Bill Summaries: H982 EXPANDING ACCESS TO AP COURSES PILOT PROGRAM.

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  • Summary date: Apr 25 2019 - View Summary

    Appropriates $120,000 in nonrecurring funds for the 2020-21 fiscal year from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction (Department) to establish the Expanding Access to Advanced Placement (AP) Courses Pilot Program (Program). Allows for each local school administrative unit to apply no later than March 1, 2020, for up to two eligible teachers to receive a one-time bonus of $3,000 each under the Program. Details teacher eligibility requirements, including (1) the teacher is not assigned to teach AP courses in the 2019-20 school year and agrees to teach at least one AP course in the unit in the 2020-21 school year; (2) as of the date of application, the teacher is either employed by a unit located in a tier one designated county or a school that received a school performance grade of D or F for the 2018-19 school year; and (3) is employed in a school that offers two or fewer AP courses for the 2019-20 school year. Additionally requires the unit to verify in the application that any additional AP courses taught by an eligible teacher will not affect the unit's ability to provide students with all course content required by law.

    Directs the Department to award bonuses on a first-come, first-served basis from the time of application. Requires bonuses to be awarded no later than October 31, 2020, if the teacher's first AP course begins in the spring semester, and no later than March 31, 2021, if the teacher's first AP course begins in the fall semester, so long as the teacher is employed with the unit as of the first day of the respective month. Establishes that the bonuses are not considered compensation under the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System. Provides that the bonuses do not apply to teachers no longer employed as teachers due to resignation, dismissal, reduction in force, death, or retirement or whose last workday is prior to May 1, 2021. Specifies that the appropriated funds are to supplement local funds.

    Directs the State Board of Education (State Board) to evaluate the effect of the program on post-secondary readiness and academic success. Directs the State Board to report the results to the specified NCGA committee and division by September 1, 2021, including the schools where teachers receiving bonuses were employed in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, the number and names of AP courses taught by teachers receiving bonuses, and the number of students in each AP course taught by a teacher receiving a bonus. 

    Effective July 1, 2019.