In the Spotlight
North Carolina General Assembly
2008 Session
September, 2008
Education LegislationNorth Carolina General Assembly
Education Team – Research Division
Shirley Iorio Sara Kamprath
Drupti Chauhan Kara McCraw
Dee Atkinson
Education Team – Fiscal Research Division
Jennifer Haygood Richard Bostic
Kristopher Nordstrom Brian Matteson3 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Introduction
The North Carolina General Assembly convened on May 13, 2008, and
adjourned on July 18, 2008.
This document includes summaries of selected enacted legislation from the
2008 General Assembly Session that pertain to education. The format was
chosen so that the information can be used as speaker’s notes with supporting
detail, or readily reproduced as a visual presentation.
This document is organized into 5 parts: Public Schools, Higher Education,
Community Colleges, Universities, and Studies. Within those parts, the slides are
arranged in numerical session law order.
Additional summary information is available in the Research Division’s
Summaries publication which is available at the General Assembly’s website:
http://www.ncleg.net/.4 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Contents
􀁺􇩋
K-12 EducationPage
•
Board Certified Teachers Serve as Full-Time 11
Mentors
•
Students With Disabilities & Special Education 12
Changes
•
Funds to Implement the ABCs of Public Education 14
•
Allotment for Mentoring Services 16
•
Dropout Prevention Grants/Committee on Dropout 18
Prevention/Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout
Prevention and High School Graduation
•
Plant Operation Funding 215 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Contents
􀁺􇩋
K-12 EducationPage
•
Increases in Student Population Due to Base 22
Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Activity
•
Jessica Lunsford Act of North Carolina 23
•
School Bus Exempt from Duplicate Inspection 25
•
Children With Disabilities in Residential 26
Treatment Program
•
Interstate Compact/Education of Military Children 28
•
Some Personal Leave Time/No Penalty 31
􀁺􇩐
Public School Appropriations336 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Contents
􀁺􇩈
Higher EducationPage
•
Student Loan Repayment for NC Guard Members 38
•
Private College Student Eligibility for EARN 39
Scholarships
•
Fee Waiver/UNC and Community Colleges 40 7 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Contents
􀁺􇩃
Community CollegesPage
•
Community Colleges/Tobacco Free 42
•
Consolidate Workforce Development Programs 43
•
Clarify Use of Fees Collected for GED Testing 44
•
No Fees for First Aid Courses Taken by School 45
Employee
•
Students in the Gateway to College Program 46
May Enroll in Developmental Course
􀁺􇩃
Community College Appropriations488 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Contents
􀁺􇩕
UniversitiesPage
•
Closing the Achievement Gap/Grants 51
•
Optional Scholarship for Certain Graduates of the 54
Principal Fellows Program
•
UNC Enrollment Growth Request 56
•
Legislative Tuition Grant/Redefine Part-Time 57
Student
•
Biennial Projection of UNC Enrollment Growth 58
•
School of Arts/Name Change 60
􀁺􇩕
University Appropriations629 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Contents
􀁺􇩓
StudiesPage
•
Higher Education Civic Education Study Commission 67
•
Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee 68
•
Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight 70
Committee
•
Joint legislative Study Committee on Public School 72
Funding Formulas
•
Department of Public Instruction 73
•
State Board of Education 74
•
Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina 75In the Spotlight
K-12
Education11 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Board Certified Teachers Serve as Full-Time Mentors S.L. 2008-86 (HB 2360)
􀁺􇩁
Allows a local board of education to assign to serve as full-time mentors the greater of 5 or 5% of the number of National Board Certified teachers it has employed during the school year immediately preceding the assignment of teachers as full-time mentors.
􀁺􇩒
Requires the State Board of Education to monitor and assess the effectiveness and impact of allowing National Board Certified teachers to serve in this capacity and report its findings to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee prior to April 15, 2010.
􀁺􇩅
Effective July 1, 2008.12 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Students with Disabilities and Special Education Changes S.L. 2008-90 (HB 12)
􀁺􇩁
Amends the definition of “educational services”so that behavior intervention services that are provided as a part of the “educational services”are provided to the extent required by federal law.
􀁺􇩁
Allows the continued appropriateness of the homebound instruction for discipline purposes of a student with disabilities to be evaluated monthly by a designee of the student’s IEP team rather than by the head of the IEP team.13 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Students with Disabilities and Special Education Changes (Cont’d.) S.L. 2008-90 (HB 12)
􀁺􇩁
Adds a protection for children not yet determined eligible for special education by establishing a basis of knowledge for when a child is a child with a disability.
􀁺􇩒
Requires the Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education to report by January 15, 2011 on the number of contested cases that are filed as a result of the legislation and the disposition of those cases.
􀁺􇩅
Effective July 11, 2008. The provision that adds a protection for children not yet determined eligible for special education becomes effective January 1, 2009 and expires on March 1, 2011.14 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 7.3 –Funds to Implement the ABCs of Public Education.
•
Requires that the State Board of Education use the funds appropriated for State Aid to Local School Administrative Units to provide incentive funding for schools that met or exceeded the projected levels of improvement in student performance for the 2007- 2008 school year in accordance with the ABCs of Public Education Program.
•
Requires the State Board of Education to limit the amount expended for the Program to the average expenditure over the last 11 years ($94,325,612).15 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 7.3 –Funds to Implement the ABCs of Public Education (cont’d.).
•
Allows the State Board of Education to use funds appropriated to the State Public School Fund to implement the consolidated assistance program and report any restructuring of the consolidated assistance program to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by January 15, 2009.
•
Effective July 1, 2008.16 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 7.8 –Allotment for Mentoring Services.
•
Requires the State Board of Education to allot mentoring services funds to LEAs based on the highest number of employees in the preceding three years who are both i) paid with State, federal, or local funds, and ii) either teachers paid on the first or second step of the teacher salary schedule or instructional support personnel paid on the first step of the instructional support personnel salary schedule.17 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 7.8 –Allotment for Mentoring Services (cont’d.).
•
Requires LEAs to use the funds to provide mentoring support to eligible employees in accordance with a plan approved by the State Board. The plan must include information on adequate training for mentors.
•
Effective July 1, 2008.18 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436) and S.L. 2008-181 (HB 2431)
􀁺􇩓
Sections 7.14 and 7.14A of S.L. 2008-107, as amended by S.L. 2008-118, Sec. 1.3(c) (HB 2438), and Part XXXV of S.L. 2008-181–Dropout Prevention Grants/Committee on Dropout Prevention/Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation.
•
Reestablishes the Committee on Dropout Prevention to determine which local school administrative units, schools, agencies, and nonprofits will receive dropout prevention grants, the amount of each grant, and eligible uses of the grant funding.
•
Requires the Committee to evaluate the impact of the grants awarded under S.L. 2007-323 and under S.L. 2008- 107.19 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436) and S.L. 2008-181 (HB 2431)
􀁺􇩓
Sections 7.14 and 7.14A of S.L. 2008-107, as amended by S.L. 2008-118, Sec. 1.3(c) (HB 2438), and Part XXXV of S.L. 2008-181–Dropout Prevention Grants/Committee on Dropout Prevention/Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation (cont’d.).
•
Requires the Committee on Dropout Prevention and the grant recipients to meet several reporting requirements.
•
Requires the Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation to study the development of an effective network for the purpose of sharing best practices among grant recipients, public schools, and other interested organizations.20 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436) and S.L. 2008-181 (HB 2431)
􀁺􇩓
Sections 7.14 and 7.14A of S.L. 2008-107, as amended by S.L. 2008-118, Sec. 1.3(c) (HB 2438), and Part XXXV of S.L. 2008-181–Dropout Prevention Grants/Committee on Dropout Prevention/Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation (cont’d.).
•
Requires the Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation to submit interim and final reports to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the General Assembly.
•
Effective July 1, 2008. Part XXXV of S.L. 2008-181 that provides for the interim and final reports by the Commission became effective August 4, 2008.21 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 7.18 –Plant Operation Funding.
•
Allows the State Board of Education to allocate up to $1,000,000 per year from the Public School Capital Building Fund to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI).
•
Directs that these funds be used by the Plant Operation Section of the School Support Division to assist each LEA with effective energy and environmental management, effective water management, hazardous material management, clean air quality and engineering support.
•
Requires DPI to report annually to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by April 15 on the effectiveness of the program
•
Effective July 1, 2008.22 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 7.23 –Increases in Student Population Due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Activity.
•
Requires the State Board of Education to allot additional teachers to a LEA if a LEA employs more classroom teachers than are allotted to it due to a projected increase in student population resulting from BRAC activity.
•
Requires the Department of Public Instruction to notify (on or before the distribution of the initial allotments) each impacted LEA of the BRAC population increase that exceeds the allotted ADM.
•
Effective July 1, 2008.23 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Jessica Lunsford Act for North Carolina S.L. 2008-117, Secs. 12.1 and 21 (HB 933)
􀁺􇩁
Authorizes local boards of education to expel students subject to the criminal statute prohibiting sex offenders on certain premises. A local board of education’s decision to expel a student must be based on clear and convincing evidence and prior to ordering the expulsion, the local board of education must consider whether there is an alternative program that can be offered by the LEA to provide educational serves to the student. If the educational services are provided on school property, the student must be under supervision of school personnel at all times.24 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Jessica Lunsford Act for North Carolina (Cont’d.) S.L. 2008-117, Secs. 12.1 and 21 (HB 933)
􀁺􇩄
Directs local boards of education to require that employers of contractual personnel conduct annual checks of the contractual personnel in sex offender registries. As a term of any contract, a local board of education must prohibit any contractual personnel listed on the registry from having direct interaction with students.
􀁺􇩅
Effective December 1, 2008.25 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
School Bus Exempt from Duplicate Inspection S.L. 2008-172 (HB 2265)
􀁺􇩅
Exempts school buses that are titled to a local board of education and that are subject to inspection requirements adopted by the State Board of Education from annual safety inspections required by the motor vehicle laws.
􀁺􇩅
Effective August 4, 2008.26 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Children with Disabilities in Residential Treatment Program S.L. 2008-174 (HB 2306)
􀁺􇩒
Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to determine the agency responsible for providing special education and related services to children with disabilities placed in private psychiatric residential treatment facilities by public agencies other than the local educational agency.27 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Children with Disabilities in Residential Treatment Program (Cont’d.) S.L. 2008-174 (HB 2306)
􀁺􇩒
Requires SBE and DHHS to report the determination of the responsible agency and any recommended legislation or policy changes to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services by January 1, 2009.
􀁺􇩅
Effective August 4, 2008.28 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Interstate Compact/Education of Military Children S.L. 2008-185 (SB 1541)
􀁺􇩃
Creates a new Article 29B in Chapter 115C to enact the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.
􀁺􇩓
States that the purpose of the Compact is to remove educational barriers for children of military families due to frequent moves and parental deployment by facilitating enrollment, record transfer, student placement, eligibility for extracurricular activities, and on-time graduation.29 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Interstate Compact/Education of Military Children (Cont’d.) S.L. 2008-185 (SB 1541)
􀁺􇩐
Provides a system for official and unofficial record transfer, requires receiving states to initially honor student enrollment in grade and course placement, subject to subsequent evaluation, mandates tuition-free enrollment in districts where child is not a domiciliary upon filing of appropriate affidavit, requires facilitation of transferring students in extracurricular activities, and provides waivers and accommodations to enable coursework completion and on-time graduation.
􀁺􇩒
Requires member states to establish a State Council to provide coordination of participation among LEAs, government agencies, and military installations.30 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Interstate Compact/Education of Military Children (Cont’d.) S.L. 2008-185 (SB 1541)
􀁺􇩃
Creates an Interstate Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children which, among other things, promulgates and enforces administrative rules, collects and shares information, and establishes a process for informing the Commission of alleged violations.
􀁺􇩓
States that it is the goal of the General Assembly to appropriate $25,000 to offset the cost of implementation of the Compact for low-wealth schools beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.
􀁺􇩅
Effective August 7, 2008. The terms of the compact became effective upon enactment by ten states. The tenth state enacted the compact July 11, 2008.31 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Some Personal Leave Time/No Penalty S.L. 2008-209 (HB 15) and S.L. 2008-107, Sec. 26.21 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩁
Allows teachers to take personal leave on certain days and receive their full salary with no substitute deduction:
•
From August 9, 2008 until June 30, 2009 – Teachers may take up to one personal leave day per year, not including non-protected teacher workdays, and receive full salary with no substitute deduction. In addition, teachers who take personal leave days on non-protected teacher workdays also receive full salary.
•
From July 1, 2009 and thereafter – Teachers who take personal leave days on non-protected teacher workdays must receive full salary with no substitute deduction.
􀁺􇩅
Effective August 9, 2008, except as otherwise provided.Appropriations Public Schools33 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Highlights for the Public Schools
􀁺􇩁
Addresses the rising cost of diesel fuel with an additional $35 million to partially cover Transportation Fuel for public school buses.
􀁺􇩄
Directs the transfer of $19.8 million from the Education Lottery Reserve Fund to support class size reduction.
􀁺􇩅
Expands multiple allotments for exceptional children, including an additional $6.2 million for school-age Children with Disabilities and $3.2 million for Academically or Intellectually Gifted students.34 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Highlights for the Public Schools
􀁺􇩐
Provides $90 million in nonrecurring funds for ABC Bonuses for schools that met or exceeded expected student achievement growth in the 2007-08 school year. Also directed the State Board of Education to limit total ABC Bonus expenditures to no more than $94.3 million.
􀁺􇩉
Includes over $3.4 million in recurring funding and $110,000 in nonrecurring funding to open an additional 14 Learn and Earn High Schools, supporting a total of 56 such schools.35 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Highlights for the Public Schools
􀁺􇩅
Enhances the School Connectivity Initiative with an additional $10 million to support the second year of this effort to ensure all schools have the ability to use up-to-date instructional technology.
􀁺􇩁
Adds $6 million in additional funding for the Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Funding allotment to address the needs of disadvantaged students.36 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Highlights for the Public Schools
􀁺􇩐
Provides $15 million for a second year of Dropout Prevention Grants, which will be awarded on a competitive basis to support innovative programs.
􀁺􇩐
Provides $30 million to support the expansion of More at Four to provide high-quality pre-K services to eligible four-year olds.In the Spotlight
Higher Education38 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Student Loan Repayment for NC Guard Members S.L. 2008-94 (HB 1304)
􀁺􇩁
Amends current law providing tuition to North Carolina National Guard members so that any year-end funds not used for tuition assistance may be used to help members repay student loans. Funds may not be used to pay for courses from which the member withdrew or failed.
􀁺􇩅
Effective July 1, 2008.39 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 9.2 –Private College Student Eligibility for EARN Scholarships.
•
Includes certain private educational institutions in the list of eligible postsecondary institutions that a student may attend and receive grants from the EARN Scholars Fund
•
Requires that funds appropriated from the Escheat Fund to the EARN Scholars Fund can not be used for grants awarded to students attending private educational institutions.
•
Clarifies that funds appropriated from the General Fund to the EARN Scholars Fund may be used to award grants to students attending private educational institutions.
•
Effective July 1, 2008, and apply only for academic years beginning on or after July 1, 2008.40 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Fee Waiver/UNC and Community Colleges S.L. 2008-135 (HB 1076)
􀁺􇩐
Provides that persons age sixty-five and older, who qualify as legal residents of NC and residents for tuition purposes, are permitted to attend classes for up to six hours of credit or noncredit purposes each academic semester without the required payment of fees at any constituent institution of The University of North Carolina or community college.
􀁺􇩅
Effective August 1, 2008, and applies to classes for any academic semester beginning on or after that date.In the Spotlight
Community Colleges42 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Community Colleges/Tobacco Free S.L. 2008-95 (SB 1669)
􀁺􇩁
Authorizes local community college boards of trustees to adopt policies regulating tobacco use in community college settings.
􀁺􇩐
Provides elements to consider when adopting these policies and directs the North Carolina Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch and the Health and Wellness Trust Commission to provide assistance to boards of trustees in developing policies.
􀁺􇩅
Effective July 11, 2008.43 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 8.7 –Consolidate Workforce Development Programs.
•
Creates the Customized Training Program by consolidating the New and Expanding Industry Training Program, the Focused Industrial Training Program, and the Customized Industry Training Program.
•
Allows the State Board of Community Colleges to adopt rules and guidelines to allow funds appropriated for the Customized Training Program and the Focused Industrial Training Program to be used to support training projects for the U.S. Armed Forces.
•
Effective July 1, 2008.44 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 8.11 –Clarify Use of Fees Collected for GED Testing.
•
Clarifies that the State Board of Community Colleges may retain and budget fees charged to students taking the General Education Development (GED) test.
•
Requires that the fees collected for this purpose be used to i) offset the costs of the GED test, including the cost of the scoring of the test, ii) offset the costs of printing the GED certificates, and (iii) meet federal and State reporting requirements related to the test.
•
Effective July 1, 2008.45 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 8.17 –No Fees for First Aid Courses Taken by School Employees.
•
Allows the State Board of Community Colleges to waive the registration fee for elementary and secondary school employees who enroll in first aid and CPR courses at one of the campuses.
•
Effective July 1, 2008.46 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 8.18 –Students in the Gateway to College Program May Enroll in Developmental Courses.
•
Directs the State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) to allow high school students who are enrolled in Gateway to College Programs to enroll in developmental courses based on an assessment of their individual student needs by a high school and community college staff team.
•
Requires the SBCC to include this coursework in computing the budget FTE for the colleges.
•
Effective July 1, 2008.Appropriations Community Colleges48 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Highlights for the Community Colleges System
􀁺􇩐
Provides $23.8 million in recurring funds to fully fund enrollment growth. Community college enrollment has increased by 3.3% (approximately 6500 FTE students).
􀁺􇩐
Provides $2.5 million in nonrecurring funds in an enrollment growth reserve to provide additional support to colleges that experience spikes in enrollment.
􀁺􇩉
Increases the amount provided for high-cost allied health programs by $4.0 million in recurring funds. This amount is in addition to the $5.6 million in recurring funds appropriated last year.49 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Highlights for the Community Colleges System
􀁺􇩐
Provides $1.0 million in recurring funds to re-establish and place renewed emphasis on technical education programs.
􀁺􇩐
Provides an additional $5.0 million in nonrecurring funds for equipment. This amount is in addition to the $31.3 million in recurring funds included in the base budget.
􀁺􇩐
Provides $1.0 million to support operations of community college biotechnology programs on the NC Research Campus at Kannapolis. This is in addition to the $2.3 million in recurring funds currently in the base budget.In the Spotlight
Universities51 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2007-323 (HB 1473)
􀁺􇩓
Section 9.3 –Closing the Achievement Gap/Grants.
•
Provides that NC Central University may use up to 15% of the funds appropriated for the 2008-09 fiscal year for the “Closing the Achievement Gap” initiative for administrative costs and at least 85% of the funds for grants to participating public and private historically minority colleges and universities.
•
Requires that the funds be used to implement after- school programs designed to close the academic achievement gap and improve the academic performance of at-risk students.52 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2007-323 (HB 1473)
􀁺􇩓
Section 9.3 –Closing the Achievement Gap/Grants (cont’d.).
•
Requires NC Central University to report on the number of grants awarded, grant recipients, amount of the grants, purpose of the grants and administrative costs for the grants by April 1, 2009 to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division.53 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2007-323 (HB 1473)
􀁺􇩓
Section 9.3 –Closing the Achievement Gap/Grants (cont’d.).
•
Requires grant recipients to report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division on the amount of the grant received, the program and purposes for which the grant was requested, the methodology used to implement the program, and results of the program.
•
Effective July 1, 2008.54 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2007-323 (HB 1473)
􀁺􇩓
Section 9.4 –Optional Scholarship for Certain Graduates of the Principal Fellows Program.
•
Authorizes the NC Principal Fellows Commission in collaboration with the State Education Assistance Authority to make available an optional six-month scholarship in the amount of $20,000 for certain graduates of the Principal Fellows Program.
•
Requires the Commission to develop the criteria for awarding the scholarship, including a requirement that the person agree to work at least another six months as a school administrator in a North Carolina public school or at a school operated by the United States government in North Carolina after satisfying the four-year work requirement. 55 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2007-323 (HB 1473)
􀁺􇩓
Section 9.4 –Optional Scholarship for Certain Graduates of the Principal Fellows Program (cont’d.).
•
Requires the Commission to develop a process for evaluating a scholarship recipient’s work performance and for issuing a final approval and certification of the work performance.
•
Directs the State Education Assistance Authority to perform all of the administrative functions necessary to implement this scholarship, including rule making.
•
Effective July 1, 2008.56 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2007-323 (HB 1473)
􀁺􇩓
Section 9.8 –UNC Enrollment Growth Request.
•
Requires the UNC Board of Governors to provide full documentation and justification of any enrollment change funding request at the time it is recommended, including the most recent academic year’s actual enrollment numbers in the same format as the growth increase request is made. Actual enrollment numbers must be the actual student credit hours or full-time equivalencies.
•
Effective July 1, 2008.57 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 9.11 –Legislative Tuition Grant/Redefine Part-Time Student.
•
Reduces from 9 to 6 the number of credit hours an undergraduate student or licensure student must take per semester to be considered a part-time student eligible for a legislative tuition grant.
•
Effective July 1, 2008 and applies to academic semesters beginning on or after July 1, 2008.58 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 9.15 –Biennial Projection of UNC Enrollment Growth.
•
Directs The University of North Carolina to provide, by September 1 of each even-numbered year, a projection of the total student enrollment in The UNC System that is anticipated for the next biennium to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Office of State Budget and Management.59 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Bill S.L. 2008-107 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩓
Section 9.15 –Biennial Projection of UNC Enrollment Growth (cont’d.).
•
Requires the Director of the Budget to consider the projections when determining the amount the Director proposes to fund as the continuation requirement for enrollment increases in The UNC System.
•
Effective July 1, 2008.60 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
School of Arts/Name Change S.L. 2008-192 (HB 2436)
􀁺􇩃
Changes the name of the North Carolina School of the Arts to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
􀁺􇩅
Effective August 1, 2008Appropriations Universities62 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Highlights for the UNC System
􀁺􇩆
Fully funds UNC enrollment growth with an additional $34.6 million to bring total new enrollment funding to $74.4 million in FY 08-09 and fund 8,082 FTE.
􀁺􇩐
Provides $6.225 million to fund the inclusion of private college students in the EARN Scholars program.
􀁺􇩆
Funds recommendations of the UNC Campus Safety Task Force with $6 million in recurring funds and $9 million in nonrecurring funds.63 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Highlights for the UNC System
􀁺􇩃
Continues the phase-in of operating funds ($6 million) for the UNC facilities opening on the NC Research Campus at Kannapolis in the summer and fall of 2008.
􀁺􇩆
Funds a number of health related programs:
•
Perinatal Care ($250,000)
•
AHEC expansion ($1.75 million)
•
Cochlear Implant programs ($675,000)
•
Medical schools expansion ($1.5 million)
•
ECU Dental School operations ($1.5 million)64 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Highlights for the UNC System
•
Enhances a number of science and engineering programs:
•
NCSU Veterinary Medicine ($200,000)
•
NCSU College of Engineering ($2 million)
•
NC A&T College of Engineering ($2 million)
•
Nanoscience and Nanoengineering at NC A&T/UNCG ($3 million)
•
Research Competitiveness Fund ($1 million)
•
NCSU Advanced Transportation Energy Center ($250,000) 65 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Budget Highlights for the UNC System
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Adds $4.6 million to the Distinguished Professors Endowment Fund to match a grant from the Spangler Foundation that provides a distinguished professorship to each of the 16 UNC campuses.
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Funds recruitment and retention of professors and graduate students with Faculty Recruitment and Retention Fund ($3 million) and graduate tuition waivers for math and science ($1.5 million).In the Spotlight
Studies67 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
New/Independent Studies/Commissions
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The Higher Education Civic Education Study Commission is established to advise the State on the role of higher education in helping to strengthen the ability of colleges and universities to participate in civic engagement activities with K-12 educational institutions, faith-based programs or other programs affecting the social development and literacy of school-aged children. S.L. 2008-181, Part XLVIII (HB 2431, Part XLVIII).68 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Referrals to Existing Commissions, Committees, Departments, Agencies
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The Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee may study the following issues:
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The legal and policy issues regarding the dismissal, demotion, or suspension without pay of noncertified school employees and their current employment status as at-will employees. S.L. 2008-181, Sec. 5.2 (HB 2431, Sec. 5.2).
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The feasibility of tuition forgiveness and other incentives to increase the number of social workers in community mental health in underserved counties in NC. S.L. 2008-181, Sec. 5.3 (HB 2431, Sec. 5.3).
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The impact of raising the compulsory public school attendance age from 16 to 17 or 18. S.L. 2008-181, Sec. 5.4 (HB 2431, Sec. 5.4).69 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Referrals to Existing Commissions, Committees, Departments, Agencies
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The Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee must contract with a credible independent source, individual, or organization to study the roles that regional education service centers created within the Department of Public Instruction could play in the delivery of professional development throughout the State. S.L. 2008-181, Part XXXIII (HB 2431, Part XXXIII).
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The Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee must study the changes needed to improve financial aid for community college students. S.L. 2008-107, Sec. 8.15 (HB 2436, Sec. 8.15).70 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Referrals to Existing Commissions, Committees, Departments, Agencies
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The Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee must include in its 2009-2010 work plan for the Program Evaluation Division of the General Assembly:
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A comparison of the start-up and on-going cost of distance education versus on-campus education. S.L. 2008-107, Sec. 9.10(a) (HB 2436, Sec. 9.10(a)).
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A comprehensive review of the full-time equivalencies and student credit hours enrollment growth funding formulas used by The University of North Carolina. S.L. 2008-107, Sec. 9.10(b) (HB 2436, Sec. 9.10(b)).71 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Referrals to Existing Commissions, Committees, Departments, Agencies
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The Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee must include in its 2008-2009 work plan for the Program Evaluation Division of the General Assembly:
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A review and study of the structure and organization of the Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education. S.L. 2008-107, Sec. 9.14 (HB 2436, Sec. 9.14).72 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Referrals to Existing Commissions, Committees, Departments, Agencies
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The Joint Legislative Study Committee on Public School Funding Formulas may review the implementation of any modifications to school funding formulas enacted by the General Assembly on the Committee's recommendation, and evaluate the impact of those modifications. S.L. 2008-181, Part XXXVII (HB 2431, Part XXXVII). 73 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Referrals to Existing Commissions, Committees, Departments, Agencies
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The Department of Public Instruction must:
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Analyze the participation of students with disabilities in Learn and Earn Early College High Schools, Redesigned High Schools, the North Carolina Virtual Public School, and North Carolina public high schools on block schedules. S.L. 2008-107, Sec. 7.12 (HB 2436, Sec. 7.12).
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Study the effectiveness of geography education in middle schools and high schools, including any potential changes. S.L. 2008-181, Part XXIII (HB 2431, Part XXIII).74 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Referrals to Existing Commissions, Committees, Departments, Agencies
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The State Board of Education, in cooperation with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, must develop a framework for a North Carolina Board Certified Principal and Assistant Principal Program. S.L. 2008-181, Part XXIV (HB 2431, Part XXIV).
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The State Board of Education must study the current status of K-12 physical education in the State. S.L. 2008-181, Part XXV (HB 2431, Part XXV).75 September 2008 Education Team - Research Div.
Referrals to Existing Commissions, Committees, Departments, Agencies
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The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, in conjunction with the State Board of Community Colleges, the State Board of Education, and the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, must study providing qualified immunity to mental health and health professionals who disclose confidential information when the disclosure is meant to prevent or mitigate harm to others. S.L. 2008-181, Part XXI (HB 2431, Part XXI).
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The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina must study the accessibility of its facilities to severely physically disabled persons seeking basic access to The University of North Carolina constituent institutions. S.L. 2008-181, Part XXII (HB 2431, Part XXII).