| 14 | | - | FOR TEACHERS TEACHIN G UNDER A LIMITED LICENSE, TO ESTABLISH THE 3 |
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| 15 | | - | TEACHER APPRENTICESH IP PROGRAM, TO REPUR POSE FUNDS FROM THE 4 |
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| 16 | | - | TEACHER APPRENTICE G RANT PROGRAM FOR THE TEACHER 5 |
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| 17 | | - | APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, AND TO REQUIRE THE BOARD OF GOVERNOR S 6 |
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| 18 | | - | OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND THE STATE BOARD OF 7 |
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| 19 | | - | COMMUNITY COLLEGES T O DEVELOP AN EXPEDIT ED TEACHER PIPELINE 8 |
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| 20 | | - | PATHWAY. 9 |
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| 21 | | - | The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 10 |
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| 22 | | - | 11 |
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| 23 | | - | PART I. CONVERTING A LIMITED LICENSE TO A CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL 12 |
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| 24 | | - | LICENSE 13 |
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| 25 | | - | SECTION 1. G.S. 115C-270.15 reads as rewritten: 14 |
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| 26 | | - | "§ 115C-270.15. Examination requirements. 15 |
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| 27 | | - | … 16 |
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| 28 | | - | (e) Conversion to Continuing Professional License. – The Except as provided in 17 |
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| 29 | | - | subsection (f) of this section, the State Board shall not convert an IPL or RL IPL, RL, or limited 18 |
|---|
| 30 | | - | license to a continuing professional license for a teacher who has not fulfilled the examination 19 |
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| 31 | | - | requirements of this section. 20 |
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| 32 | | - | (f) Waiver of Examination Requirements for Certain Individuals with Limited Licenses. 21 |
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| 33 | | - | – The State Board shall convert a limited license to a continuing professional license for a teacher 22 |
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| 34 | | - | who has available growth data under the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS) 23 |
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| 35 | | - | and has a positive growth score for two of the three most recent years for which growth scores 24 |
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| 36 | | - | are available." 25 |
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| 37 | | - | 26 |
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| 38 | | - | PART II. TEACHER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM 27 |
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| 39 | | - | SECTION 2.(a) Article 17D of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by 28 |
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| 40 | | - | adding a new section to read: 29 |
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| 41 | | - | "§ 115C-269.33. Teacher Apprenticeship Program. 30 |
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| 42 | | - | (a) Definitions. – The following definitions shall apply in this section: 31 |
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| 43 | | - | (1) Advanced Teaching Roles unit. – As defined in G.S. 115C-310.3(6). 32 |
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| 44 | | - | (2) Apprentice. – A person who is employed as an apprentice by an apprenticeship 33 |
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| 45 | | - | employer and meets all of the following criteria: 34 |
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| 46 | | - | a. Holds a bachelor's degree. 35 |
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| 47 | | - | b. Is eligible to hold or holds one of the following: 36 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 |
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| 48 | | - | Page 2 Senate Bill 508-Second Edition |
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| 49 | | - | 1. An emergency license. 1 |
|---|
| 50 | | - | 2. A residency license. 2 |
|---|
| 51 | | - | 3. A permit to teach issued by the Department in accordance with 3 |
|---|
| 52 | | - | rules adopted by the State Board of Education. 4 |
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| 53 | | - | c. Submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 5 |
|---|
| 54 | | - | (3) Apprenticeship employer. – An Advanced Teaching Roles unit that meets all 6 |
|---|
| 55 | | - | of the following criteria: 7 |
|---|
| 56 | | - | a. Has a registered apprenticeship program under requirements 8 |
|---|
| 57 | | - | established by the United States Department of Labor. 9 |
|---|
| 58 | | - | b. Employs apprentices under the Program. 10 |
|---|
| 59 | | - | (4) Department. – The Department of Public Instruction. 11 |
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| 60 | | - | (5) Program. – The Teacher Apprenticeship Program. 12 |
|---|
| 61 | | - | (6) RFP. – Request for proposals. 13 |
|---|
| 62 | | - | (b) Program Established; Purpose. – There is established the Teacher Apprenticeship 14 |
|---|
| 63 | | - | Program as a competitive grant program for the purpose of increasing the number of 15 |
|---|
| 64 | | - | professionally licensed teachers in the State and improving teacher competency, student 16 |
|---|
| 65 | | - | outcomes, and teacher retention in the State. The Department of Public Instruction shall 17 |
|---|
| 66 | | - | administer the Program in collaboration with ApprenticeshipNC as set forth in this section. 18 |
|---|
| 67 | | - | (c) Request for Proposals. – No later than November 1 of each year, ApprenticeshipNC 19 |
|---|
| 68 | | - | shall issue an RFP for the Program. Advanced Teaching Roles units may submit proposals by 20 |
|---|
| 69 | | - | January 1 of the following calendar year. Proposals shall include at least the following 21 |
|---|
| 70 | | - | information: 22 |
|---|
| 71 | | - | (1) A plan to establish a registered teacher apprenticeship program in 23 |
|---|
| 72 | | - | collaboration with ApprenticeshipNC, including at least the following 24 |
|---|
| 73 | | - | information: 25 |
|---|
| 74 | | - | a. The number of apprentices the unit intends to employ using grant 26 |
|---|
| 75 | | - | funds for State-funded salary supplements, State-funded enrollment 27 |
|---|
| 76 | | - | expenses, or both. 28 |
|---|
| 77 | | - | b. Specific subject areas and grade levels in the local school 29 |
|---|
| 78 | | - | administrative unit with teacher shortages. 30 |
|---|
| 79 | | - | (2) A system of supports that would be provided for apprentices, including 31 |
|---|
| 80 | | - | qualifications of mentor teachers and a schedule of supervision. 32 |
|---|
| 81 | | - | (3) Alternative sources of funding to support apprenticeships that could be paired 33 |
|---|
| 82 | | - | with State funds received under the Program, including federal workforce 34 |
|---|
| 83 | | - | development funds. 35 |
|---|
| 84 | | - | (4) An explanation of how the unit would incorporate its registered teacher 36 |
|---|
| 85 | | - | apprenticeship program with its advanced teaching roles program to enhance 37 |
|---|
| 86 | | - | the learning environment for apprentices. 38 |
|---|
| 87 | | - | (5) Strategies to encourage candidates to accept an apprenticeship instead of 39 |
|---|
| 88 | | - | directly entering the teacher profession on a Residency License, Emergency 40 |
|---|
| 89 | | - | License, or permit to teach. 41 |
|---|
| 90 | | - | (d) Selection of Recipients. – By March 15 of each school year in which proposals are 42 |
|---|
| 91 | | - | submitted, ApprenticeshipNC shall review the proposals and select local school administrative 43 |
|---|
| 92 | | - | units to participate in the Program, beginning in the subsequent school year. ApprenticeshipNC 44 |
|---|
| 93 | | - | shall notify the Department of its selections, and the Department shall allocate funds to the 45 |
|---|
| 94 | | - | selected Advanced Teaching Roles units in accordance with subsection (e) of this section. 46 |
|---|
| 95 | | - | (e) Allocation of State Grant Funds. – To the extent funds are appropriated by the General 47 |
|---|
| 96 | | - | Assembly for this purpose, the Department shall allocate the funds for grants to apprenticeship 48 |
|---|
| 97 | | - | employers based on the number of apprentices the unit intends to employ receiving grant funds 49 |
|---|
| 98 | | - | for State-funded salary supplements, State-funded enrollment expenses, or both, up to a 50 |
|---|
| 99 | | - | maximum of 10 total apprentices per unit, as follows: 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 |
|---|
| 100 | | - | Senate Bill 508-Second Edition Page 3 |
|---|
| 101 | | - | (1) Up to seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) per apprentice per year, 1 |
|---|
| 102 | | - | plus any additional funds necessary for benefits, to provide salary supplements 2 |
|---|
| 103 | | - | for apprentices in accordance subdivision (3) of subsection (f) of this section. 3 |
|---|
| 104 | | - | (2) Up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) per apprentice per year for the costs of 4 |
|---|
| 105 | | - | enrollment of an apprentice in an institution of higher education in accordance 5 |
|---|
| 106 | | - | with subdivision (5) of subsection (f) of this section. 6 |
|---|
| 107 | | - | (f) Program Requirements. – The following minimum requirements shall apply to 7 |
|---|
| 108 | | - | apprentices and apprenticeship employers under the Program: 8 |
|---|
| 109 | | - | (1) Number of apprentices. – An apprenticeship employer shall employ no more 9 |
|---|
| 110 | | - | than a maximum of 10 total apprentices who receive grant funds for 10 |
|---|
| 111 | | - | State-funded salary supplements, State-funded enrollment expenses, or both. 11 |
|---|
| 112 | | - | An apprenticeship employer may employ additional apprentices receiving 12 |
|---|
| 113 | | - | funds for salary supplements or education expenses from other sources. 13 |
|---|
| 114 | | - | (2) Funds for positions. – An apprenticeship employer may employ apprentices 14 |
|---|
| 115 | | - | using State funds allotted for teacher assistant positions, with roles and 15 |
|---|
| 116 | | - | responsibilities modified to meet the requirements of the Program, or other 16 |
|---|
| 117 | | - | available funds. 17 |
|---|
| 118 | | - | (3) Salary supplements. – As follows: 18 |
|---|
| 119 | | - | a. An apprenticeship employer shall provide the following salary 19 |
|---|
| 120 | | - | supplements: 20 |
|---|
| 121 | | - | 1. For each apprentice, up to a maximum of seven thousand five 21 |
|---|
| 122 | | - | hundred dollars ($7,500) per apprentice. 22 |
|---|
| 123 | | - | 2. For each mentor teacher, up to a maximum of five thousand 23 |
|---|
| 124 | | - | dollars ($5,000) per mentor teacher. 24 |
|---|
| 125 | | - | b. An apprenticeship employer may provide a salary supplement for any 25 |
|---|
| 126 | | - | other teacher employed by the local school administrative unit who 26 |
|---|
| 127 | | - | agrees to become the teacher of record for additional students to 27 |
|---|
| 128 | | - | facilitate the operation of the registered apprenticeship program in that 28 |
|---|
| 129 | | - | unit, up to a maximum of three thousand dollars ($3,000). 29 |
|---|
| 130 | | - | (4) Mentors. – Each apprentice shall work full time in a classroom with a mentor 30 |
|---|
| 131 | | - | teacher who is a member of a team of teachers that is led by a teacher with an 31 |
|---|
| 132 | | - | advanced teaching role. For purposes of this subdivision, a mentor teacher 32 |
|---|
| 133 | | - | may include a classroom excellence teacher as defined in G.S. 115C-310.3(7). 33 |
|---|
| 134 | | - | (5) Enrollment costs. – An apprentice shall enroll in or remain enrolled in a 34 |
|---|
| 135 | | - | recognized educator preparation program. An apprenticeship employer may 35 |
|---|
| 136 | | - | provide up to a maximum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) per apprentice per 36 |
|---|
| 137 | | - | year for the costs of enrollment in an institution of higher education. These 37 |
|---|
| 138 | | - | funds shall only be used after the apprentice has exhausted all other 38 |
|---|
| 139 | | - | scholarships or grants covering the cost of attendance at an institution of 39 |
|---|
| 140 | | - | higher education, including federal Pell grants. 40 |
|---|
| 141 | | - | (6) Limitations. – An apprentice shall not do any of the following: 41 |
|---|
| 142 | | - | a. Serve as the teacher of record for any students. 42 |
|---|
| 143 | | - | b. Engage in substitute teaching for more than eight hours per week. 43 |
|---|
| 144 | | - | c. Work as an apprentice for more than three years. 44 |
|---|
| 145 | | - | (g) Term. – The Department shall award grant funds to selected Advanced Teaching 45 |
|---|
| 146 | | - | Roles units to serve as apprenticeship employers for one or more terms of three years. Prior to 46 |
|---|
| 147 | | - | the conclusion of a term, ApprenticeshipNC shall evaluate the success of the Program at the unit 47 |
|---|
| 148 | | - | and the compliance of the unit with the requirements of this section. At the conclusion of the 48 |
|---|
| 149 | | - | evaluation, ApprenticeshipNC may, in its discretion, renew the apprenticeship employer for an 49 |
|---|
| 150 | | - | additional term. Throughout the Program, an apprenticeship employer shall provide any 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 |
|---|
| 151 | | - | Page 4 Senate Bill 508-Second Edition |
|---|
| 152 | | - | information or access requested by ApprenticeshipNC to evaluate the registered apprenticeship 1 |
|---|
| 153 | | - | program pursuant to this section. 2 |
|---|
| 154 | | - | (h) Emergency Position Conversion. – Notwithstanding G.S. 115C-105.25(b), an 3 |
|---|
| 155 | | - | apprenticeship employer may convert one position allocated to the unit for classroom teachers to 4 |
|---|
| 156 | | - | its dollar equivalent at the salary on the first step of the "A" Teachers Salary Schedule for every 5 |
|---|
| 157 | | - | one apprentice employed by the unit who is receiving State grant funds if all of the following are 6 |
|---|
| 158 | | - | met: 7 |
|---|
| 159 | | - | (1) The apprentice receiving State grant funds would have been eligible to fill the 8 |
|---|
| 160 | | - | vacant position using a residency license, emergency license, or permit to 9 |
|---|
| 161 | | - | teach but was instead hired into the apprentice position. 10 |
|---|
| 162 | | - | (2) The funds are only used for one or more of the following purposes in 11 |
|---|
| 163 | | - | accordance with the requirements of the Program: 12 |
|---|
| 164 | | - | a. Salary supplements for apprentices. 13 |
|---|
| 165 | | - | b. Salary supplements for mentor teachers. 14 |
|---|
| 166 | | - | c. Costs of enrollment in an institution of higher education. 15 |
|---|
| 167 | | - | d. Salary supplements for teachers identified in sub-subdivision b. of 16 |
|---|
| 168 | | - | subdivision (3) of subsection (f) of this section. 17 |
|---|
| 169 | | - | (i) Administration. – Of the funds appropriated to the Department of Public Instruction 18 |
|---|
| 170 | | - | for the Program for each fiscal year, the Department shall allocate the greater of fifteen percent 19 |
|---|
| 171 | | - | (15%) or three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) to ApprenticeshipNC to do all of the 20 |
|---|
| 172 | | - | following in consultation with the Department: 21 |
|---|
| 173 | | - | (1) Outline the duties and responsibilities of apprentices, including on-the-job 22 |
|---|
| 174 | | - | training requirements. 23 |
|---|
| 175 | | - | (2) Collaborate with recognized educator preparation programs to establish 24 |
|---|
| 176 | | - | education requirements for apprentices and revise curriculum requirements 25 |
|---|
| 177 | | - | for student teaching to include apprenticeships under the Program. 26 |
|---|
| 178 | | - | (3) Create minimum competencies for apprentices that reflect the progressive 27 |
|---|
| 179 | | - | acquisition of ability. 28 |
|---|
| 180 | | - | (4) Create resources that can be used by apprenticeship employers to select and 29 |
|---|
| 181 | | - | train mentor teachers, including the responsibilities of a mentor teacher and 30 |
|---|
| 182 | | - | background information on teacher apprenticeship programs. 31 |
|---|
| 183 | | - | (5) Develop a process to monitor apprentices in their first years of teaching after 32 |
|---|
| 184 | | - | successful completion of the Program to evaluate the qualities of teacher 33 |
|---|
| 185 | | - | candidates that correlate to successful outcomes and lower teacher turnover 34 |
|---|
| 186 | | - | rates. 35 |
|---|
| 187 | | - | (6) Assist apprenticeship employers with the following: 36 |
|---|
| 188 | | - | a. Combining State and federal funds to maximize the number of 37 |
|---|
| 189 | | - | apprentices in the Program. 38 |
|---|
| 190 | | - | b. Complying with applicable State and federal law. 39 |
|---|
| 191 | | - | (7) Develop a training module for mentor teachers that establishes standards for 40 |
|---|
| 192 | | - | mentor teachers under the Program and incorporates, where applicable, any 41 |
|---|
| 193 | | - | preexisting standards for mentor teachers. 42 |
|---|
| 194 | | - | (j) Report. – No later than March 15 of each year, ApprenticeshipNC shall report to the 43 |
|---|
| 195 | | - | Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the Program, including at least the 44 |
|---|
| 196 | | - | following information: 45 |
|---|
| 197 | | - | (1) The impact of the Program for each apprenticeship employer on the following: 46 |
|---|
| 198 | | - | a. The number of teachers, disaggregated by licensure type. 47 |
|---|
| 199 | | - | b. Student outcomes. 48 |
|---|
| 200 | | - | c. Teacher retention. 49 |
|---|
| 201 | | - | (2) Successful strategies and best practices used by apprenticeship employers. 50 |
|---|
| 202 | | - | (3) Any barriers to expanding the Program." 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 |
|---|
| 203 | | - | Senate Bill 508-Second Edition Page 5 |
|---|
| 204 | | - | SECTION 2.(b) G.S. 115C-269.32 is repealed. 1 |
|---|
| 205 | | - | SECTION 2.(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or a provision of the 2 |
|---|
| 206 | | - | Committee Report described in Section 43.2 of S.L. 2023-134 to the contrary, of the one million 3 |
|---|
| 207 | | - | dollars ($1,000,000) in recurring funds allocated for the Teacher Apprentice Grant Program 4 |
|---|
| 208 | | - | pursuant to G.S. 115C-269.32, beginning in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, these funds shall instead 5 |
|---|
| 209 | | - | be used for the Teacher Apprenticeship Program established pursuant to subsection (a) of this 6 |
|---|
| 210 | | - | section. 7 |
|---|
| 211 | | - | SECTION 2.(d) This section becomes effective July 1, 2025. ApprenticeshipNC 8 |
|---|
| 212 | | - | shall issue the initial request for proposals pursuant to G.S. 115C-269.33, as enacted by 9 |
|---|
| 213 | | - | subsection (a) of this section, by November 1, 2025, for applications from local school 10 |
|---|
| 214 | | - | administrative units to establish registered teacher apprenticeship programs beginning in the 11 |
|---|
| 215 | | - | 2026-2027 school year. Notwithstanding G.S. 115C-269.33(j), as enacted by subsection (a) of 12 |
|---|
| 216 | | - | this section, ApprenticeshipNC shall provide its initial report on the impact of the Teacher 13 |
|---|
| 217 | | - | Apprenticeship Program by March 15, 2027. 14 |
|---|
| 218 | | - | 15 |
|---|
| 219 | | - | PART III. EXPEDITED TEACHER PIPELINE PAT HWAY STUDY 16 |
|---|
| 220 | | - | SECTION 3. No later than February 15, 2026, the Board of Governors of The 17 |
|---|
| 221 | | - | University of North Carolina, in collaboration with the State Board of Community Colleges, shall 18 |
|---|
| 222 | | - | report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on a plan for an expedited pathway 19 |
|---|
| 223 | | - | for North Carolina high school students to enter the teaching profession. The plan shall include 20 |
|---|
| 224 | | - | at least the following components: 21 |
|---|
| 225 | | - | (1) Options for an accelerated transition pathway that allows high school students 22 |
|---|
| 226 | | - | to earn college credits leading to a teaching license while participating in 23 |
|---|
| 227 | | - | structured, paid, or other experiential learning in the classroom, including 24 |
|---|
| 228 | | - | applicable program design and sequencing components needed to achieve that 25 |
|---|
| 229 | | - | goal. 26 |
|---|
| 230 | | - | (2) Maximize usage and transferability of at least the following coursework 27 |
|---|
| 231 | | - | completion opportunities: 28 |
|---|
| 232 | | - | a. College transfer pathways provided through the Career and College 29 |
|---|
| 233 | | - | Promise Program that support entry into a recognized educator 30 |
|---|
| 234 | | - | preparation program. 31 |
|---|
| 235 | | - | b. Community college coursework leading to completion of an associate 32 |
|---|
| 236 | | - | degree related to teacher preparation. 33 |
|---|
| 237 | | - | c. Online or asynchronous coursework provided at a constituent 34 |
|---|
| 238 | | - | institution of The University of North Carolina leading to a bachelor's 35 |
|---|
| 239 | | - | degree. 36 |
|---|
| 240 | | - | d. Enrollment in an associate degree program or a bachelor's degree 37 |
|---|
| 241 | | - | program while serving (i) as a full-time employee in a public school 38 |
|---|
| 242 | | - | unit and (ii) as a teacher assistant or apprentice in a registered 39 |
|---|
| 243 | | - | apprenticeship program pursuant to G.S. 115C-269.33, as enacted by 40 |
|---|
| 244 | | - | Section 2(a) of this act. 41 |
|---|
| 245 | | - | (3) Any legislative changes or appropriations needed to implement the plan. 42 |
|---|
| 246 | | - | 43 |
|---|
| 247 | | - | PART IV. EFFECTIVE DATE 44 |
|---|
| 248 | | - | SECTION 4. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 45 |
|---|
| 249 | | - | law. Section 1 of this act applies to limited licenses expiring on or after that date. 46 |
|---|
| 14 | + | FOR TEACHERS TEACHING UNDER A LIMITED LICENSE. 3 |
|---|
| 15 | + | The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4 |
|---|
| 16 | + | SECTION 1. G.S. 115C-270.30(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 5 |
|---|
| 17 | + | "(7) A teacher on a limited license that is expiring who has available growth data 6 |
|---|
| 18 | + | under the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS) may convert 7 |
|---|
| 19 | + | the license to a continuing professional license if they have a positive average 8 |
|---|
| 20 | + | growth score for two of the three most recent years. For teachers who have a 9 |
|---|
| 21 | + | negative average growth score but still maintain the level of meets expected 10 |
|---|
| 22 | + | growth, the employing local board of education may request a renewal of the 11 |
|---|
| 23 | + | limited license in accordance with subdivision (6) of this subsection." 12 |
|---|
| 24 | + | SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to limited licenses 13 |
|---|
| 25 | + | expiring on or after that date. 14 |
|---|