Bill Summaries: H924 (2019-2020 Session)

Tracking:
  • Summary date: Jul 8 2019 - View summary

    AN ACT TO CLARIFY ELIGIBILITY FOR EXTENDED TEACHER CONTRACTS, TO REQUIRE COMPLETION OF AN ECONOMICS AND PERSONAL FINANCE COURSE AS A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TO CLARIFY REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL CIVIC LITERACY, AND TO REQUIRE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ECONOMICS AND PERSONAL FINANCE TEACHERS. SL 2019-82. Enacted July 8, 2019. Effective July 8, 2019, except as otherwise provided.


  • Summary date: Jun 17 2019 - View summary

    Senate amendment #2 makes the following changes to the 4th edition.

    Clarifies that the proposed changes to GS 115C-325.3, concerning teacher contracts, apply to contracts executed on or after the date the act becomes law.


  • Summary date: Jun 5 2019 - View summary

    Senate committee substitute to the 3rd edition makes the following changes.

    Amends GS 115C-81.65 to no longer require the State Board of Education (State Board) to review the high school standard course of study to determine which courses and grade levels personal financial literacy will be integrated. Beginning with the 2020-21 school year, directs the State Board to require a full credit course in high school focused on economics and personal finance (EPF). Requires that the content of the course include the specified standards, at minimum. Requires that the EPF course provide instruction on economic principles and that it provide, at minimum, the already required personal financial literacy instruction components with the addition of planning and paying for postsecondary education.

    Additionally amends GS 115C-81.65 to direct the State Board to require that EPF teachers get the professional development necessary to ensure that the intent and provisions of the statute are carried out. Provides that to the extent funds are made available for this purpose, the State Board must require the employing entity to make available the EPF professional development course provided by the specified entity. Adds that when practicable, teachers must complete the EPF professional development course prior to teaching the EPF course in public schools, and if necessary, teachers only begin teaching the EPF course in public schools while awaiting the next possible opportunity to complete a session of the EPF professional development course. Requires the EPF professional development course be taken at an approved location most conveniently located to the local school administrative unit to the extent possible. 

    Amends GS 115C-81.45. Makes organizational changes to the current requirement for instruction in civic citizenship education in the standard course of study for high school social studies, integrating the requirement and its encouraged components into the civic literacy requirement for high school students. Now requires instruction in civic citizenship education in the standard course of study for high school social studies through teaching a full credit course called the Founding Principles of the United States of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy (was, a semester course during the high school years on the founding principles of the United States and North Carolina). Maintains the requirements of a passing score for graduation and for 13 specified subjects to be included in the course. Specifies that the course must be solely focused on civics and citizenship education. Makes technical changes. Applies to students entering the ninth grade in the 2021-22 school year. Makes organizational and clarifying changes regarding the requirement for instruction in civic and citizenship education in the standard course of study for middle school social studies. 

    Amends GS 115C-218.85 (concerning charter schools), GS 115C-238.66 (concerning regional schools), and GS 116-239.8 (concerning laboratory schools) to require the provision of financial literacy instruction as required by the State Board pursuant to GS 115C-81.65, as amended. Amends Section 6(d) of SL 2018-42, adding the provisions of GS 115C-81.65 to which renewal school systems are subject.

    Directs the State Board to (1) begin the process for review and revision of the standard course of study for social studies in grades K-12 in the 2019-20 school year and (2) revise the high school standard course of study for the EPF course and the Founding Principles of the United States of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy courses and review the standard course of study to determine the grade level during which the course can be completed. Prohibits the State Board from requiring more than four full course credits in social studies for high school graduation.

    Repeals Section 7.18(a)-(i) of HB 966 of the 2019 Regular Session (identical provisions set forth in the 2019 Appropriations Act) if enacted.

    Makes organizational changes. Makes conforming changes to the act's long title.


  • Summary date: May 2 2019 - View summary

    House committee substitute to the 2nd edition makes the following changes.

    Deletes the proposed changes to GS 115C-325.3, concerning teacher contracts or renewals for terms of one, two, or four school years, and instead amends the statute to provide the following. Clarifies that a new contract or renewal contract for terms of one, two, or four school years is only applicable for a teacher who has been employed by the local board as a teacher for three or more years (previously did limit qualification to employment as a teacher only). Now allows a local board to require by policy that the three years of qualifying employment be consecutive (the previous edition restricted qualification to teachers employed as a teacher by the local board for three consecutive years immediately preceding the effective date of the new or renewed contract). Requires that a year be no less than 120 workdays performed as a teacher in a full-time permanent position (similar to the requirement of the previous edition). Requires local board policies that require consecutive employment to include in the policy that if a teacher did not work at least 120 workdays as a teacher in a year because the teacher was on approved or legally entitled leave, that year does not constitute a year of employment but is not considered a break in the continuity of consecutive years of employment (similar to the specifications of the previous edition concerning sick leave, disability leave, or FMLA leave). Prohibits suspension from being considered an approved or legally entitled leave under the provision. Clarifies that teachers may have additional rights under specified federal law.


  • Summary date: Apr 30 2019 - View summary

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

    Makes clarifying and organizational changes to the proposed changes to GS 115C-325.3, concerning teacher contracts or renewals for terms of one, two, or four school years. Clarifies that for a full-time, permanent teacher who did not work for at least 120 workdays in a school year because of sick leave, disability leave, or leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, the school year is not deemed to constitute a consecutive year of employment for the teacher (previously, provided that any previous consecutive years worked are consecutive to the following year). Maintains that such a school year is not considered a break in service.


  • Summary date: Apr 22 2019 - View summary

    Under GS 115C-325.3, which requires a contract or renewal of a contract between a local school board of education and teacher employed by the local board of education for three years or more to be for a term of one, two, or four school years. Now sets out the following conditions that must be met for contracts or renewal of contracts for those terms: (1) the teacher must have been employed by the local board of education as a teacher for three or more consecutive years immediately preceding the effective date of the contract; (2) the teacher has worked for at least 120 days as a teacher in a full-time, permanent position in each consecutive year; and (3) days the teacher did not actually work due to leave must not court toward the 120 days (if the teacher did not work 120 days in a year only because of sick leave, disability leave, or leave under the Family and Medical Leave act of 1993, the year is not considered a break in service and any previous consecutive years worked are consecutive to the following year).