EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2013.

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View NCGA Bill Details2013-2014 Session
House Bill 719 (Public) Filed Wednesday, April 10, 2013
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ENACT THE EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2013.
Intro. by Holloway, Glazier, Blackwell, L. Hall.

Status: Ref To Com On Ways & Means (Senate Action) (Apr 22 2013)

Bill History:

H 719

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Apr 18 2013 - View Summary

    House amendment makes the following changes to the 2nd edition.

    Makes technical, clarifying, and reorganizational changes.


  • Summary date: Apr 17 2013 - View Summary

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

    Amends GS 115C-325regardingthe determination of a teacher's career status when a teacher has been employed by a North Carolina public school system for four consecutive years.Provides that probationary teachersrated "highly effective" by the end of the fourth year of evaluations in accordance with the State Board of Education (SBE) teacher evaluation process, achieve career status. Provides that probationary teachers rated as "in need of improvement" by the end of the fourth year of evaluations under the SBE evaluation process, does not achieve career status and is not to teach beyond the current school term.

    Further amends GS 115C-325 to add definitions for the following terms: (1) teacher performance evaluation standards, (2) teacher performance ratings, and (3) teacher status. Revokes the career status of a teacher with career status who receives a status rating of "in need of improvement" for two consecutive years. Provides that if after two years, the teacher receives a rating of "highly effective" then the teacher achieves career status; however, if the teacher receives a status of "effective," the teacher is eligible for a vote of the local board of education on whether to grant the teacher career status. Provides that if at the end of two years, the teacher receives a performance status of "in need of improvement," the teacher becomes an at-will employee and does not achieve career status. Deletes changes to subsection (e)(3) regarding inadequate performance.

    Provides that the board may not refuse to renew the contract of any probationary teacher or to reemploy any teacher not under contract because the teacher, in good faith, reported a violation of law or local board policy (was, a violation of law)by a member of the local board of education or by an employee of the local board. Provides that a probationary teacherhasa right to a hearing before the local board if the superintendent recommends not to give the probationary teacher career statusand the probationary teacher is (1) eligible for career status under sub-subdivision (c)(1)c or subdivision (c)(1a) or subdivision (c)(2) of GS 115C-325; however, provides an exception to the right to a hearing if the reason for the recommendation is a justifiable decrease in thenumber of positions.

    AmendsGS 115C-45(c), regarding appeals to the local board and to superior court, making it effectivewhen the act becomes law and applying beginning with the 2014-15 school year.


  • Summary date: Apr 11 2013 - View Summary

    Establishes the 18-member North Carolina Educator Effectiveness and Compensation Task Force (Task Force), with membership appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representative and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, as specified. Requires the Task Force to make recommendations on whether to create a statewide model of incentives to encourage the recruitment and retention of highly effective educators and to consider the transition to an alternative compensation system for educators. Specifies factors to be considered by the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to report to the 2014 Regular Session of the 2013 General Assembly by April 15, 2014, at which time the Task Force terminates.

    Amends GS 115C-325 to amend the determination of a teacher's career status when a teacher has been employed by a North Carolina public school system for four consecutive years. Probationary teachers given ratings of accomplished or higher on all evaluation standards for the last two of four years, who have demonstrated 20% or higher in student growth each year, and received a rating of highly effective by the end of the fourth year, with 50% of that rating determined by the student growth standard, are automatically eligible for career status. Those that have not received a rating of proficient or higher on all evaluation standards for three out of the last three of the four years, demonstrated at least 20% in student growth each year, and received a rating of effective or higher by the end of the fourth year of evaluations, with 50% of that rating determined by the student growth standard, do not achieve career status. Allows the State Board to adopt rules for remediation for teachers ineligible to achieve career status. If neither of the described circumstances apply, then the board must vote on whether to grant career status. Provides for the revocation of career status in specified circumstances. Makes conforming changes. Provides that a teacher obtaining career status and maintaining a rating of highly effective will not be required to serve another probationary period in any state public school system. Provides that the board may not refuse to renew the contract of any probationary teacher or to reemploy any teacher not under contract because the teacher, in good faith, reported a violation of law by a member of the local board of education or by an employee of the local board. Amends GS 115C-45 to give a licensed employee of a local administrative unit the right to petition the local board of education to grant a hearing regarding the results of the employee's annual evaluation or implementation of a mandatory improvement plan. Applies beginning with the 2013-14 school year.

    Amends GS 115C-296(b) to require that continuing licensure require at least 10 continuing education credits, including competencies related to digital learning and innovative and alternative methods of teaching. Also requires the standards for approval of institutions of teacher education to require that teacher education programs for all students include demonstrated competencies in creative teaching strategies, including digital learning and innovative and alternative methods of teaching (in addition to other already specified competencies). Provides that for teachers in their fourth or fifth year of their current five-year license renewal cycle, the changes apply beginning with the first year of their next five-year license renewal cycle. Applies beginning with the 2013-14 school year.

    Repeals Section 7A.3(e) of SL 2012-142, which sets out the guidelines for determining school performance scores and grades that the State Board of Education must award. Enacts new GS 115C-83.11 to provide criteria to be used by the SBE in calculating school performance scores, grades, and indicators of student growth as required by GS 115C-12(9)c1. Specifies the data to be used in calculating the performance grade for schools serving students in any combination of grades three through eight and specifies the five indicators  to be averaged in calculating the performance grade for schools serving students in any  combination of grades nine through twelve. Provides for an increase of the final letter grade for the school by one value for a school that meets or exceeds growth as determined by the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS). Provides additional criteria regarding the impact of specified levels of achievement on the final grade issued to a school for performance. Directs the SBE to proportionally adjust the performance scale to account for the awarding of a performance grade to a school that does not have a measure of one of the school performance elements annually assessed for the grades taught at that school. Requires the SBE to report any adjustments to the calculation and distribution of the school performance grades to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee annually by January 15. Makes a conforming change to GS 115C-12, GS 115C-47, GS 115C-238.29F, GS 115C-238.66, and GS 115C-12. Effective when the act becomes law and applies beginning with the 2013-14 school year. Directs the SBE to issue the first annual report cards under new GS 115C-12(9)c1., as amended by this act, no earlier than August 1, 2014.

    Amends GS 115C-105.27 to provide that school improvement team meetings are subject to the open meetings requirements while deliberations on the school safety component of the plan is in closed session. Makes the school improvement plan, except for the school safety components, a public record and requires that it be posted to the school's website, along with specified information on school improvement team members. Requires the superintendent to review the school safety components of the school improvement plan and make written recommendations to the local board of education. Requires the local board to review the school safety component in closed session before voting to accept the improvement plan. Prohibits the safety components of the plan and the board's findings on those components from being placed in the board's minutes. Encourages interested individuals or organizations to express any concerns regarding compliance with the statute to the principal or superintendent. Requires the superintendent to make a good faith effort to investigate the concern. Makes conforming changes to GS 143-318.11.

    Requires the State Board of Education to establish standards and guidelines under which schools may give academic credit to students for out of school learning experiences. Specifies elements to be included in the standards. Allows local school administrative units, with approval from the Board, to offer academic credit to students under these standards beginning with the 2014-15 school year.

    Amends GS 115C-375.1 (to provide some medical care to students) to replace "board of education" with "local board of education" throughout the statute. Requires that the principal ensure that appropriate training is provided to all individuals participating in the medical care program. Makes other clarifying changes. Applies beginning with the 2013-14 school year.

    Unless otherwise provided, the act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2013-14 school year.