GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2019

SESSION LAW 2019-82

HOUSE BILL 924

AN ACT TO CLARIFY ELIGIBILITY FOR EXTENDED TEACHER CONTRACTS, TO REQUIRE COMPLETION OF AN ECONOMICS AND PERSONAL FINANCE COURSE AS A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TO CLARIFY REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL CIVIC LITERACY, AND TO REQUIRE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ECONOMICS AND PERSONAL FINANCE TEACHERS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 115C‑325.3 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C‑325.3.  Teacher contracts.

(a)        Length of Contract. – A contract between the local board of education and a teacher who has been employed by the local board of education for less than three years shall be for a term of one school year. A new contract or renewal of contract between the local board of education and a teacher who has been employed by the local board of education as a teacher for three years or more shall be for a term of one, two, or four school years. A local board of education may require by policy that the three years of employment be consecutive.

(a1) Determination of Years of Employment. –

(1) For purposes of determining whether a teacher has been employed for three years by a local board of education under this section, a year shall not be less than 120 workdays performed as a teacher in a full‑time permanent position.

(2) If a local board of education requires by policy that the three years of employment be consecutive, the local board policy shall state that if the teacher in a full‑time permanent position did not work for at least 120 workdays as a teacher in a year because the teacher was on approved or legally entitled leave, that year shall not (i) be deemed to constitute a year of employment for the teacher nor (ii) be considered a break in the continuity of consecutive years of employment for the teacher. A suspension shall not constitute approved or legally entitled leave for the purposes of this section. Teachers may have additional rights to the extent required by the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, 34 U.S.C. § 4301, et seq.

…."

SECTION 1.(b)  This section applies to contracts executed on or after the effective date of this act.

SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 115C‑81.65 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C‑81.65.  Financial literacy.

(a)        Instruction shall be provided in personal financial literacy for all students. In addition to the requirements in subsection (b) of this section, the State Board of Education shall determine the other components of personal financial literacy that will be covered in the curriculum. The State Board shall also review the high school standard course of study to determine into which courses and grade levels personal financial literacy shall be integrated.

(b)        Each student shall receive personal financial literacy instruction that shall include: The State Board of Education shall require during the high school years the teaching of a full‑credit course focused solely on Economics and Personal Finance (EPF). A passing grade in the course shall be required for graduation from high school. The content of the course shall, at a minimum, include the standards established by the second edition of the Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics and the 2013 National Standards for Financial Literacy, as developed by the Council for Economic Education. The EPF course shall provide instruction on economic principles and shall provide personal financial literacy instruction that shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(1)        The true cost of credit.

(2)        Choosing and managing a credit card.

(3)        Borrowing money for an automobile or other large purchase.

(4)        Home mortgages.

(5)        Credit scoring and credit reports.

(5a) Planning and paying for postsecondary education.

(6)        Other relevant financial literacy issues.

(c) The State Board of Education shall require that EPF teachers receive the professional development necessary to ensure that the intent and provisions of this section are carried out. To the extent funds are made available for this purpose, the State Board of Education shall require the employing entity to make available to EPF teachers and prospective EPF teachers the EPF professional development course provided by the North Carolina Council on Economic Education (NCCEE). When practicable, teachers shall complete the EPF professional development course prior to teaching the EPF course in public schools. If necessary, teachers may begin teaching the EPF course in public schools while awaiting the next possible opportunity to complete a session of the EPF professional development course. To the extent possible, the EPF professional development course shall be taken at the NCCEE‑approved location most conveniently located to the local school administrative unit."

SECTION 2.(b)  The requirements of G.S. 115C‑81.65(b), as amended by subsection (a) of this section, shall apply to all students entering the ninth grade in the 2020‑2021 school year.

SECTION 3.(a)  G.S. 115C‑81.45 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C‑81.45.  Classes conducted in English; citizenship; and civic literacy.

…

(c)        Democratic Process and Citizenship Education. Education for Middle School Social Studies. –

(1) The State Board of Education shall include instruction in civic and citizenship education in the standard course of study for high school social studies. The State Board of Education is strongly encouraged to include, at a minimum, the following components in the high school civic and citizenship education standard course of study:

a. That students write to a local, State, or federal elected official about an issue that is important to them.

b. Instruction on the importance of voting and otherwise participating in the democratic process, including instruction on voter registration.

c. Information about current events and governmental structure.

d. Information about the democratic process and how laws are made.

(2)        The State Board of Education shall include instruction in civic and citizenship education in the standard course of study for middle school social studies. The State Board of Education is strongly encouraged to include, at a minimum, the following components in the middle school civic and citizenship education standard course of study:

a.(1)     A tour of representative local government facilities, such as the local jail, the courthouse, or a town hall, to help students understand the way their community is governed.

b.(2)     Allowing students to choose and analyze a community problem and offer public policy recommendations on the problem to local officials.

c.(3)     Information about getting involved in community groups.

(d)       Founding Principles of the United States of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy. –

(1)        The State Board of Education shall require during the high school years instruction in civic and citizenship education in the standard course of study for high school social studies through the teaching of a semester full‑credit course on the that shall be called Founding Principles of the United States of America and the State of North Carolina. North Carolina: Civic Literacy. A passing grade in the course shall be required for graduation from high school, and the school.

(1a) The course required by subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be solely focused on civics and citizenship education, and shall include at least the following subjects:

a.         The Creator‑endowed inalienable rights of the people.

b.         Structure of government, separation of powers with checks and balances.

c.         Frequent and free elections in a representative government.

d.         Rule of law.

e.         Equal justice under the law.

f.          Private property rights.

g.         Federalism.

h.         Due process.

i.          Individual rights as set forth in the Bill of Rights.

j.          Individual responsibility.

k.         Constitutional limitations on government power to tax and spend, and prompt payment of public debt.

l.          Strong defense and supremacy of civil authority over military.

m.        Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.

(1b) The State Board of Education is strongly encouraged to include the following components in the course required by subdivision (1) of this subsection:

a. That students write to a local, State, or federal elected official about an issue that is important to them.

b. Instruction on the importance of voting and otherwise participating in the democratic process, including instruction on voter registration.

c. Information about current events and governmental structure.

d. Information about the democratic process and how laws are made.

(2)        The State Board of Education shall require that any high school level curriculum‑based tests for the course required in subdivision (1) of this subsection developed and administered statewide beginning with the 2016‑2017 academic year include questions related to the philosophical foundations of our form of government and the principles underlying the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and its amendments, and the most important of the Federalist Papers.

(3)        The Department of Public Instruction and the local boards of education, as appropriate, shall provide or cause to be provided curriculum content for the semester course required in subdivision (1) of this subsection and professional development to ensure that the intent and provisions of this subsection are carried out. The curriculum content established shall include a review of the contributions made by Americans of all races.

(4)        The Department of Public Instruction shall submit a biennial report by October 15 of each odd‑numbered year to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee covering the implementation of this subsection."

SECTION 3.(b)  The requirements of G.S. 115C‑81.45(d), as amended by subsection (a) of this section, shall apply to all students entering the ninth grade in the 2021‑2022 school year.

SECTION 4.(a)  G.S. 115C‑218.85(a) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(5) A charter school shall provide financial literacy instruction as required by the State Board of Education pursuant to G.S. 115C‑81.65, including required professional development for teachers of the EPF course."

SECTION 4.(b)  G.S. 115C‑238.66(1) is amended by adding a new sub‑subdivision to read:

"e. The board of directors shall ensure that financial literacy instruction is provided as required by the State Board of Education pursuant to G.S. 115C‑81.65, including required professional development for teachers of the EPF course."

SECTION 4.(c)  G.S. 116‑239.8(b)(2) is amended by adding a new sub‑subdivision to read:

"d. The chancellor shall ensure that financial literacy instruction is provided as required by the State Board of Education pursuant to G.S. 115C‑81.65, including required professional development for teachers of the EPF course."

SECTION 4.(d)  Section 6(d) of S.L. 2018‑32 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(4a) G.S. 115C‑81.65, Financial literacy."

SECTION 5.  The State Board of Education shall begin the process for review and revision of the standard course of study for social studies in grades kindergarten through 12 in the 2019‑2020 school year and shall revise the high school standard course of study in accordance with the requirements of this section for the EPF course and the Founding Principles of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy course. The State Board shall review the high school standard course of study to determine the high school grade level during which the EPF course and the Founding Principles of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy course may be completed. The State Board of Education shall not require more than four full‑course credits in social studies for high school graduation.

SECTION 6.  If House Bill 966, 2019 Regular Session, becomes law, subsections (a) through (i) of Section 7.18 of that act are repealed.

SECTION 7.  Except as otherwise provided herein, this act is effective when it becomes law.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 28^th day of June, 2019.

                                                    s/  Philip E. Berger

                                                         President Pro Tempore of the Senate

                                                    s/  Sarah Stevens

                                                         Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives

                                                    s/  Roy Cooper

                                                         Governor

Approved 11:40 a.m. this 8^th day of July, 2019