AN ACT TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) PANDEMIC. SL 2021-130. Enacted Aug. 30, 2021. Effective Aug. 30, 2021, except as otherwise provided.
K-12 COVID-19 PROVISIONS.
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AN ACT TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) PANDEMIC.Intro. by Ballard, Davis, Lee.
Bill History:
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Tue, 6 Apr 2021 Senate: Filed
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Wed, 7 Apr 2021 Senate: Passed 1st Reading
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Wed, 7 Apr 2021 Senate: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
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Tue, 13 Apr 2021 Senate: Withdrawn From Com
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Wed, 28 Apr 2021 Senate: Reptd Fav Com Substitute
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Wed, 28 Apr 2021 Senate: Com Substitute Adopted
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Wed, 28 Apr 2021 Senate: Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
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Thu, 29 Apr 2021 Senate: Reptd Fav
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Thu, 29 Apr 2021 Senate: Placed On Cal For 05/04/2021
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Tue, 4 May 2021 Senate: Amend Adopted A1
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Tue, 4 May 2021 Senate: Passed 2nd Reading
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Tue, 4 May 2021 Senate: Passed 3rd Reading
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Tue, 4 May 2021 Senate: Engrossed
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Wed, 5 May 2021 Senate: Regular Message Sent To House
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Wed, 5 May 2021 House: Regular Message Received From Senate
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Thu, 6 May 2021 House: Passed 1st Reading
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Wed, 9 Jun 2021 House: Withdrawn From Com
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Wed, 9 Jun 2021 House: Reptd Fav Com Substitute
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Wed, 9 Jun 2021 House: Reptd Fav Com Sub 2
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Wed, 9 Jun 2021 House: Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
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Wed, 9 Jun 2021 House: Added to Calendar
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Wed, 9 Jun 2021 House: Amend Failed A1
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Wed, 9 Jun 2021 House: Amend Failed A2
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Wed, 9 Jun 2021 House: Amend Failed A3
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Wed, 9 Jun 2021 House: Passed 2nd Reading
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Wed, 9 Jun 2021 House: Passed 3rd Reading
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Thu, 10 Jun 2021 House: Regular Message Sent To Senate
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Thu, 10 Jun 2021 Senate: Regular Message Received For Concurrence in H Com Sub
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Thu, 10 Jun 2021 Senate: Placed On Cal For 06/14/2021
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Mon, 14 Jun 2021 Senate: Failed Concur In H Com Sub
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Mon, 14 Jun 2021 Senate: Conf Com Appointed
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Tue, 15 Jun 2021 House: Conf Com Appointed
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Wed, 25 Aug 2021 House: Conf Com Reported
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Wed, 25 Aug 2021 House: Added to Calendar
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Wed, 25 Aug 2021 House: Conf Report Adopted
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Wed, 25 Aug 2021 Senate: Conf Com Reported
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Wed, 25 Aug 2021 Senate: Placed on Today's Calendar
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Wed, 25 Aug 2021 Senate: Conf Report Adopted
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Wed, 25 Aug 2021 Senate: Ordered Enrolled
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Thu, 26 Aug 2021 Senate: Ratified
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Fri, 27 Aug 2021 Senate: Pres. To Gov. 8/27/2021
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Mon, 30 Aug 2021 Senate: Signed by Gov. 8/30/2021
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Mon, 30 Aug 2021 Senate: Ch. SL 2021-130
Bill Summaries:
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Bill S 654 (2021-2022)Summary date: Aug 31 2021 - View Summary
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Bill S 654 (2021-2022)Summary date: Aug 25 2021 - View Summary
Conference report makes the following changes to the 5th edition.
Part I.
Makes a technical correction to a statutory cross-reference.
Part III.
Makes a technical change to proposed GS 115C-84.3, which grants remote instruction authority to public school units in a county that has received a good cause waiver from the school calendar opening and closing dates under GS 115C-84.2(d). Eliminates authority for a local board of education to provide virtual instruction as provided in previously proposed Part 3A, Article 16, GS Chapter 115C, now deleted from the act.
Part VIII.
Further extends the proposed extension for a continuing professional license applicant whose license expires June 30, 2021, to meet the exam requirements established by the State Board as of June 30, 2021, applicable to applicants holding a current initial professional license, residency license, lateral entry license, or limited license expiring June 30, 2021, and those who who have not met the coursework requirements established by the State Board as of June 30, 2021, now granting an extension until December 31, 2021 (was, September 30, 2021).
Deletes the following content from the act: Part IIIB. (enacting new Part 3A, Article 16, GS Chapter 115C, providing for local boards of education to apply to the State Board of Education for approval of virtual academies, with related authorities and restrictions for local units and charter schools); Part VIII. (setting specified social studies standards for the 2022-23 school year); Part XI. (setting certain class size requirements for the 2021-22 school year); and Part XII. (amending SL 2021-25 to revise and add to the allocation of federal funds received under the American Rescue Plan Act from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund).
Adds the following new content.
Part IIIB.
Authorizes public school units to provide virtual instruction during the 2021-22 school year to a student with the consent of the student's parent or legal guardian in accordance with a virtual instruction plan so long as the plan is submitted by the governing board to DPI by October 1, 2021. Directs DPI to make available a copy of each governing board's virtual instruction plan to the specified NCGA committee and the Working Group on Virtual Academies by October 15, 2021. Lists 14 components required to be included in a virtual instruction plan, including (1) the range of grades for which virtual instruction will be offered and the differences in delivery for elementary, middle, and high school students; (2) whether the virtual instruction will be offered through a school whose primary means of instruction is virtual instruction, a school within a school, or customized offering unique to specific students; (3) the estimated numbers of students to be served with virtual instruction; (4) participation requirements; and (5) the methods by which enrollment, daily attendance, course credit accrual, progress toward graduation, and course completion will be monitored for students receiving virtual instruction. Prohibits public school units from using virtual instruction to satisfy the minimum required number of instructional days or hours after June 30, 2022, without express legislative authorization, except for local units that were assigned a school code to operate a school with virtual instruction as the primary means of instruction as of May 1, 2021.
Part IIIC.
Directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish a Working Group on Virtual Academies with specified stakeholders, including parents and the State Board of Education, to make recommendations on identified components related to virtual academies, such as required authorization and infrastructure and instructional requirements, to the specified NCGA committee by March 15, 2022.
Part X.
Requires all public school units to adopt a policy regarding the use of face coverings by employees and students for the 2021-22 school year. Requires the governing body of the public school unit to vote at least monthly on whether the policy should be modified.
Part XI.
Requires a person required to sign a driving eligibility certificate to issue the certificate without requiring the person to whom it is issued to be making progress toward obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent, and no school authority shall notify the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that a person no longer meets the requirements for a driving eligibility certificate because the person is not making progress toward obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent. Expires January 30, 2022.
Part XII.
Directs the DMV to restore the permit or license if revoked under GS 20-13.2(c1) due to ineligibility for a driving eligibility certificate under GS 20-11(n) at no charge, and expunge any record of revocation from the person's driving record. Applies to revocations resulting from notifications of ineligibility received by the DMV dated on or after March 1, 2020, through the date the act becomes law.
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Bill S 654 (2021-2022)Summary date: Jun 9 2021 - View Summary
House committee substitute to the 4th edition makes the following changes.
Part X.
Adds to the proposed changes to GS 115C-84.2(f)(5), which revises the second of the three plans a year-round school is permitted to use to provide instructional days throughout the entire school calendar year (sub-subdivision b.). Reinstates previously proposed changes to the subdivision (added by the 2nd edition and removed by the 4th edition), establishing an alternative plan for year-round schools for local school administrative units with both single- and multi-track instructional calendars as new sub-subdivision d. Permits a plan for a single-track instructional calendar that is identical to at least one track of a multi-track instructional calendar adopted by the local board that meets the statutory requirements of either the plan described in sub-subdivision a. or c., which provides for staggered quarters or sessions.
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Bill S 654 (2021-2022)Summary date: Jun 9 2021 - View Summary
House committee substitute to the 3rd edition makes the following changes.
Part III.
Adds to proposed GS 115C-84.3, which grants remote instruction authority to public school units in a county that has received a good cause waiver from the school calendar opening and closing dates under GS 115C-84.2(d). Regarding the prohibition on using remote instruction to satisfy the minimum required number of instructional days or hours for the school calendar except as permitted by subsection (b) of the proposed statute, adds that local boards can provide virtual instruction as provided in Part 3A of Article 16 of GS Chapter 115C, as enacted. Makes a clarifying change.
Makes a technical change to the proposed conforming changes to Section 6 of SL 2018-32, relating to renewal school systems.
Part IIIA.
Makes a technical correction to the authority granted to public school units regarding remote instruction during the 2021-22 school year.
Deletes the content of previous Part IIIB., which (1) authorized a public school unit to provide virtual instruction during the 2021-22 school year to a student with consent of that student's parent or legal guardian in accordance with a virtual instruction plan providing the specified required information, so long as the plan is submitted by the governing board to DPI by June 1, 2021; (2) directed the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to make available a copy of each governing board's remote instruction plan to the specified NCGA committee and the Working Group on Virtual Academies, as enacted by the act, by July 1, 2021; and (3) established 13 requirements of a virtual instruction plan.
Deletes the content of previous Part IIIC., which directed the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish a Working Group on Virtual Academies, provided for the Working Group to review in data and information gained from the 2020-21 school year and from the virtual instruction plans submitted by public school units for the 2021-22 school year and report to the specified NCGA committee by January 15, 2022.
Adds the following content, organized as new Part IIIB.
Enacts new Part 3A to Article 16 of GS Chapter 115C, permitting local boards to apply to the State Board of Education (State Board) for approval of virtual academies, defined as public schools that provides a majority of instructional hours through virtual instruction to all students enrolled in the school. Limits total enrollment in all virtual academies granted to the local board to 10% of the total student enrollment of that unit. Additionally limits the number of virtual academies that can be granted from one to five virtual academies based on student enrollment in the unit at the time of application. Details requirements of virtual academies, including complying with all requirements of a public school and providing software and hardware needed to an enrolled student to participate in the virtual academy. Provides that virtual academies are not required to provide transportation or food services to enrolled students. Details student eligibility expansively to include (1) any student whose parent or guardian applies for admission on that student's behalf and commits to providing internet connectivity, including students with an individualized education program (IEP) if certain criteria are met, and (2) students suspended from another public school and assigned to the virtual academy. Provides for virtual academies to require attendance in-person for specified reasons. Authorizes the State Board to establish rules for student monitoring. Details the approval process for virtual academies, which includes submission of a plan meeting specified requirements, with State Board review and approval of the plan for a period of five years, with the option for an additional five-year renewal upon resubmission of the application. Authorizes revocation of approval based on substantial noncompliance with the new Part's requirements or the approved plan. Allows for the unit to obtain written approval for plan modifications from the State Board. Requires assignment of a school code and principal for each school. Requires the State Board to evaluate approved virtual academies based on specified measures and annually report to the specified NCGA committee by November 15.
Directs the State Board to adopt emergency rules for the new Part's implementation for use in the 2021-22 school year only. Requires the State Board to make its first evaluation report by November 15, 2022.
Allows a local unit that has been assigned a school code to operate with virtual instruction as the primary means of instruction by May 1, 2021, to continue such operation to satisfy the minimum required number of instructional days or hours for the 2021-22 school calendar.
Authorizes charter schools to provide blended learning that includes virtual instruction during the 2021-22 school year if the Office of Charter Schools has approved a curriculum amendment allowing such for that school year by September 1, 2021.
Applies beginning with the 2021-22 school year.
Adds the following new content, organized as Part VIII.
Makes the following social studies standard course of study changes apply in order to provide additional time for the development of content and to ensure sufficient professional development opportunities delayed due to COVID-19: (1) the course requirements of GS 115C-81.45(d), Founding Principles of the United States of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy, applicable to all students entering the ninth grade in the 2022-23 school year; and (2) the course requirements of GS 115C-81.65, Economics and Personal Finance, applicable to all students entering the ninth grade in the 2022-23 school year. Bars implementation of all other revisions to the social studies standard course of study prior to the 2022-23 school year. Makes conforming changes to renumber the remaining Parts of the act.
Part IX.
Expands the proposed extension for a continuing professional license applicant whose license expires June 30, 2021, to meet the exam requirements established by the State Board as of June 30, 2021, applicable to applicants holding a current initial professional license, residency license, lateral entry license, or limited license expiring June 30, 2021, to also include those who have not met the coursework requirements established by the State Board as of June 30, 2021, granting an extension until September 30, 2021.
Modifies the qualifications for a residency license under GS 115C-270.20(a)(5) to allow for the individual to hold a bachelor's degree and/or an advanced degree (was bachelor's degree only).
Part X.
Deletes the proposed changes to GS 115C-84.2(f)(5), establishing an alternative plan for year-round schools for local school administrative units with both single- and multi-track instructional calendars as new sub-subdivision d. Instead, revises the second of the three plans a year-round school is permitted to use to provide instructional days throughout the entire school calendar year to describe the plan as providing students be schedules to attend four quarters of between 43 and 47 instructional days each school calendar year, with vacation periods for students of between 14 and 18 days separating each quarter (was, providing students be scheduled to attend 45 instructional days followed by 15 days of vacation, repeated throughout the school calendar year). Applies beginning with the 2021-22 school year.
Adds the following new content.
Part XI.
Makes the following applicable for the 2021-22 school year, if the total kindergarten average daily membership (ADM) for the first month of the 2021-22 school year for a local unit is 5% or more than that of the first month of the 2019-20 school year for that unit: (1) prohibits the average class size for kindergarten in that unit from exceeding one teacher per 20 students; and (2) prohibits an individual class in kindergarten in that unit from exceeding one teacher per 23 students at the end of the second school month and for the remainder of the school year.
Part XII.
Amends Section 3.2 of SL 2021-25 (Additional COVID-19 Response & Relief), increasing the amount of federal funds to be received by the State under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Fund from $3,260,772,535 to $3,599,191,706. Make conforming adjustments to the total federal funds set forth in the schedule. Removes the provision that appropriates federal funds received by the State under the ARPA from the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Fund only up to the estimated amount set forth in the schedule, as now amended.
Amends Section 3.5 of SL 2021-25, which requires DPI to use the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Fund funds appropriated in Section 3.2 of that act to allocate the federal grant funds to public school units pursuant to the specified provisions under the ARPA, and to reserve a specified amount of the funds pursuant to the specified provisions under the ARPA to be used in specified amounts for two specified purposes. Increases the amount of funds required to be reserved from $21.5 million to $359,919,171, and provides for 24 additional allocations in the amounts specified for the following uses, with applicable requirements and restrictions set forth for each:
- To be held in reserve by DPI to be allocated to public school units as grants to support COVID-19 related needs, as specified;
- To be held in a reserve by DPI to be allocated to public school units as grants to support COVID-19 related needs, as specified;
- For the deployment of a competency-based education platform that meets certain objectives, with interim and final reporting deadlines provided;
- To support a common learning management system to be used for in-person and remote instruction for grades K-5 for up to three years, and authorizing use for the kindergarten readiness programed based on the Science of Reading;
- For teacher and principal professional development for implementing the Science of Reading and the requirements of the Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021;
- To contract with external research partners under SL 2021-1, as enacted by SL 2021-3 to assess the impact of COVID-19 on public school units and the State's responses;
- For five new time-limited and full-time equivalent positions in the Office of Learning Recovery and Acceleration and associated operating costs in response to the pandemic;
- To support the expansion of the NC Preschool Pyramid Model across and within local unit preschool programs and to support its implementation in kindergarten;
- To establish a grant program in response to the pandemic to contract with school health support services to provide additional physical and mental health support services for students, and to contract with specified persons and entities to identify and locate missing students, with annual reporting requirements provided;
- To contract with a third-party entity for a period of up to two years to develop and implement a system of tracking expenditures of State and federal funds provided for subscription services and technology in response to the pandemic;
- To establish one new time-limited and full-time equivalent position within DPI to manage new software platforms for public school units funded pursuant to Section 3.5 of SL 2021-25;
- For the School Planning Section to contract with a third-party entity in response to the pandemic to make available to all local units and counties a consolidated education-related expense database and a software platform to advertise nationwide requests for proposal from local units and counties for education-related products and services;
- To be allocated to public school units on the basis of ADM in response to the pandemic to contract with a third-party entity for technology to mitigate cyberbullying, monitor student online activity, monitor classroom educational devices, and assist with suicide prevention services;
- To local school administrative units and charter schools to account for additional students enrolled during the 2021-22 school year as a result of the pandemic, at the rate of $600 per month for each student enrolled above the number of students accounted for in the funded ADM for the unit or school from the 2020-21 school year;
- To be allocated to public school units to provide teachers with up to an eleventh month salary, with eligibility limited to growth and veteran teachers, as defined;
- For outreach to and support of NC families affected by COVID-19;
- To contract with Schools That Lead, Inc., to establish the Schools That Lead Program to provide professional development to teachers and principals beginning with the 2021-22 school year and ending with the 2023-24 school year in up to 75 schools, with a certain amount required to be used to contract with an independent research organization to measure the impacts of the Program, with reporting requirements provided;
- To provide coaching support and professional development for principals and school improvement leadership teams in local units, as specified, with authority to use a specified amount for 20 time-limited or full-time equivalent DPI positions to support such activities;
- To be transferred to the UNC Board of Governors to be allocated to the National College Advertising Corps, Inc. to support a temporary expansion of the placement of college advisers in NC public schools through their program over a two-year period, as specified, with matching and reporting requirements provided;
- To be allocated to Communities in Schools of NC, Inc. to provide for the extension of nine-month contracts for its employees to provide assistance and enrichment activities over the summers for K-12 students experiencing learning loss and negative impacts from COVID-19;
- To be used for career and technical education programs to provide options for students outside traditional classroom instruction during the pandemic, with a specified amount used to provide grants to local units to create pilot programs for the expansion of credentials and certifications and a specified amount used as grants to nationally certified programs focused on developing critical skills necessary for students to succeed in the retail sector;
- To be allocated to the NC Education Corps to partner with public school units to recruit, train, and deploy corps members to work as tutors and mentors with public school students;
- To contract with the State Education Assistance Authority to establish and administer the Student Success Program to allow parents of eligible children to use federal funds intended to mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19 towards allowable educational uses of their choice to address student learning loss and provide supplemental educational support, subject to DPI obtaining a letter of determination by the US Department of Education that this use is consistent with federal law and guidelines (as directed within 15 days of the date the act becomes law and with notice upon receipt of a determination to the Authority as specified), with details for the Program including eligibility, grant amounts, applications and priority, uses and limitations, administration and funding;
- To reallocate any funds that are unencumbered from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief III Fund reserve of funds pursuant to the specified provisions of ARPA on August 15, 2023, for expenditures on or after that date to meet additional needs of the elementary and secondary schools of the State within federal law and guidelines, as determined by the State Board.
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Bill S 654 (2021-2022)Summary date: May 4 2021 - View Summary
Senate amendment makes the following changes to the 2nd edition.
Part III.
Reinstates proposed GS 115C-84.3 as the statue was proposed in the 1st edition, making the remote instruction authority granted applicable to public school units rather than local boards of education, with the following changes. Now allows for a public school unit in a county that has received a good cause waiver from the school calendar opening and closing dates under GS 115C-84.2(d) to use up to 15 remote instruction days or 90 remote instruction hours for the school year in which the waiver is granted when schools are unable to open due to severe weather conditions, energy shortages, power failures, or other emergency situations, with that time permitted to be used towards the required instructional days or hours for the school calendar. Authorizes all other public school units to use up to five remote instruction days or 30 remote instruction hours in the same manner, as previously provided. Revises the required content of the State Board of Education's annual report on remote instruction to include any other data deemed useful by the State Board to the specified NCGA committee in evaluating the use and delivery of remote instruction in emergency circumstances (previously did not specify in emergency circumstances).
Reinstates the proposed changes to the following statutes as set forth in the 1st edition and eliminated in the 2nd edition, providing for the use of remote instruction within the instructional requirements set forth for charter schools, innovative schools, regional schools, laboratory schools, and renewal school systems: GS 115C-218.85, GS 115C-238.53, GS 115C-238.66, GS 116-239.8, and Section 6 of SL 2018-32. Also reinstates the previously proposed technical changes to GS 115C-238.53. Further amends Section 6 of SL 2018-32 to make conforming changes.
Eliminates the proposed provisions authorizing public local school administrative units to offer remote instruction to address health and safety concerns related to COVID-19 in the 2021-22 school year.
Adds the following content to Part IIIA. and moves existing content to new Parts IIIB and IIIC.
Part IIIA.
Grants public school units the authority to make day-to-day decisions for the 2021-22 school year concerning shifting individual schools and classrooms providing in-person instruction to temporary remote instruction as necessary due to COVID-19 exposures that result in insufficient personnel or required student quarantines, subject to required reporting to the Department of Public Instruction within 72 hours of the shift, with return to in-person instruction required as soon as personnel are available or the required quarantines are complete.
Part IIIB.
Eliminates the previously proposed authority for a local school administrative unit that has been assigned a school code to operate a school with virtual instruction as the primary means of instruction by May 1, 2021, to continue operation to satisfy the minimum required number of instructional days and hours for the school calendar during the 2021-22 school year. Instead, authorizes a public school unit to provide virtual instruction during the 2021-22 school year to a student with consent of that student's parent or legal guardian in accordance with a virtual instruction plan providing the specified required information, so long as the plan is submitted by the governing board to DPI by June 1, 2021. Directs DPI to make available a copy of each governing board's remote instruction plan to the specified NCGA committee and the Working Group on Virtual Academies, as enacted by the act, by July 1, 2021. Establishes 13 requirements of a virtual instruction plan, including the range of grade for which virtual instruction will be offered, the estimated number of students to be served with virtual instruction, and any unique infrastructure necessary to support virtual instruction.
Part IIIC.
Adds to the directive for the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish a Working Group on Virtual Academies, providing for the Working Group to be chaired by the Superintendent or Superintendent's designee. Requires the Working Group to review in data and information gained from the 2020-21 school year and from the virtual instruction plans submitted by public school units for the 2021-22 school year.
Part VIII.
Specifies that the proposed extension for a continuing professional license applicant whose license expires June 30, 2021, to meet the exam requirements established by the State Board as of June 30, 2021, applies to applicants holding a current initial professional license, residency license, lateral entry license, or limited license expiring June 30, 2021.
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Bill S 654 (2021-2022)Summary date: Apr 28 2021 - View Summary
Senate committee substitute makes the following changes to the 1st edition.
Part III.
Revises proposed GS 115C-84.3, now permitting a local board of education rather than a public school unit to use up to five remote instruction days or 30 remote instruction hours when schools are unable to open due to severe weather conditions, energy shortages, power failures, or other emergency situations, using that time towards the required instructional days or hours for the school calendar. Makes changes throughout to refer to a local board of education or a local school administrative unit rather than a public school unit or a governing board.
Eliminates the proposed changes to the following statutes, providing for the use of remote instruction within the instructional requirements set forth for charter schools, innovative schools, regional schools, laboratory schools, and renewal school systems: GS 115C-218.85, GS 115C-238.53, GS 115C-238.66, GS 116-239.8, and Section 6 of SL 2018-32. Eliminates the proposed changes to GS 115C-238.53.
Adds new uncodified provisions authorizing local school administrative units to offer remote instruction to address health and safety concerns related to COVID-19 in the 2021-22 school year when determined necessary by the local board of education following consideration of available public health guidance, with such remote instruction subject to the written consent of the parent or legal guardian.
Adds new Part IIIA as follows.
Authorizes a local school administrative unit that has been assigned a school code to operate a school with virtual instruction as the primary means of instruction by May 1, 2021, to continue operation to satisfy the minimum required number of instructional days and hours for the school calendar during the 2021-22 school year.
Directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish a Working Group on Virtual Academies with specified stakeholders, including parents and the State Board of Education, to make recommendations on identified components related to virtual academies, such as required infrastructure and instructional requirements, to the specified NCGA committee by January 15, 2022.
Adds the following new content.
Part VII.
Deems eligible any twelfth grade student who has not satisfied the requirement for completion of instruction in CPR eligible to graduate if the CPR instruction cannot be completed due to the COVID-19 emergency and the student is eligible to graduate in all other respects, as determined by the student's respective principal.
Part VIII.
Grants an extension for a continuing professional teacher's license applicant whose license expires June 30, 2021, until September 30, 2021, to meet the exam requirements established by the State Board as of June 30, 2021.
Part IX.
Amends GS 115C-84.2(f)(5), establishing an alternative plan for year-round schools for local school administrative units with both single- and multi-track instructional calendars as new sub-subdivision d. Permits a plan for a single-track instructional calendar that is identical to at least one track of a multi-track instructional calendar adopted by the local board that meets the statutory requirements of either the plan described in sub-subdivision a. or c., which provides for staggered quarters or sessions.
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Bill S 654 (2021-2022)Summary date: Apr 8 2021 - View Summary
Part I.
Directs the State Board of Education (State Board) not to calculate achievement, growth, and performance scores or display performance scores, growth, designations, and letter grades for schools for the 2021-22 school year, based on data from the 2020-21 school year. Directs the State Board to display a brief explanation that these scores and grades were not calculated and assigned for the 2021-22 school year because assessment data was heavily impacted by COVID-19.
Directs the State Board to issue an annual report card for public school units for 2021-22 based on data from the 2020-21 school year that only meets the minimum accountability, school identification, and related reporting requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended, required under the federal waiver granted by the US Department of Education for the 2020-21 school year, as specified.
Provides that public school units are only required to display the annual report card information issued by the State Board pursuant to these provisions for the 2021-22 school year.
Part II.
Establishes the following requirements for the 2021-22 school year.
Directs the State Board not to identify additional low-performing schools, continually low-performing schools, or low-performing local school administrative units based on data from the 2020-21 school year. Provides that previously identified low-performing or continually low-performing schools, or low-performing administrative units, based on 2018-19 data, must continue to be identified as such and carry out their respective State Board-approved plans. Provides for the following distinct requiring based on identification.
For low-performing schools, requires the State Board and local boards to continue to provide online access to each low-performing school's plan pursuant to state law. Does not require written parental notice to be provided again, but requires local boards to include with their online final plans a brief explanation that identification continues pending assessment data from the 2021-22 school year.
For continually low-performing schools, requires assistance and intervention levels provided for the 2019-20 school year based on low-performing designations for two or three years to continue. Authorizes local boards to request to reform a continually low-performing school as provided in state law.
For low-performing local school administrative units, requires the State Board and local board to continue to provide online access to each low-performing local school administrative unit's plan pursuant to state law. Does not require written parental notice to be provided again, but requires local boards to include with their online final plans a brief explanation that identification continues pending assessment data from the 2021-22 school year. Deems the provisions of GS 115C-105.39(c) through (e), which authorize the State Board to appoint an interim superintendent in an administrative unit, to not apply.
Part III.
Enacts GS 115C-84.3, permitting a public school unit to use up to five remote instruction days or 30 remote instruction hours when school are unable to open due to severe weather conditions, energy shortages, power failures, or other emergency situations, using that time towards the required instructional days or hours for the school calendar. Defines remote instruction to mean instruction delivered to students in a remote location outside the school facility; excludes NC Virtual Public School courses, certain e-learning courses, institution of higher education courses, homebound instruction required by an individualized education program, and instruction provided during a short- or long-term suspension. Otherwise explicitly prohibits using remote instruction to satisfy the minimum required number of instructional days or hours for the school calendar. Requires governing boards to annually submit a remote instruction plan to the State Board by July 1 if it chooses to use remote instruction pursuant to the statute, providing a detailed framework and information on the number of remote instruction days or hours used in the prior school year to satisfy instructional requirements, when applicable. Lists seven minimum components a remote instruction plan must include, such as identification of facilitating resources to be used, and communication with and training opportunities for teachers, administrators, instructional support staff, parents, and students on how to access and use remote instruction resources. Directs the State Board to annually report to the specified NCGA committee on each remote instruction plan with a summary of the number of remote instruction days or hours used by each governing board in the prior school year, analysis of the Board's review of remote instruction implementation, and other data the Board deems useful in evaluating remote instruction use and delivery.
Makes conforming changes to GS 115C-84.2, providing for the use of remote instruction for making up days and instruction hours missed in the school calendar adopted by local boards. Makes conforming changes to the following statutes, providing for the use of remote instruction within the instructional requirements set forth for charter schools, innovative schools, regional schools, laboratory schools, and renewal school systems: GS 115C-218.85; GS 115C-238.53; GS 115C-238.66; GS 116-239.8; and Section 6 of SL 2018-32. Makes technical changes to GS 115C-238.53.
Applies to the 2021-22 school year; repealed June 30, 2022.
Part IV.
Provides that schools identified as an eligible school in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years to administer the principal recruitment supplement under GS 115C-285.1(a)(2) (defined as a low-performing school that received an overall school performance score that placed it in the bottom 5% of all schools in the State in the prior school year) and Section 2.13(a) of SL 2020-3 (which continued eligibility for schools eligible under the statutory provision for 2019-20) remain an eligible school in the 2021-22 school year.
Part V.
Requires a principal, for the 2021-22 school year, to provide a teacher with additional context upon notification that the teacher's EVAAS data is available regarding years on which data is based and the extent to which the students on which the data is based were taught by another teacher.
Part VI.
Directs the State Board to, for the 2021-22 school year, contextualize teacher effectiveness data by specifying the years on which the data is based and the extent to which it is not reflective of teacher performance because the students on which the data is based were taught by more than one teacher.