TEACHER LICENSURE/RETIRED EDUCATOR PROGRAM.

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View NCGA Bill Details2021
Senate Bill 298 (Public) Filed Monday, March 15, 2021
AN ACT TO MAKE CHANGES TO TEACHER LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS AND TO EXTEND AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO ALLOW RETIRED EDUCATORS TO RETURN TO WORK IN HIGH-NEED SCHOOLS.
Intro. by McInnis, Johnson, Barnes.

Status: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate action) (Mar 16 2021)

SOG comments (1):

Identical bill

identical to H 428, filed 3/29/21.

Bill History:

S 298

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Mar 15 2021 - View Summary

    Part I.

    Amends GS 115C-270.20 to make three-year limited licenses for teachers renewable. Requires for renewal that the local board of education evaluate the teacher's effectiveness every three years. Specifies that for teachers teaching subjects that use the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS), the data must demonstrate that the teacher meets or exceeds expectations of growth. Applies to any teacher who holds a nonrenewable limited license as of the date this act becomes law and beginning with applications submitted on or after the date this act becomes law.

    Requires the State Board of Education (Board), in consultation with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (PEPSC), to develop an alternative to the examination requirements for converting from an initial professional license (IPL) and a residency license (RL) to a continuing professional license (CPL). Requires the alternative to include a process to accommodate different circumstances in which the examination may not be required or be the most appropriate or efficient pathway of evaluating a teacher's readiness or effectiveness. Requires the Board, in consultation with DPI and PEPSC, to examine issues related to licensure classes and teacher salary. Requires the Board, in consultation with those same entities, to report to the specified NCGA committee by February 15, 2022, on (1) the development of the alternative to examination requirements, (2) any proposed salary incentives tied to classes of licensure, and (3) any legislative changes needed for implementation of the recommendations.

    Part II.

    Extends the expiration of SL 2019-110, which allows retired teachers to return to work in high-need schools, until June 30, 2024 (was, 2021). Makes the same extension for the expiration of Section 7 of SL 2019-212, which made a number of clarifying changes to who was considered a high-need retired teacher and to their retirement.

    Amends GS 115C-302.4 by amending the definition of high-need retired teacher to no longer require that they provide classroom instruction, only that they be reemployed as a teacher. Adds and defines the term teacher as licensed personnel who are classified as teachers or instructional support personnel. Amends the salary requirement for high-need retired teachers by adding that a school psychologist, a school speech pathologist licensed as a speech pathologist at the master's degree level or higher, and a school audiologist who is licensed as an audiologist at the master's degree level or higher, must be paid on the sixth step of the teacher salary schedule.

    Amends Section 5 of SL 2019-110 by making conforming changes by removing references to teaching.

    This part expires June 30, 2024.