H.B. 960
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
May 1, 2024
SESSION 2023 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK
H D
HOUSE BILL DRH10538-NHfa-146
Short Title: Sound Basic Education for Every Child. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative von Haefen.
Referred to:
1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR A SOUND BASIC EDUCATION FOR EVERY CHILD IN
3 NORTH CAROLINA.
4 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
5
6 PART I. WELL-PREPARED, HIGH-QUALITY, AND SUPPORTED TEACHER IN
7 EVERY CLASSROOM
8
9 PEPSC POSITIONS
10 SECTION 1.1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
11 Public Instruction the sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) in recurring funds for the
12 2024-2025 fiscal year to support two additional positions for the Professional Educator
13 Preparation and Standards Commission (Commission) to increase the capacity of the
14 Commission to coordinate efforts to recruit, prepare, retain, and support the State's teaching
15 workforce on behalf of the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Instruction.
16
17 EDUCATOR LICENSURE AND COMPENSATION REFORM PLAN
18 SECTION 1.2.(a) The State Board of Education shall develop a plan for
19 implementing a teacher licensure and compensation reform model designed to restore respect for
20 the teaching profession; to build a more diverse, quality teaching force; to increase instructional
21 capabilities of teachers; and to entice more young professionals, mid-career professionals, and
22 out-of-state individuals into the teaching profession. The plan shall include at least the following
23 components:
24 (1) Offer early, inclusive, and clear pathways into the profession.
25 (2) Reward excellence and advancement among teachers.
26 (3) Encourage retention in the profession.
27 The State Board of Education shall submit details on the plan and any recommended
28 legislative changes to implement the plan to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight
29 Committee, the Fiscal Research Division, and the Office of State Budget and Management by
30 March 15, 2025.
31 SECTION 1.2.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department
32 of Public Instruction the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in nonrecurring funds for the
33 2024-2025 fiscal year to develop the plan required by subsection (a) of this section.
34
35 EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM CAPACITY STUDY
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 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023
1 SECTION 1.3.(a) The State Board of Education, in consultation with The University
2 of North Carolina System Office, shall conduct a study to identify the resources and structures
3 that educator preparation programs at the constituent institutions of The University of North
4 Carolina need to be able to do the following:
5 (1) Increase capacity in educator preparation programs to recruit, prepare,
6 support, and graduate at least 5,000 in-State trained teachers annually.
7 (2) Increase capacity in educator preparation programs to recruit, prepare,
8 support, and graduate more educators of color annually.
9 The State Board of Education shall report on the findings of this study to the Joint
10 Legislative Education Oversight Committee, the Fiscal Research Division, and the Office of
11 State Budget and Management by March 15, 2025.
12 SECTION 1.3.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department
13 of Public Instruction the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in nonrecurring funds for
14 the 2024-2025 fiscal year to conduct the study required by subsection (a) of this section.
15
16 ALTERNATIVE PATHWAYS TEACHER RECRUITMENT MODELS
17 SECTION 1.4.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department
18 of Public Instruction the sum of four million three hundred thousand dollars ($4,300,000) in
19 recurring funds for the 2024-2025 fiscal year to support research-based Grow-Your-Own and
20 2+2 teacher recruitment education programs in all regions of the State, including high
21 school-based career academy programs, the North Carolina Teacher Cadet Program, the
22 Teaching as a Profession program, and the TA to Teachers program.
23 SECTION 1.4.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department
24 of Public Instruction the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) in recurring funds for the
25 2024-2025 fiscal year to establish new Grow-Your-Own and 2+2 teacher recruitment education
26 programs in high-need public school units.
27
28 STUDY ON CONSOLIDATING AND COORDINATING TEACHER RECRUITMENT
29 AND RETENTION EFFORTS
30 SECTION 1.5.(a) The State Board of Education shall develop a plan to implement
31 and fund a statewide system or entity to coordinate, enhance, and evaluate efforts to recruit, place,
32 and retain teacher candidates and beginning teachers between institutions of higher education
33 and local school administrative units. This study shall focus on, but not be limited to, how best
34 to consolidate and coordinate statewide teacher recruitment and retention efforts. The State Board
35 of Education shall submit details on the plan and any recommended legislative changes to
36 implement the plan to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, the Fiscal Research
37 Division, and the Office of State Budget and Management by March 15, 2025.
38 SECTION 1.5.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department
39 of Public Instruction the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in nonrecurring funds for
40 the 2024-2025 fiscal year to be used to support the development of the plan required by this
41 section.
42
43 EXPAND NC TEACHING FELLOWS PROGRAM
44 SECTION 1.6.(a) Part 3 of Article 23 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes reads
45 as rewritten:
46 "Part 3. North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program.
47 "§ 116-209.60. Definitions.
48 The following definitions apply in this Part:
49 (1) Commission. – The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Commission.
50 (2) Director. – The Director of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program.
51 (3) Forgivable loan. – A forgivable loan made under the Program.
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1 (4) Program. – The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program.
2 (5) Public school. – An elementary or secondary school located in North Carolina
3 that is governed by a local board of education, charter school board of
4 directors, regional school board of directors, or University of North Carolina
5 laboratory school board of trustees.
6 (5a) Qualifying licensure area. – A teacher licensure area in one of the following
7 subjects:
8 a. Either of the following, as identified pursuant to G.S. 116-209.62(h):
9 1. Special education.
10 2. STEM.
11 b. Elementary education (K-6).
12 (5b) Qualifying teacher. – A teacher in a North Carolina public school who meets
13 the following criteria:
14 a. Received a forgivable loan under the Program.
15 b. Graduated within 10 years from an educator preparation program
16 leading to teacher licensure, excluding any authorized deferment for
17 extenuating circumstances.
18 (6) STEM. – Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
19 (7) Trust Fund. – The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program Trust Fund.
20 …
21 "§ 116-209.62. North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program established; administration.
22 (a) Program. – There is established the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program to be
23 administered by the System Office of The University of North Carolina, in conjunction with the
24 Authority and the Commission. The purpose of the Program is to recruit, prepare, and support
25 students residing in or attending institutions of higher education located in North Carolina for
26 preparation as highly effective teachers in qualifying licensure areas in the State's public schools.
27 The Program shall be used to provide a forgivable loan to individuals interested in preparing to
28 teach in the public schools of the State in qualifying licensure areas.State.
29 (b) Trust Fund. – There is established the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program
30 Trust Fund to be administered by the Authority, in conjunction with the System Office of The
31 University of North Carolina. All funds (i) appropriated to, or otherwise received by, the Program
32 for forgivable loans and other Program purposes, (ii) received as repayment of forgivable loans,
33 and (iii) earned as interest on these funds shall be placed in the Trust Fund. The purpose of the
34 Trust Fund is to provide financial assistance to qualified students for completion of teacher
35 education and licensure programs to fill qualifying licensure areas teach in the public schools of
36 the State.
37 …
38 (d) Director of the Program. – The Board of Governors of The University of North
39 Carolina shall appoint a Director of the Program. The Director shall appoint staff to the
40 Commission and shall be responsible for recruitment and coordination of the Program, including
41 proactive, aggressive, and strategic recruitment of potential recipients. Efforts shall include
42 identifying and encouraging students of color and students who may not otherwise consider a
43 career in teaching to enter the Program. Recruitment activities shall include a broad-based
44 strategy (i) targeting regions of the State with the highest teacher attrition rates and teacher
45 recruitment challenges, challenges and (ii) actively engaging with educators, business leaders,
46 experts in human resources, elected officials, and other community leaders throughout the State,
47 and (iii) attracting candidates in qualifying licensure areas to the Program. State to attract a
48 diverse pool of applicants. The Director shall report to the President of The University of North
49 Carolina. The Authority shall provide office space and clerical support staff, as necessary, to the
50 Director for the Program.
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1 (e) Student Selection Criteria for Forgivable Loans. – The Commission shall adopt
2 stringent standards for awarding forgivable loans based on multiple measures to ensure that only
3 the strongest applicants receive them, including the following:
4 (1) Grade point averages.
5 (2) Performance on relevant career and college readiness assessments.
6 (3) Experience, accomplishments, and other criteria demonstrating qualities
7 positively correlated with highly effective teachers, including excellent verbal
8 and communication skills.
9 (4) Demonstrated commitment to serve in a qualifying licensure area in North
10 Carolina public schools.
11 (f) Program Selection Criteria. – The Authority shall administer the Program in
12 cooperation with up to 10 institutions of higher education with approved educator preparation
13 programs selected by the Commission that represent a diverse selection of both postsecondary
14 constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina and private postsecondary
15 institutions operating in the State. State, including minority-serving institutions. The
16 Commission shall adopt stringent standards for selection of the most effective educator
17 preparation programs, including the following:
18 (1) Demonstrates high rates of educator effectiveness on value-added models and
19 teacher evaluations, including using performance-based, subject-specific
20 assessment and support systems, such as edTPA or other metrics of evaluating
21 candidate effectiveness that have predictive validity.
22 (2) Demonstrates measurable impact of prior graduates on student learning,
23 including impact of graduates teaching in qualifying licensure areas.learning.
24 (3) Demonstrates high rates of graduates passing exams required for teacher
25 licensure.
26 (4) Provides curricular and co-curricular enhancements in leadership, facilitates
27 learning for diverse learners, and promotes community engagement,
28 classroom management, and reflection and assessment.
29 (5) Requires at least a minor concentration of study in the subject area that the
30 candidate may teach.
31 (6) Provides early and frequent internship or practical experiences, including the
32 opportunity for participants to perform practicums in diverse school
33 environments.
34 (7) Is approved by the State Board of Education as an educator preparation
35 program.
36 (8) For an educator preparation program enrolling loan recipients in a program of
37 study leading to licensure in elementary education (K-6), provides training
38 that is aligned with the Science of Reading in accordance with
39 G.S. 115C-269.20. The Commission shall contract with a third-party entity to
40 biennially evaluate whether a program identified in this subdivision is
41 providing training that is aligned with the Science of Reading.
42 (g) Awards of Forgivable Loans. – The Program shall provide forgivable loans to selected
43 students to be used at up to 10 selected institutions for completion of a program leading to initial
44 teacher licensure as follows:
45 (1) North Carolina high school seniors. – Forgivable loans of up to five thousand
46 dollars ($5,000) per semester for up to eight semesters.
47 (2) Students applying for transfer to a selected educator preparation program at
48 an institution of higher education. – Forgivable loans of up to five thousand
49 dollars ($5,000) per semester for up to six semesters.
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1 (3) Individuals currently holding a bachelor's degree seeking preparation for
2 teacher licensure. – Forgivable loans of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000)
3 per semester for up to four semesters.
4 (4) Students matriculating at institutions of higher education who are changing to
5 an approved program of study at a selected educator preparation program. –
6 Forgivable loans of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) per semester for up
7 to four semesters.
8 Forgivable loans may be used for tuition, fees, the cost of books, and expenses related to
9 obtaining licensure.
10 (g1) Extracurricular Enhancement Activities. – The Program shall provide planning,
11 training, and ongoing support for Program leaders and recipients, including training on topics
12 such as culturally responsive teaching, teaching students with disabilities, and trauma-informed
13 teaching.
14 (h) Identification of STEM and Special Education Licensure Areas. – The Superintendent
15 of Public Instruction shall identify and provide to the Commission and the Authority a list of
16 STEM and special education licensure areas and shall annually provide to the Commission the
17 number of available positions in each qualifying licensure area relative to the number of current
18 and anticipated teachers in that area of licensure. The Commission shall make the list of STEM
19 and special education licensure areas readily available to applicants.
20 …
21 (j) Annual Report. – The Commission, in coordination with the Authority, the
22 Department of Public Instruction, and the selected educator education programs participating in
23 the Program shall report no later than January 1, 2019, and annually thereafter, to the Joint
24 Legislative Education Oversight Committee regarding the following:
25 (1) Forgivable loans awarded from the Trust Fund, including the following:
26 a. Demographic information regarding recipients.
27 b. Number of recipients by institution of higher education and program.
28 c. Information on number of recipients by anticipated qualifying
29