status.

    Directs SBOE to create a report card for each EPP that summarizes the information collected in the annual performance reports, and to publish the report cards on its website annually, beginning December 15, 2019, and to submit the report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee annually by that date.

    Directs SBOE to adopt rules necessary to establish a process for a student to report a violation of this Article to the Board. Directs SBOE to require EPPs to notify students of the complaint process, as specified. Directs SBOE to post the complaint process on its website. Provides that SBOE has no authority to mediate, arbitrate, or resolve contractual or commercial issues between an EPP and a student.

    Enacts new GS 115C-284.1, providing that rules for approval of school administrator preparation programs must incorporate the criteria developed under GS 116-74.21 for assessing proposals under the School Administrator Training Program.

    Repeals GS 115C-296, concerning educator licensure.

    Enacts new GS 115C-300.1 (New teacher induction programs). Directs SBOE to develop a new teacher induction program to provide ongoing support for teachers entering the profession. Directs SBOE to develop and distribute guidelines to local boards of education on optimum working conditions for new teachers. Directs SBOE to develop and coordinate a mentor teacher training program. Directs SBOE to allot funds for mentoring services to local school administrative units based on the highest number of employees in the preceding three school years who are paid with State, federal, or local funds, on specified steps of the salary schedules, to be used to provide mentoring support to eligible employees in accordance with a plan approved by SBOE.

    Enacts new GS Chapter 115C, Article 17E (Licensure).

    Defines five terms as they are used in the Article.

    Directs SBOE to adopt rules for the issuance, renewal, and extension of licenses for professional educator positions, and determine and fix the salary for each grade and type of license it authorizes, in consultation with the Commission, BOG, State Board of Community Colleges, EPPs, and other public and private agencies.

    Directs SBOE to establish a fee schedule for six listed services for professional educator licensure and administrative changes, not to exceed the actual cost of providing the service. Directs SBOE to report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by March 15 in any year that the amount of fees in the fee schedule has been modified during the previous 12 months.

    Directs SBOE to require applicants for initial professional licenses to meet a certain score on a standard examination, and to require elementary education and special education general curriculum teachers also to meet a certain score on examinations specific to teaching reading and mathematics. Directs SBOE to adopt rules establishing the minimum scores and other measures necessary to assess qualifications of professional educators. Exempts SBOE, for the purpose of these rules and examinations, from GS Chapter 150B, Article 2A (regarding rulemaking). Directs SBOE to provide 30 days' written notice to all recognized EPPs and all local boards of education before changing any rule regarding examinations and other assessments. Provides for the timeline for applicants to fulfill testing requirements.

    Directs SBOE to adopt rules for the issuance of six listed classes of teacher licenses, including required levels of preparation for each classification. Directs SBOE to establish classification and levels of preparation necessary for issuance of licenses for administrators and student services personnel.

    Requires applicants with an out-of-state teacher's license to provide evidence of their effectiveness with their initial applications. Individuals who do not include evidence are only eligible for an initial professional license.

    Directs SBOE to adopt rules establishing the requirements for renewal of all professional educator licenses, including four listed requirements, including continuing education credit requirements. Directs SBOE to reevaluate the licensure renewal rules at least once every five years.

    Directs SBOE to adopt rules to establish the reasons and procedures for the suspension and revocation of licenses. Directs SBOE to automatically revoke the license of a professional educator without the right to a hearing upon verification of the identity of a professional educator together with a certified copy of a criminal record showing that the educator submitted a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or has been finally convicted of, any of 23 listed crimes, including murder or child abuse. Provides an opportunity for the educator to show that they are not the same person as the person listed in the criminal record. Directs SBOE to revoke the license of a professional educator who receives a rating on any standard that was identified as an area of concern on the mandatory improvement plan that was below proficient or otherwise represented unsatisfactory or below standard performance. Authorizes SBOE to revoke or refuse to renew a professional educator's license when the board identifies the school in which the professional educator is employed as low-performing, and the assistance team assigned to that school recommends the revocation or refusal. Authorizes SBOE to issue subpoenas and contract with individuals to conduct investigations with regard to proceedings to suspend or revoke licenses.

    Amends GS 93B-15.1(i), GS 115C-296.7(g), GS 115C-333(d), GS 115C-333.1(f), GS 115D-5(p), GS 116-239.5(a), and GS 116-239.13(5), to make conforming changes.

    Amends GS 115C-12(22) to direct SBOE to monitor and compile an annual report on the state of the teaching profession in North Carolina that includes data on the decisions of teachers to leave the teaching profession, and data on teaching positions that local boards of education are unable to fill. Deletes all other provisions. Enacts new GS 115C-299.5 (Duty to monitor the state of the teaching profession), re-enacting the provisions deleted from GS 115C-12(22). Further requires the annual report to include data on teaching positions that local boards of education are unable to fill with a teacher licensed in that subject area by the fortieth instructional day of the local school administrative unit's calendar, aggregated as specified.

    Directs SBOE to complete the first annual report on the state of the teaching profession, including information on vacancies in the teaching profession, no later than December 15, 2017.

    Applies beginning with the 2017-18 school year. Rules required by this act must be adopted by February 1, 2018. Directs SBOE to accept applications from EPPs for initial approval no later than March 1, 2018, for EPPs applying to accept students in the 2018-19 school year. EPPs approved by SBOE prior to July 1, 2017, are considered initially authorized until the earlier of June 30, 2020, or the date of their five-year renewal. All EPPs operating in the State on June 30, 2018, or thereafter, must submit annual performance reports beginning with the 2018-19 school year. Directs SBOE to monitor data quality and report on its monitoring and recommended legislative changes to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by December 15, 2020. Directs SBOE not to assign an accountability status to any EPP during the 2018-19, 2019-20, or 2020-21 school years, but may require technical assistance to an EPP based on reported performance measures. Directs SBOE only to assign accountability statuses of warned and probation during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years. Authorizes SBOE to begin assigning the accountability status of revoked beginning with the 2023-24 school year.