Education Committee Meeting Today at 10:00am

Live audio stream of committee meetings can be accessed by clicking the link below:

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

The above link will direct you to the Legislature’s audio page – which has a few different options.

For today’s 10:00am meeting, select:

FINANCE COMMITTEE ROOM AUDIO (Rm 544)

A Hint of Things to Come from NC Policy Watch

Fitzsimon File

A hint of things to come

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

By Chris Fitzsimon

http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/cms/2010/11/09/a-hint-of-things-to-come/

If you are wondering how the new Republican majorities in the General Assembly will handle the state’s $3.5 billion shortfall next year, a few statements in the last few days provide some clues.

The leading candidates for House Speaker, Representative Paul Stam and Representative Thom Tillis, appeared this weekend on the WRAL-TV public affairs show On the Record along with NC GOP Chair Tom Fetzer.

The program started with a news story about the potential cuts to services to people with disabilities and included a comment from an official with the ARC of North Carolina, a group that provides services to the disabled and advocates on their behalf. She said that deep cuts on top of the ones made in the last two years would be devastating and pointed out that 7,000 people are currently on the waiting list for help.

A few minutes after the story, host David Crabtree asked Fetzer if it would be a public relations problem for the Republican Party if its legislative leaders followed through on their pledge not to raise any new revenue to address the shortfall and made it up by deeply slashing the state budget and cutting services like the ones featured in the story.

Public relations may have been an odd thing to ask about, but Fetzer’s response was far more troubling. He told Crabtree that “we need people to get in charge and do what’s best for the whole state of North Carolina and if some special interests get trimmed along the way, then so be it.”

The message was clear. People with disabilities are a special interest. Anybody who opposes the Republicans’ efforts to cut 20 percent or more from education and human services must be a special interest too, people with a mental illness, teachers, at-risk kids.

It’s not much different than what the head of the Locke Foundation calls advocates for people who need services or teachers who speak out for smaller classes—he lumps then all together in what he calls the “spending lobby” in Raleigh, people he thinks should be ignored or run over when it comes time to write the budget.

Tillis said shortly after the election last week that the cuts the Republicans plan to make could lead to “legitimate, sad stories about people who may end up suffering,” presumably Fetzer’s “special interests.”

Stam told Crabtree that the university system is likely to suffer severe cuts next year and that may be an understatement. Another staff member of the Locke Foundation, whose right-wing budget proposals are a blueprint for Republicans, told a reporter that some campuses of the UNC system may have to be consolidated or closed.

That was the worst case scenario outlined by outgoing UNC President Erskine Bowles last week at his last meeting with the Board of Governors.

But it’s not a worst case scenario at all to the folks at the Locke Foundation and the Republican leaders with their dogmatic refusal to consider raising new revenue. It’s an opportunity, a chance to dismantle the government they loathe, regardless of the damage and pain it creates. Calling the most vulnerable people in the state a special interest hardly makes it okay to hurt them.

 

Also….

A must read for new lawmakers

By Chris Fitzsimon

http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/cms/2010/11/04/a-must-read-for-new-lawmakers/

The debate about how to address the state’s anticipated $4 billion budget shortfall has already begun in next year’s General Assembly, two months before the new Republican majorities in the House and Senate are sworn in and elect their leaders.

Republican legislators are repeating their vow to address the massive shortfall with cuts alone and refuse to consider raising any new revenue to protect vital state programs from devastating reductions.

It’s a point reinforced almost daily by the radical right-wing propaganda machine that provided the ideologically-biased polls and anti-government talking points for Republicans throughout the recent campaign.

Slash and burn is the plan, $4 billion worth, from public schools, mental health programs, and health care services for children and the disabled.  That’s what coming. You can count on it.

The head of Raleigh’s most well-known right-wing think tank, a place that Republicans routine look to for direction,  said Thursday that the new majorities should eliminate both of the state’s national recognized early childhood programs, Smart Start and More at Four because there’s no evidence that they work.

He said the money saved could be used better elsewhere, like to balance the budget.  The comments are not surprising. Similar comments have been made in recent months by a long list of Republicans who seem to have very little understanding of what the programs do and how they work.

Ironically, the comments came roughly an hour after a comprehensive study of More at Four from the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at UNC-CH was released at the State Board of Education meeting.

Every legislator should read it. Researchers found that low income children who attended the More at Four pre-k program narrowed the achievement gap with their middle-class counterparts by as much as 40 percent by the third-grade.

That’s exactly what More at Four was designed to do, help at-risk kids catch up in the early grades so they don’t begin school far behind their classmates and become more likely to struggle throughout their school years and eventually drop out.

The report is just the latest confirmation by the Institute that More at Four works. Previous studies have shown that the program provides high-quality classroom learning that leads to high rates of achievement growth, particularly by kids most at risk of failure.

Critics of More at Four, including the right-wing think tanker who dismissed it so cavalierly Thursday, often claim that whatever gains children make from the program fade away as the kids get older.

It’s an odd criticism to make. No one believes that at-risk kids stop being at risk when they leave kindergarten.  Many of the factors that caused them to fall behind in the first place are still there. But at least now the kids have a fighting chance and can benefit from additional help to keep them on track.

The claim also ignores compelling evidence from studies that have followed kids from pre-k programs into adulthood and found their lives to be vastly better than at-risk kids who did not have the chance to catch up before kindergarten.

There was plenty of evidence before this latest report was released that pre-k programs like More at Four make an important difference in children’s lives.

The new study that involves a data set of more 200,000 kids ought to remove any doubts, even among members of the new conservative majorities.

All they have to do is open their minds and take an honest look.

 

Will They Scrimp On Schools?

New and Observer Article

BY STEVE FORD – ASSOCIATE EDITOR

As a colleague of mine remarked, Republicans’ motto as they saddle up to take control of North Carolina’s General Assembly could be, “Do less with less.”

We’re about to get an earful of that old conservative anthem celebrating the virtues of limited government and low taxes. And on principle, who’s to disagree? Nobody wants more government than we need, and nobody wants to pay taxes swollen because of bureaucratic inefficiency or bloat.

But that doesn’t mean the philosophical divide between conservatives and liberals (which more or less correlates with the partisan divide between Republicans and Democrats) over the core issue of government’s proper size and mission is a trivial one. It’s all about parsing needs and wants, and then figuring out who should pay how much.

Those in line to pay the most often argue that the state can get by with doing less. Yet when the budget knife starts cutting, who gets hurt? If it’s the young and the vulnerable, the cutters have been too clumsy.

The two sides’ beliefs as to how the public is best served are about to be vigorously tested – perhaps no more so than in the arena of education.

Together, the state’s educational enterprises – public schools, community colleges, universities – swallow the largest share of money routed each year into the General Fund. For example, the budget for July 2009 through June 2010 set aside $7.4 billion for the schools, $1 billion for the community colleges and $2.7 billion for the UNC system. The total budget (this was current operations, not capital): $19 billion.

That budget was prepared under severe duress as state revenues plunged amid the recession. The situation was even worse this year. Helped by federal stimulus funds, legislators and Gov. Beverly Perdue were able to stave off serious cuts in public school expenditures.

For the next budget cycle, however, the immovable object of education costs is about to meet the irresistible force of a monster shortfall that looks to be in the range of $3.5 billion. And then there’s irresistible force No. 2: Republicans’ determination to put the budget in balance, as the state is obligated to do, via spending cuts alone. They’ve as much as said no new taxes except over their dead bodies.

Of course nobody should be eager to raise taxes while jobs are scarce, families are struggling to keep their homes and companies are caught in the recession’s downdraft. But especially when it comes to the state’s investment in our schools, the picture without some kind of revenue infusion can’t help but look grim. So much money will be needed to close the shortfall that it will be hard to avoid whacking into the budget’s largest line item.

The bitter irony is that, as the Public School Forum of North Carolina points out, this has never been a state that shot the moon with its public school outlays.

Now, says the Forum, which has kept a sharp eye on the state’s education scene since the mid-1980s, the budget squeeze could push North Carolina close to the bottom in a ranking of per-pupil expenditures.

How could that happen? The Forum says North Carolina during the last fiscal year ranked 42nd in state and local outlays for school operations – $8,743 per student. The U.S. average was $10,190.

Nobody would suggest that every state toward the top of the list is getting good value in spending more than we do. But what if North Carolina did find itself trailing the pack? That not only would signal real deficiencies in school quality, but also would amount to a failure of our responsibility to the state’s youth. It’s not the sort of thing businesses or families deciding where to locate like to see.

The legislature’s new Republican bosses will be perfectly entitled to look for ways to make state government more cost-effective. They should. And their aversion to taxes should mean a disciplined approach to spending. But just because the Democrats have taken a broader view of the government’s responsibilities, that doesn’t mean they’ve necessarily been undisciplined.

This is the fork in the philosophical road. The belief that investments in public education should be generous – they are, after all, investments with a proven record of success – does not translate into a belief in waste, feather-bedding and inane curriculums.

School systems should be well-enough funded so that every student has a capable teacher in an uncrowded classroom. Right-sizing should not always mean down-sizing and operating on the cheap. And the same applies to other state services such as higher education, mental health, environmental protection and the courts.

Let’s hope that an improving economy takes some of the pressure off the state’s budget-balancers. And if the Republicans can look beyond the self-serving calls for spending and tax cuts echoing from the special interests who propelled their campaigns, perhaps they will be able to reconcile their sincere beliefs in limited government with a budget strategy that can at least come close to meeting the state’s critical needs.

For the article: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/07/784033/will-they-scrimp-on-schools.html#ixzz14n7tDKp5

 

Post-Election Assessment

All of the predictions called for the the Republicans to take the Senate.  Needless to say, they were were right.  But that’s not the end of the story.  In a feat not seen in over 100 years, North Carolina Republicans have won an overwhelming majority in both the Senate and the House.  Though it seemed like the trend was certainly headed in that direction, the vote count for the Senate and House turned out considerably higher than expected.  Although several races were decided by less than 1,000 votes, voters across the state have sent a clear message – and it’s safe to say that there are some serious changes coming.

The unofficial count in the House is 67 Republicans and 52 Democrats. Many incumbent Democrats are listed as having lost. A few surprises include: Doug Yongue, Arthur Williams, Walter Church and Nelson Cole. Many of the incumbents who lost were races too close to call,  Holliman, Underhill, Tarelton, Van Braxton, Love, Whilden….. there are three districts with possible recounts and those include Glazier, Parfitt, and Coates, who are leading in the vote count right now, but that could possibly change. All three are Democrats.

The Senate is 31 Republicans and 19 Democrats. The Senate was the first chamber expected to move Republican and the numbers came in higher than expected as well. Some key Democratic members who were too close to call but who lost include: John Snow, Jo Sam Queen, AB Swindell, Margaret Dickson, Tony Foriest, and Steve Goss. Other Seats lost were when incumbents retired and their seats were open for new members.

The key to this election is the House and Senate will draw the new districts based on the 2010 Census and this could have long term implications for the Democrats in North Carolina.

The election results are unofficial and can be seen at the following website: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/

Stay Tuned.

 

Lame-Duck Congress to Face Education Issues

K-12 Spending, Race to the Top Extension Still On Table

By Alyson Klein of Education Week

Click Here To View Article

When the dust settles from the midterm elections, federal lawmakers—the re-elected and losers alike—will head back to Washington for a lame-duck session with a long to-do list that could have broad implications for education policy over the next year.

Congress left town without finishing the U.S. Department of Education’s spending bill for fiscal 2011, which officially began Oct. 1. Right now, all programs in the department are being financed at fiscal 2010 levels through a stopgap measure that expires Dec. 3.

Lawmakers have several options for resolving the looming budget question, including the fate of Obama administration priorities, in a session that could begin as early as mid-November.

Advocates say their game plan may hinge on the outcome of this week’s midterm elections, which were expected to bolster Republican numbers in Congress, and could result in the GOP taking control of one or both houses of Congress, said Reginald M. Felton, the director of federal relations for the Alexandria, Va.-based National School Boards Association.

Differing Versions

Over the summer, the Senate Appropriations Committee and a House appropriations subcommittee approved separate versions of an education spending measure for fiscal 2011.

It’s unclear whether Congress will pass the fiscal 2011 education spending bill as a standalone measure, or whether lawmakers will decide to combine it with a number of other appropriations bills in an omnibus spending measure.

And it is not certain that the spending bills will even be completed in the lame-duck session, said Joel Packer, the executive director of the Committee for Education, a lobbying coalition in Washington.

Republicans emboldened by the election results could put pressure on Democrats to hold off on passing bills until January when the GOP could flex new legislative muscle. Congress could also pass a yearlong, stopgap measure, known as a continuing resolution, which would finance most programs at 2010 levels.

Each chamber’s current version of the spending bill would extend for another year the Obama administration’s signature education initiative—the $4.35 billion Race to the Top program—which rewards states for making progress on teacher quality, common academic standards, assessments, and other areas.

The Race to the Top program was initially created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which passed last winter and covered just two years.

But while both versions would extend the program, neither would give the administration the $1.35 billion it asked for in its budget request. Released last February, it also sought to open the program up to school districts.

The Senate included $675 million for the program and would allow school districts to be included in the grant competition. The House panel would fund it at $800 million. It is unclear whether the House would also allow districts to participate, since many of the details of that chamber’s bill haven’t been released publicly.

The Senate bill also includes a new $300 million for an Early Learning Challenge Fund to encourage states to improve their early-childhood education programs. Democratic leaders tried to get a much bigger version of that program into a bill to overhaul the student-loan program, but it was stripped out. It is uncertain whether the House bill includes a similar spending item.

Nutrition, Taxes

It’s also unclear how Congress will cope with a $5.7 billion shortfall in the Pell Grant program, which helps low-income students attend college. The program faces a funding gap in part because more students have been returning to school to boost their skills during the economic downturn. The shortfall could be dealt with through the education bills, if they are passed in the lame-duck session.

Lawmakers may also take up reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. The proposed $4.5 billion Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, sponsored by Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., was passed by the Senate in August. The House bill passed out of committee but has not been taken up for a vote by the full chamber. (“Conservative Candidates Take Aim at Federal K-12 Role,” July 14, 2010.)

Some advocates don’t want the Senate measure to pass unchanged because the 10-year bill would offset its proposed spending increases in part by cutting $2.2 billion from food stamps, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or snap. Both the food-stamp and school meals programs are run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The School Nutrition Association, in Oxon Hill, Md., is hoping the House will take up the Senate’s version of the bill.

“Our biggest concern is the longer the [wait], the tighter the financial constraints for Congress and for the program,” said Diane Pratt-Heavner, a spokeswoman for the association.

Congress may also consider a variety of tax-related legislation, including extending the so-called teacher tax deduction, which helps educators purchase supplies for their classrooms, and the Build America Bonds, which was created under the ARRA and which some districts have used to help pay for school facilities.

Lawmakers could also take up the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which helps students cover the cost of college.

But there’s one piece of highly anticipated legislation that Congress almost certainly won’t be taking up in the lame-duck session: the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

In March, President Barack Obama called on Congress to reauthorize the law this year, releasing a blueprint for its overhaul, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and his staff spent hours reaching out to lawmakers on Capitol Hill to try to get support for the renewal.

Lawmakers in both chambers held hearings on issues including teacher quality, academic standards, and efforts to turn around low-performing schools. But neither the House nor the Senate education committees introduced a bill, and further action isn’t expected until 2011 at the earliest.

Preview of November State Board of Education Meeting

Wednesday & Thursday, November 3, 4, 2010

The State Board of Education will meet on Wednesday, November 3, 2010 in committees.  They will begin with the Globally Competitive Students Committee, 21^st Century Professionals Committee, and finish with the Business/Finance and Advocacy Committee. On Thursday, they will meet to vote. Access to the SBE Executive Summaries and related documents are on the SBE website at the following link: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/meetings/2010/11

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Globally Competitive Students Committee (10:00 AM)

Action and Discussion Agenda

Action

• GCS 1 Future-Ready OCS: Proposed Change to Mathematics Graduation Requirement The State Board is asked to approve the recommendation that students participating in the FR-OCS be allowed to substitute the mathematics course, Applied Mathematics II or the career/technical education course, Personal Finance (7066) for OCS Financial Management. Students in this program must complete three mathematics courses. They are required to complete: OCS Introduction to Mathematics, OCS Algebra I, and OCS Financial Management. DPI recommends students participating in this course of study, be allowed to substitute the mathematics course, Applied Mathematics II or the Career and Technical Education Course, Personal Finance, for OCS Financial Management. The Personal Finance Course aligns very closely with the OCS Course and both were developed using Blooms Taxonomy. The applied Mathematics II course, while not designed for students with disabilities, is helpful in teaching students, practical application. This will assist students in completing their graduation requirements and will also make it easier for school systems to comply with federal requirements of  having a highly qualified teacher in every core content class.
• GCS 2 Textbook Evaluation Policies The State Board is requested to approve staff recommendations for changes to amend Textbook Policies GCS-H-000, GCS-H-002 and GCS-H-007. The revisions are primarily to streamline the language. The proposed policy changes are as follows; GCS-H-00 will be changed to require the schedule for the evaluation process to be included in the “Invitation to Submit Textbooks” document, GCS-H-002 will require the procedures for the regional textbook evaluation to be included in the “Invitation to Submit Textbooks” document, and GCS-H-007 is revised as the “Textbook and Evaluation Adoption” policy. A copy of this policy will be available online in the Executive Summary link at the beginning of this preview.

Action on First Reading

• GCS 3 2010-2011 Invitation to Submit Textbooks for English Language Arts for Evaluation and Adoption in North Carolina The State Board is requested to approve the invitation for evaluation and adoption of textbooks. The invitation is for English/Language Arts and includes rules and regulations based on General Statutes, Administrative Code, and State Board Policy that govern the adoption process.

Discussion

• GCS 4 Credit Recovery The State Board is requested to review the proposed amended policy and provide feedback. Credit recovery has become increasingly difficult due to the expansion of courses and delivery methods. Credit recovery may be for full course recovery or partial recovery courses. Policy changes will be implemented for 2011-2012 school year. The policy has seven new defining and clarifying sections; 1) definition of the term “credit recovery,” refers to a block of instruction less than the entire Standard Course of Study which means  credit recovery delivers a subset of the actual course to address student deficiencies, 2) define “repeating a course for credit” will be used to refer to high school course repeated via any delivery method when the Standard Course of study for the course is being taught for a second time, 3) define “repeating a course of credit” will allow students to receive a grade and take the associated EOC. Students who have already made a Level II of IV may use the score as 25 percent of the final grade or retake the test. If the student retakes the test then the higher of the two scores will be used in calculating the final grade. 4) LEAs shall give a pass/fail for each credit recovery course and this will not impact a student’s GPA, 5) students who wish to modify their GPA may repeat the course for credit and not seek a credit recovery solution, 6) local boards may not limit the number of credit recovery course taken by a student prior to graduation, 7) the EOC test associated with credit recovery shall be administered upon completion of the credit recovery course and no later than 30 calendar days. There is also a “Credit Recovery” briefing paper and a “Frequently Asked Questions” document. The documents are included in the Executive Summary link at the beginning of the preview.
• GCS 5 Blue Ribbon Task Force Report on Studying Impacts of Raising Compulsory Attendance Age State Board members are asked to review the report required by the 2010 Session Law. The task force studied the impact of raising the compulsory attendance age to 17 or 18. Four questions were posed for a response. The report shall be submitted by November 15^th to Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and Graduation as well as the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. The complete report can be accessed by following the link to the Executive Summary listed above. Key Recommendations: 1) increasing the attendance age can only be successful if supplemental programs are in place targeting at-risk students, 2) a larger more comprehensive study should be conducted within the context of law enforcement and juvenile justice, 3) eight pilot programs should be  conducted, one in each region of the state giving the LEAs the flexibility to develop the pilot based on the unique needs of their student body and, 4) regardless of the whether the age is raised, consistent ongoing teacher training supplemental programs relevant to students and curriculum material are critical. The conclusion in the report states North Carolina needs to improve on successes of the past in providing students with skills and habits to meet and exceed graduation requirements. The system needs to improve by examining current practices and policies, hiring and retaining great teachers and leaders along with working with businesses and other agencies. A copy of the report is available in GCS5 at the link, noted at the beginning of the preview.
• GCS 6 Senate Bill 66 Arts Education Task Force Recommendations The State Board is requested to review the report from the task force and provide feedback prior to submission of final report to the legislature. A task force was appointed this year to address several issues as a result of SB66. The issues to be considered are as follows; 1) policies to implement arts education in public schools including an art requirement in grades k-5, 2) availability of all four arts disciplines in grades 6-8, with students required to take one arts course in each school year, and 3) the availability of electives in the arts at the high school level. In addition the task force shall look at a high school graduation requirement in the arts and further development of the A+ Schools Program.  Recommendations shall be submitted to JLEOC by December 1, 2010. The report will be sent to board members prior to the board meeting. A copy of the report is not included in the Executive Summary.
• GCS 7 K-12 Social Studies Essential Standards The State Board is requested to discuss Version 2 of the social studies standards. The Standards are available for feedback though November 10^th. They can be found at http://www.publicschools.org/acre/standards/phase2. Policy implications will be addressed with the SBE in November. The plan is to either continue discussion at the December board meeting or approve the standards based on the direction of the State Board.

21^st Century Professionals Committee (1:00 PM)

Action and Discussion Agenda

Action

• TCP 1 Revision of Board Policy to Reflect Changes in the Beginning Teacher Support Program The State Board is requested to approve changes to the Board policy regarding the Beginning Teacher Support Program. Each LEA develops a program/plan for beginning teachers, which is approved by the local board, reviewed, and monitored. There are a series of changes to Policy TCP-A-004, including, but not limited to, the five-year formal review and an annual review process as recommended by the mentor task force. Other changes in the policy address changing the word Individual Growth Plan to the Professional Development Plan. Other changes include working conditions for beginning teachers, local board plan approval, annual peer review and information on the five–year formal reporting requirements. A copy of the policy is available at the Executive Summary link at the beginning of this preview.

Discussion

• TCP 2 Recommendations from the Advisory Board on Requests for Exception from Teacher Licensing Requirements The State Board is requested to approve the actions related to each request. The panel recommendations are presented to the SBE in closed session.

 

Leadership For Innovation Committee Meeting (1:30 PM)

Action and Discussion Agenda

Action

• LFI 1 Final Decision in Contested Case
  • North Carolina Marine Sciences High School, Inc. (Cape Lookout) 10 EDC 1104 The State Board shall issue a final agency decision in the contested case. The State Board decided to non-renew the charter for Cape Lookout. The administrative law judge recommended renewing the charter for Cape Lookout through June 30, 2012. The respondent has filed exceptions. This is a closed session item.

New Business

• Technical Readiness for Online Assessment
• NCVPS/LEO Director’s Report

 

Business/Finance and Advocacy Committee Meeting (2:10 PM)

Action and Discussion Agenda

Action

• TCS 1 2011-2013 Biennial Budget Expansion Request The State Board is requested to discuss future budget needs and specific budget requests to build the SBE 2011-2013 Biennial Budget request. Expansion budget requests for 2011-2013 are due to OSBM on November 12, 2010. There is a list of nine expansion items: 1) $304,774,366-LEA Adjustment/Discretionary Reduction, 2) $19,722,637-Ready Set Go-Fund all 8^th graders to take EXPLORE assessment, 10^th graders to take PLAN, and 11^th graders to take ACT. Also funding for “Boot Camp,” and alternate assessments, 3) $477,267-Restore Governor’s School funding, 4) $247,650-Web Services-fund the public schools website, 5) $173,421 Internal Audit-add two internal auditors, 6) $995,300 Learn and Earn High Schools, 7) $41,156-Technology Services Time Tracking, 8) $589,210 Update Wiring in education building, 9) $20,000,000-Healthy Student’s Initiative by supporting school lunch programs. The expansion items total $347,021,007. In calculating the 5, 10 and 15 percent cuts to public schools the amounts were included in the documents. The amount for 5 percent is $418,512,811, 10 percent is $837,025,621 and 15 percent is $1,255,538,432 and these figures do not include the $304 million of the discretionary cut. The cuts to DPI for the percentages are as follows: $2,164,334, $4,328,668, and $6,493,002. A complete copy of these documents is in the Executive Summary link.
• TCS 2 Revisions to Benefits and Employment Policy Manual 2010-11 for Public School Employees The State Board is recommended to approve 17 revisions to policy TCP-D-003. Changes are being made to the following sections: 1.1.9– Define “bona fide volunteer” 1.1.12 Clarify definition of immediate family for FMLA, 3.1.3 Coordinate FMLA changes for vacation leave, 4.1.2 Clarify when FMLA emergency leave applies for sick leave, 4.1.8 +10 Leave reinstatement change (63 months), 4.2.1 Extended Sick Leave-track license name (media coordinator), 4.3.2 Clarify exhaust available leave under voluntary shared leave, 4.3.4 Non-family donation of sick leave under voluntary shared leave, 4.3.7 Voluntary Shared Leave-Unused Leave returned to donors,  5.1.1 Personal Leave-Track license name (media coordinator), 5.1.2 Track changes in statute under personal leave, 8.1.2-28 Track FMLA Regulations & NDAA, 14.1.2 -5 Track Changes in Statute for Probationary Teachers, 14.2.3-11 Add Media Specialist & use Career Status, 15.1.1 Track Changes to Statute School Calendar, 16.1 Legislation eliminated these provisions for retired teacher employment, 16.2.1-5 Track legislation & update data & numbering for employment of retirees. A copy of these changes is available in the Executive Summary link in the opening paragraph under Section TCS 2.

Action on First Reading

• TCS 3 Schools Selected from Applications for Reading Diagnostic Initiative The State Board is requested to approve the list of schools that volunteered and were chosen to participate in the Reading Diagnostic Program. There are 183 schools participating in Governor Perdues’ Reading Diagnostic Program. There were 27 pilot schools last year and 156 schools were added at the beginning of this year (73 Reading First Schools and 83 invited schools). Invitations were sent to superintendents and others to become part of the initiative. DPI received 368 applications and there is space for 200 more schools to join the program. The new schools will train in November /December and begin the first benchmark assessments in mid-January. A list of the schools is included in the Executive Summary with the link provided in the opening paragraph, Section TCS 3.

Discussion

• TCS 4 Reappointment or Replacement of Compliance Commission Members, Appointment of a New Chairperson, and Amendments to Policy TCS-B-00 The State Board is requested to discuss the recommendations for reappointments and for new members of the Compliance Commission as well as the amendments to policy TCS-B-00. David Jenkins, Martin County, reappointment, Cindy Goodman, Scotland County for reappointment, Heidi Von Dohlen, Buncombe County for reappointment, Wanda Bunch Business Representative for reappointment, replace Max Walser with Kelly Lynn Blain, Person County teacher, and Stewart Hobbs Jr. Stokes Superintendent as Chairman. Policy changes include; 1) Removing authority for Commission to deny appeals of schools that want a field testing exemption for a specific school year, 2) Commission shall meet annually and notification of meetings for State Board is no longer required, 3) Eliminate the absence rule which notes three consecutive absences shall constitute resignation of commission member.
• TCS 5 DHHS Transition Plan for Organizational Structure and Student Instructional Services at the Residential Schools The State Board is asked to review the plans and provide recommendations for the final plan to be approved in December. Effective June 30, 2011, DPI will have responsibility for the total services, staff, programming and facilities at the three NC residential schools. The plan envisions four staff members to serve as the central office for the three schools and to oversee all activities at the schools. The plan must be submitted to several legislative committee of the General Assembly by December 1, 2010. The plan addresses a series of requirements set in Session Law 2010-31. The executive summary contains organizational charts and other documents detailing the plan to be considered by the State Board. This item will be on Action in December.

Update on Contracts

Contracts over $25,000 – 25 contracts

Contracts under $25,000 – 15 contracts

Thursday, November 4, 2010

State Board of Education Meeting, (9:30 AM) Dr. William Harrison, Chairman

Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance: Mr. Reginald Kenan

Approval of Minutes

 

Special Recognition-Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

• 2009 Awardee in 7-12 Science
  • Ms. Judith Jones, Chapel Hill/Carboro Schools
• 2009 Awardee in 7-12 Mathematics
  • Ms. Maria Hernandez, Math, NC School of Science in Mathematics
• 2010 Finalists in K-6 Mathematics
  • Ms. Amanda Northrup, Haywood County Schools
  • Ms. Rebecca Pearce, Guilford County Schools
  • Ms. Penelope Shockley, Chapel Hill/Carboro
• 2010 Finalists in K-6 Science
  • Ms. Zebetta King, Wake County Schools
  • Ms. Amanda McLean, Caldwell County Schools

 

Key Initiatives Reports and Discussion

Ø  Career College Ready Set Go/Race to the Top Update – Mr. Adam Levinson

Performance Navigator Update- Mr. Adam Levinson

Information Agenda

Globally Competitive Students

• GCS 8 Diagnostic Assessment Review for the 2009-2010 Reading and Math Pilots The State Board will receive information on the 13 schools involved in the Math pilots. The Math assessments used were Assessing Math concepts with Math Perspectives. The pilot schools were trained in the late Fall 2009 and teachers began benchmarking students with the mid-year assessments. End-of Year assessments were given in May. UNC Chapel Hill evaluated the reading pilot schools and a doctoral candidate evaluated the Math pilot schools. The reports are included in the Executive Summary, which is provided in the link at the beginning of this preview.
• GCS 9 American Diploma Project (SDP) Algebra II Results for Spring 2010 and Consortium Participation Discussion for 2011 The State Board is requested to provide guidance on the continued involvement of North Carolina in this initiative. Nine of the Consortium states participated in the Algebra II exam, including North Carolina. The test was administered to more than 40,000 students, nationally. A summary of NC’s Spring 2010 participation and 2011 plans will be reviewed. NC’s average scaled score in 2009 was 1,055 and in 2010, 1,058. This score indicates students are still in need of preparation of Algebra II. The overall Consortium score in 2009 was 1,032 and in 2010 1,024. NC had only 14-16 percent of students prepared and 4-5 percent well prepared, while the remaining 81-82 percent are still in need of preparation.

State Board of Career and Technical Education

• GCS 10 Project Management Credential-New NC Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Initiative The State Board is requested to consider development of this credential in 2010-2011, pilot test 2011-2012, field test 2012-2013, Standard Course of Study 2012-2013, CTE Technical Attainment 2013-2014. North Carolina is a member of a 12-state Consortium in which each state will develop and exchange a series of four courses in an emerging career-focused field. The NC Series is Project Management. Students can earn the certified Associates Degree in Project Management and Microsoft Project software certificate. This will help the students in their post secondary education and careers.

21^st Century Professionals

• TCP 3 2010 Teacher Working Conditions Survey The TWC was conducted in March/April 2010. Further information about the findings from the survey will be presented to the State Board for continued discussion.

Consent Agenda

Globally Competitive Students

• GCS 11 Title III AMAO Status Report for 2009-2010 The State Board is requested to approve by consent a Summary Report of the LEAs receiving Title III funds to meet as series of AMAO (Annual Measurable Objectives) targets. The three objectives include: 1) percent of students who demonstrate progress in at least one of the subtests on the required state identified English Language proficiency test, 2) annual increase in the percentage of students identified as limited English proficient who attain proficiency on required state tests, 3) percent of student in the LEP subgroup meeting its AYP targets. LEAs that do not meet AMAO targets two years in a row will be required to develop a detailed improvement plan as required by NCLB. Twelve districts including most, if not all, of the largest urban districts have missed the AMAOs four consecutive years or more. Wake, Charlotte, Guilford, Forsyth, Durham, Buncombe, and Cumberland are part of the list of the LEAs who have missed targets four consecutive years. If the Title III subgrantee (LEAs) fail to meet AMAO targets four consecutive years, the State Board of Education shall require all Title III groups to modify the curriculum, program, or method of instruction. The complete list of LEAs who missed two, three and four consecutive years can be found in the Executive Summary link at the beginning of this preview.

Business/Finance and Advocacy

• TCS 6 LEA-Wide Calendar Waiver Requests The State Board of Education is requested to approve calendar waivers for 21 LEAs listed in the Executive Summary by consent. The majority of the Districts are from the western part of the state. The LEAs must meet the criteria of being closed two or more hours, eight or more days of school, in four of the last ten years. The law was modified slightly last year to assist several LEAs who had partial days due to snow. All of these LEAs are recommended for approval by consent.

Board Meeting and Committee Chair Reports

Action and Discussion Agenda

Superintendent’s Report

• Dr. June Atkinson

 

Chairman’s Remarks

• Dr. Bill Harrison, Chairman
  • Legislative Update

New Business

Old Business

 

Adjourn

Gov. Perdue Establishes the Governor’s Education Transformation Commission

Gov. Bev Perdue signed Executive Order 65 Monday, establishing the Governor’s Education Transformation Commission which will advise the Governor and provide oversight on the use of the Race to the Top funds and coordinate the use of these funds in order to implement the Career and College: Ready, Set, Go! Initiative across North Carolina.

“Part of my pledge for Ready, Set, Go! is that every student, no matter where he or she lives, will have access to a quality education. The Education Transformation Commission will help to coordinate and streamline efforts toward that goal,” said Perdue.

The Governor appointed Dr. Bill Harrison, chair of the State Board of Education, and the Governor’s Advisor for Education Transformation as the chair of the Commission.

Education Jobs Bill Overview and Highlights

August 13, 2010

President Obama signed into law the Education Jobs Bill on August 10, 2010. The bill sets up a new program to provide $10 billion in funding assistance to the States to save or create education jobs for the 2010-2011 school year. The program is intended to provide jobs in education and education related services for pre-K, elementary, and secondary education.

The program is authorized in Public School Law. No. 111-226. North Carolina is expected to receive $300 million in this program for education jobs.

The funds are to be used for costs that occur beginning August 10, 2010. An LEA that has funds still in their budget at the end of the 2010-2011 school year may use those through September 30, 2012.

The Governor will submit an application no later than September 9, 2010 to obtain the funds. USED expect to award the grants to the States within in two weeks of the Governor’s submission and USED approval of the application.

The State may reserve up to 2 percent of the funding for administrative costs to carry out the requirements of the program. The State must make the awards to the LEA in a timely basis so the funds may be used during the 2010-2011 school year and there are prohibitions in the law for the use of the funds by the State such as the State cannot use the funds to establish, restore or supplement the rainy day fund.

The State must distribute the funds to the LEAs in one of two ways and in cannot combine the two ways. One method is based on the distribution of the ARRA funds and the other based on the LEAs share of the title I funds for the most current year.

The Governor may not tell the LEAs how to use the funds. If the LEAs do not need the funds to recall or rehire former employees they may use the resources to pay for activities such as salaries and benefits for teacher who provide instructional services in after school and extended learning programs.

LEAs may also use the funds to restore salary reductions and implement salary increases. The funds may not be used for any period prior to August 10, 2010. The LEA may not sue the funds for contractual reasons unless the contract is for educational and related services with another LEA and only for salaries and benefits.

Further information can be obtained at the US Dept of Education web site:

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/educationjobsfund/applicant.html

Preview of State Board of Education Agenda

Wednesday & Thursday, August 4/5, 2010

The State Board of Education will meet on Wednesday, August 4, 2010 in committees.  They begin with the Globally Competitive Students Committee, 21^st Century Professionals Committee, Leadership and Innovation Committee, and they finish with the Business/Finance and Advocacy Committee. On Thursday, they meet to vote and to hold a Press Conference on ABC’s/AYP Results. Access to the SBE Executive Committee Summaries and documents are on the SBE website at the following link:

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/meetings/2010/08

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Globally Competitive Students Committee (10:00 AM)

Action and Discussion Agenda

Action on First Reading

• GCS 1 Approval of Providers for Supplemental Education Services for 2010-2011 The State Board is requested to approve the providers for supplemental education services as recommended by DPI. Students attending schools in Title I School Improvement in the second year (third year of missing AYP targets) shall receive supplemental educational services provided with Title I funds. There were 99 applicants for providers. There were 75 recommended for approval. Of those 75, there were 48 For-Profits, 13 Non-Profits, 9 LEAs, and 5 other groups. There were 8 providers in District 3 (Wake) and 26 providers for all the Districts. A copy of the list is available upon request from my office.
• GCS 2 ABC’s/AYP Report for the 2009-2010 School Year (Presented on Thursday) The Board is requested to approve the report. The report will be available electronically Thursday at http://abcs.ncpublicschools.org.

Discussion

• GCS 3 Discussion of North Carolina’s Proposed New Accountability Model The SBE will discuss and provide further guidance to the Department on the new accountability model. The ACRE Assessment and Accountability Committee drafted a proposal for a new accountability model to address both K-8 and high school accountability. Components of the proposed model include student performance, value-added performance for teachers, schools and districts, long-term Longitudinal) growth, graduation rate, Future Ready Core and postsecondary readiness. This item will continue to be a part of the SBE agenda until it is ready for Action.
• GCS 4 K-12 Arts Education and World Languages Essential Standards and Associated Policy Amendment  The State Board will discuss the Essential Standards for K-12 Arts Education and “World Languages” and are requested to update policy GCS-F-009 to change the wording “Second Languages” to “World Languages in the policy.  The Standards are on their final draft 3.0 after having been through three previous revisions. These will be on the agenda for Action in September.  These Standards can be found at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/standards/phase2/.

21^st Century Professionals Committee (1:30 PM)

Action and Discussion Agenda

Discussion

• TCP 1 Approval of Revisioned Teacher Education and School Executive Preparation Programs In 2008 the State Board adopted a new program approval process, and as part of the process institutions of higher education were required to revision their teacher education and school executive programs to meet the new standards and to submit their proposals for their new programs. An initial list was approved in December 2009 and the State Board will review for discussion, an updated list.
• TCP 2 State Evaluation Committee Teacher Education Program Approval Recommendations The State Board will discuss the recommendations related to Montreat College and Peace College for program approval.
• TCP 3 Rubric for Pre-Service Superintendent Programs In the revised program approval process it was determined that the seven-year on-site review cycle will be replaced with an annual review of evidence that candidates recommended for licensure meet the NC Superintendent Standards. McRel has developed an assessment instrument, which will be used to assess both the individuals and the superintendent preparation programs and is aligned with the new evaluation instrument for superintendents. A copy of the Rubric can be viewed online in the SBE meeting packet listed at the beginning of this document.
• TCP 4 Proposed Qualifying Score for Dual Licensure Health and Physical Education Praxis II Test The State Board will discuss the requirement for dual licensure in health and physical education. The recommendation is in response to a provision approved by the Board to allow the Licensure Section to issue a health and physical education license to a physical education teacher who meets certain requirements (as determined by the Board). The licensure provision expires on June 30, 2012. The qualifying scale score of 149 on the Praxis Health and Physical Education: Content Knowledge is recommended. This will be presented for Action in September and will become effective September 2012 upon approval.
• TCP 5 Superintendent Licensure-Policy Language Change and Clarification The State Board will review Policy TCP-A-001 to clarify requirements to obtain a Superintendent’s license, and the requirements to serve as a Superintendent without having direct experience or certification as an educator. The revised policy will be posted online prior to the Board meeting on August 4^th. This item will be on the agenda for Action in September.

Leadership for Innovation Committee (2:30 PM)

Action and Discussion Agenda

Action

• LFI 1 Recommendations for Preliminary Approval of 2010 Charter School Applications The State Board is requested to choose one of the seven finalists for a preliminary charter. The State Board conducted interviews in July, with seven applicants who were chosen as finalists, for the one remaining charter school slot available. These were Bear Grass Charter School, Leadership Learning Academy, Piedmont IT Academy, Richard Milburn Academy, Spruce Pine Montessori, Union Independent School, and Water’s Edge Village Academy.

New Business

• NCVPS/LEO Director’s Report

Business/Finance and Advocacy Committee Meeting (3:10 PM)

Action and Discussion Agenda

Action on First Reading

• TCS 1 Approval of Grants
  • 21^st Century Community Learning Center Grants There are five grant recipients listed in Wake. They include: About Face II, CONCERT, J.T. Locke Resource Center, Inc., Kreepers and Krawlers Learning Center, and O.A.S.I.S Foundation, Inc.
  • Approval of Carl D. Perkins College Tech Prep Grant There are seven Tier I schools/consortia that were not funded previously and who are recommended for funding in 2010-2013. In addition, there are 26 schools/consortia in Tier II recommended for funding in 2010-2013, who were funded in the past eight years. WCPSS is not included in any of these grants.
  • K-2 Reading Diagnostic Assessment Funds for Halifax County and Current Reading First Schools Transferring to Pilot The State Board is asked to approve the allocation of the Reading First funds to be transferred to Halifax and all the Reading First Schools who will become part of the reading pilot. There are seven elementary schools in Halifax that are part of the reading diagnostic pilot this year, using technology and assessment to track student progress. Two other elementary schools were Reading First Schools in Halifax and will become part of the reading pilot in 2010-2011. USED has given permission to use the Reading First funds to purchase the K-2 assessment system with technology that exists in the pilot schools and become part of the pilot. The funds may be used to purchase licenses, platforms, training and benchmarking kits. Every Reading First School was contacted and given the chance to be part of the pilot. The costs to extend the program in the Reading First Schools, who have decided to make the transition, including Halifax are $975,000.
• TCS 2 Legislation Requiring Immediate State Board Attention The State Board will review Senate Bill 897, Appropriations Act of 2010, including the special provisions and to act on these so funds may be redirected or used. SBE will also act to adopt rules for implementation of furloughs for public schools, and act to appoint a task force of members of DPI to create the Comprehensive Arts Education Development Plan for public schools. They will review the required Studies as outlined in House Bill 900 and the budget changes as authorized by the General Assembly, and the impact of those adjustments. Finally they will discuss a listing of non-budget bills ratified during the session that impact public schools. DPI is presenting clarification and rules for the Furlough legislation enacted in the State Budget. Recommendations are as follows: #1: Define Salary-Four specifications including the salary from all  funding sources and all positions worked shall be combined in determining annual salary, #2: Minimum Furlough-Not less than half a day, #3 Days Excluded from the Furlough: No employees can be furloughed on an instructional day in traditional calendar, #4 Definition of Bonus Pay-Defines as compensation over and above the amount of pay as a base salary or hourly rate of pay and is not based on performing additional work (if an administrator is compensated in the from other than salary, this shall not be considered bonus unless it is contingent on a performance measure, #4 Reporting Requirements-LEAs shall report within 10 days of local board approval of the furlough and no later than September 10, 2010.
  • TCS 3 Requests for Repayment Waivers of the National Board Certification Fee The appeals of 24 teachers who failed to complete the process were considered by the Appeals Panel and the Panel’s recommendations will be presented to the State Board for approval. One individual of the 24 was recommended for a waiver of the $2,500 and all other waiver requests are recommended for denial.

Discussion

• TCS 4 Membership for the State Advisory Council on Indian Education The State Board is requested to replace and approve an individual whose term, on the Advisory Council on Indian Education, expired in June 2010. This person, if approved shall serve for two years. The three current members of the Council are also recommended to serve a second term. Angela Lynch is the new member who is replacing an outgoing member. The three recommended for reappointment include; Audrey Hunt, Velina Ebert, and Teresa Jones.

Update on Contracts

Contracts over $25,000 – 27 contracts totaling more than $7 million

Contracts under $25,000 – 23 contracts totaling more than $270,000

New Business

• Update on Timeline for 2011-13 Biennial Budget
• Intern Update-Presentation of Projects/Reports (presented at lunch)
  • The Evolution and use of Growth Models
  • An Introduction to Through-Course Assessment
  • The Effectiveness of State Assistance in Low-Performing High Schools
  • Evaluation Programs for North Carolina’s Gifted Children

Thursday, August 5, 2010

State Board of Education Meeting, (9:00 AM) Dr. William Harrison, Chairman

Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance: Ms. Shirley Harris

Approval of Minutes

Special Recognition

• Ms. Jennifer Facciolini, Sampson County Schools, 2011 NC AT&T Teacher of the Year
• Ms. Jan King, Henderson County Schools, NC Wachovia Principal of the Year

Key Initiatives Reports and Discussion

• ACRE Update- Ms. Angela Quick
  • CEDARS Update-Mr. Adam Levinson

Information Agenda

Globally Competitive Students

• GCS 5 Field Testing and Special Studies for the 2010-2011 School Year The State Board will receive information on the proposed field tests for 2010-2011. They include the following: NCEXTEND 2 EOGs-Math, Reading Science, NCEXTEND 2 EOCs-Math, English II, Biology, EOGs-Science (Grades 5 & 8), Enhanced Assessment Grant-Grade 7-Math, Algebra I,  American Diploma-Algebra II, EOCs-English II, Biology, US History, Civics & Economics, and Lexile Linking Study EOCs-Physical Science, English I, Algebra I, II, Civics & Econ., US History, Biology, LEP-Listening, Reading, Writing, NAEP/TIMSS Linking Study-Math, Science (Grades: 4 and 8).
• GCS 6 Online Course as a Graduation Requirement The State Board will hear information on a plan to require all entering ninth grade students in 2010-2011 to take a virtual on-line course to meet graduation requirements. North Carolina is the State with the second largest enrollment (33,699) in online courses, but does not have a policy requiring an online learning requirement.

Board Meeting and Committee Chair Reports

Action and Discussion Agenda

Superintendent’s Report

• Dr. June Atkinson:

Chairman’s Remarks

• Dr. Bill Harrison, Chairman
  • Legislative Update

New Business

• Approval of the 2011 SBE Meeting Schedule

Old Business

• District and School Transformation Update-Dr. Pat Ashley

Adjourn

Immediately Following the SBE Meeting, a Press Conference will be held to announce the ABCs/AYP results for the 2009-2010 school year.

Summary of 2010 Ratified Legislation: Senate Version

To view entire Bill click on Bill number or title.

SB 66 Comprehensive Arts Education Plan (=H 149) (Dorsett) An Act to provide a Comprehensive Arts Education Plan by appointing a task force.  The task force shall specifically consider policies to implement arts education in the public schools as defined in the existing Basic Education Program under G.S. 115C-81, to include (i) an arts requirement in grades K-5, (ii) availability of all four arts disciplines in grades 6-8, with students required to take at least one arts discipline each school year, and (iii) availability of electives in the arts at the high school level. The task force shall further consider a high school graduation requirement in the arts and the further development of the A+ Schools Program. The task force shall submit its recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee no later than December 1, 2010. Effective July 1, 2010.

SB 704 Reform Low Performing Schools (Glazier) Authorizes the State Board of Education to approve requests of local boards of education to reform continually low-performing schools as either a transformation model, restart model, turnaround model, or school closure model; to define transformation model as a school which increases teacher and school leader effectiveness, creates comprehensive instructional reform strategies, increases learning time, creates community-oriented schools, and provides operational flexibility and sustained support; to define restart model as allowing the school to operate under the same rules as a charter school or under the management of an educational management organization with no increase in the maximum number of charter schools as provided in G.S. 115C-238.29d(b); to define turnaround model as replacing the principal if the principal has been in that position for at least three years and rehiring no more than fifty percent of school staff, adopting a new school governance structure consistent with Article 8b of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes, and implementing an instructional program aligned with the standard course of study; to define school closure model as closing the school consistent with G.S. 115C-72 and enrolling the students in another higher-achieving school in the local school administrative unit consistent with Article 25 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes; and to provide authorization to the State Board to adopt rules and procedures consistent with these defined models; and to implement these models with annual reporting to the State Board of Education from the local school administrative units. Chaptered S.L. 2010-1, May 27, 2010.

SB 897 Appropriations Act of 2010 (Dannelly) Modifies the current Operations and Capital Improvements Appropriations Act of 2009 and for other purposes. This bill was summarized in a budget spreadsheet and in a document entitled Budget Special Provisions, distributed previously. Effective July 1, 2010.

SB 900 Studies Act of 2010 (Rouzer) The Studies Act was summarized in a document entitled Technical Bills and Studies Bill document, distributed previously. It contains fourteen studies that are directly and indirectly related to public schools and education. Please see the bill or the summary document for the complete list. Effective when it becomes law.

SB 1119 Early Education Certification (=H 1783) (Blue) Requires all early care and education providers working in licensed child care centers or licensed family child care homes to obtain and maintain Early Educator Certification. Effective when it becomes law. 

SB 1151 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (=H 1775) (Purcell) Directs the Division of Social Services of the Department of Health and Human Services to examine ways to expand and enhance the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in North Carolina, as recommended by the Legislative Task Force on Childhood Obesity. Effective when it becomes law.

SB 1152 Study Child Nutrition Program (=H 1777) (Purcell) Authorizes the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee to direct the Program Evaluation Division to study indirect costs under Child Nutrition Programs.  Effective when it becomes law.

SB 1165 General Statutes Comm. Technical Corrections (Hartsell) The bill was summarized in the Technical Bills and Studies Bill Summary document, distributed previously. It contains two really technical changes to 115C public school law. Please see the bill or the summary for complete information. Effective when it becomes law.

SB 1198 Education Cabinet Est. STEM Priority (=H 1699) (Swindell) The Education Cabinet shall set as a priority an increase in the number of post-secondary credentials in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and to support efforts to achieve that priority, as recommended by the Joint Legislative Joining Our Businesses and Schools (JOBS) Study Commission. Effective July 1, 2010.

SB 1199 Establish a Regional School Planning Commission (=H 1724) (Swindell) An act to create the agriscience and biotechnology regional school planning commission to develop and plan a regional school of agriscience and biotechnology. Effective when it becomes law.

SB 1201 Add’l Flex/ Coop. Innov. High School (=H 1719) (Swindell) Provides additional operating flexibility to Cooperative Innovative High Schools, as recommended by the Joint Legislative Joining Our Business and Schools (JOBS) Study Commission. Effective with the 2010-2011 school year.

SB 1202 Budget Technical Corrections (Swindell) The bill was summarized in the Technical Bills and Studies Bill Summary document distributed previously. There are five budget technical changes included in this bill that impact public schools directly and indirectly. Please see the bill or the summary for complete information. Effective July 1, 2010.

SB 1210 Increase Licensure Fees/Athletic Trainers (Hoyle) Authorizes the North Carolina Board of Athletic Trainer Examiners to increase licensure fees under the Athletic Trainers Licensing Act.  The fees are increased for issuance ($200), renewal ($75.00), and reinstatement ($100). Effective when it becomes law.

SB 1212 Local Gov’t Other Post-Employment Benefits (Clodfelter) Repeals the Local Government Other Post-employment Benefits (OPEB) Fund and to allow each unit of Local Government including local school administrative units to establish a separate OPEB Fund that may then be invested by the Department of State Treasurer. Effective July 1, 2010.

SB 1242 Clarifying Changes to General Statutes (Graham) The bill was summarized in the Technical Bills and Studies Bill Summary document, distributed previously. It does not include any changes directly impacting public schools. Public school statute changes become effective when it becomes law.

SB 1244 SBOE Members Ex Officio to Econ. Dev. Com. (=H 1826) (Swindell) Adds State Board of Education members as non-voting Ex Officio Members of the Commission for each of the seven economic development regions, and adds the Secretary of the Department of Cultural Resources as a non-voting Ex Officio Member of the Economic Development Board.  Effective when it becomes law.

SB 1246 Four Year Co-Hort Graduation Rate (=H 1877) (Davis) Directs the State Board of Education to develop a growth model for establishing short-term annual goals for improving the four-year cohort graduation rate and establishes a long-term goal of increasing the statewide four-year cohort graduation rate. The bill also allows military dependents whose parents are deployed to attend school before the age of five in North Carolina if eligible in the state where the child’s parent is permanently stationed.  Effective when it becomes law.

SB 1248 Early Identification and Intervention for At-Risk Students (=H 1875) (Davis) Local school administrative units shall identify students at risk of academic failure and not making progress toward graduation no later than the fourth grade, and provide personal education plans for those students. Requires local school administrative units to certify compliance annually to the State Board of Education, and to require the State Board of Education to periodically review data on the progress of identified students and report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. Effective when it becomes law.

SB 1251 State Health Plan/Treat Teachers Equitably (=H 1853) (Blue) An Act to grant the same health benefit coverage currently provided to other state employees to teachers who have worked a full school year but it will not provide non-contributory Health benefit coverage to former state employees who are provided non-contributory health benefit coverage by a subsequent employer. Health plan coverage will be provided to employees who have completed a contract term of employment of 10 or 11 months and whose employing unit is a local school administrative unit, and whose jobs are eliminated, because of a reduction, in the funds used to support the job or its responsibilities, provided the employees were covered by the Plan at the time of separation from service resulting from a job elimination. Effective May 1, 2010.

SB 1392 State Health Plans/Court Ordered Guardianships (=H 1991) (McKissick) Allows State employees to enroll children for which they are court-appointed guardians as dependents in the North Carolina State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees.  Dependent child also includes a child for which an employee is a court-appointed guardian, as long as the employee is legally responsible for the child’s maintenance and support. Effective July 1, 2010.

SJR 1462 Sine Die Adjournment Resolution A joint resolution setting the time for adjournment of the 2010 General Assembly and to convene the 2011 Regular Session of the General Assembly on January 26, 2011. Effective July 10, 2010.