Senate committee substitute deletes all provisions of the 2nd edition and replaces with AN ACT TO PERMIT LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION TO JOINTLY ESTABLISH REGIONAL SCHOOLS. Creates Part 10 of Article 16 of GS Chapter 115C to authorize local boards of education to jointly establish a regional school, which may include partnerships with other education partners, including institutions of higher education and private businesses or organizations, to serve students enrolled in two or more local school administrative units (LEAs). Specifies that regional schools are exempt from statutes and rules applicable to local boards of education, unless otherwise indicated. To create a regional school, each local board of education must adopt a resolution including the following information: (1) Name of the regional school; (2) Names of all other local boards of education adopting resolutions to create the regional school; (3) Identification of one of the named LEAs to serve as the finance agent for the regional school; and (4) Identification of one of the named LEAs to provide school food services to the regional school. Provides that once the State Board of Education (SBoE) has received resolutions from all local boards of education identified in each resolution for the creation of a regional school, the SBoE must approve the creation of the regional school. The SBoE may approve the expansion of a regional school following the receipt of a petition to join an existing regional school, and after taking comment from the regional school board of directors.
Creates a Board of Directors (Board) for each regional 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 local superintendent of the LEA identified as the finance agent for the regional school will serve as an ex-officio member and an additional superintendent, as specified; (3) three members representing the business community appointed by the Economic Development Regional Partnership for the economic development region in which the regional school is located with at least one of the appointees being a resident of the county in which the regional school is located; (4) one member appointed by the Parent Advisory Council from its membership; and (5) any institution of higher education partner may appoint a representative of the institution of higher education to serve as an ex officio member of the Board. Specifies terms, organization, procedures, and ten powers of the Board, and designates the Board as a corporate entity and delineates its corporate powers. Details residency requirements for students, admission criteria, and provides for staff appointments.
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 regional school. Specifies formula for the SBoE and participating local boards of education to follow in allocating funds to the school. Provides that the LEA identified as the finance agent by resolution will serve as the finance agent for the Board, with reasonable compensation for the service. Requires that participating LEAs develop a plan to provide transportation to the students residing in the district. Provides that the LEAs are to provide, to the extent practicable, school food services to the regional school. Permits the LEAs identified by resolution, 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, and directs the board of directors to adopt a policy for the checks, as specified. States that all information received from the checks is privileged and not a public record. Includes immunity provision. Makes it a Class A1 misdemeanor to willfully falsify information on employment applications.
Amends GS 115B-2(a) to add students enrolled in a regional 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 certain provisions of GS Chapter 126).