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.