Creates Article 15A of GS Chapter 115C to establish the North Carolina School of Biotechnology and Agriscience (School) to offer a course of study for a high school diploma that emphasizes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, with a special focus on biotechnology and agriscience. Provides that the School is to be (1) located at the Vernon G. James Research and Extension Center, (2) a public school, and (3) exempt from statutes applicable to a local board of education or a local school administrative unit (LEA) except as specified in proposed Article 15A. Identifies the participating units as the LEAs of Chowan, Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington counties.
Creates a Board of Directors (Board) for the School consisting of: (1) one member appointed by the participating local boards of education from among the membership of the participating local boards of education, (2) the superintendent of Washington County Schools as an ex-officio member and an additional superintendent from among the participating LEAs selected by the superintendents from the participating LEAs, (3) three members representing the business community appointed by the North Carolina’s Northeast Commission with at least one of the appointees being a resident of Washington County, (4) one member appointed by the Parent Advisory Council from its membership, and (5) the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NCSU or the Dean’s designee as an ex officio member and directs the presidents of Beaufort Community College and the College of Albemarle to jointly select a president or a president’s designee to serve as an ex officio member of the Board. Specifies terms, organization, procedures, and powers of the Board and designates the Board as a corporate entity and delineates its corporate powers.
Authorizes the Board to set the course of study for the School. Provides priorities for admission and sets attendance requirements and other operational provisions for the school.
Establishes a Parent Advisory Council consisting of two members appointed by each local board of education for the participating LEAs to serve as a resource and provide input to the Board as to the operation of the School. Specifies formula for the State Board of Education and LEAs to follow in allocating funds to the school. Provides that the Washington County Board of Education is to serve as the finance agent for the Board, with reasonable compensation for the service. Requires that participating LEAs that provide transportation for students enrolled in that LEA must also provide transportation to students domiciled within that LEA to the School. Provides that Washington County Schools is to provide, to the extent practicable, school food services to the School. Permits Washington County, but not other participating LEAs, to include eligible students enrolled in the School for purposes of federal funding through federally supported food service programs including the National School Lunch Program. Allows for criminal history checks for school personnel.
Amends GS 115B-2 to add students enrolled in the School to those persons who are permitted to attend classes without paying tuition at the constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina and the community colleges as defined in GS 115D-2(2). Makes conforming changes to GS 114-19.2 (Criminal records check of school personnel) and GS 126-5(c1) (state employees exempt from the provisions of GS Chapter 126).