GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1991

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1357*

Short Title:  Teacher Training Task Force.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Barnes, Black, Fussell, Gray, Hege, McAllister, Rhodes, Rogers; Bowman, Ethridge, Gottovi, Jeffus, Kennedy, Miller, Oldham, and Stamey.
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Referred to:  Education.
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May 28, 1992

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO RECONVENE A TEACHER TRAINING TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE PROGRESS MADE TOWARD IMPLEMENTING THE THIRTY-NINE OBJECTIVES OF THE ORIGINAL TASK FORCE AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS.
Whereas, in 1985, the General Assembly mandated that the Board of Governors study "ways to upgrade teacher preparation programs to make the course of study more rigorous and more effective"; and
Whereas, the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina established the Task Force on the Preparation of Teachers in September 1985 and adopted the Task Force report, The Education of North Carolina's Teachers, in November 1986; and
Whereas, the 1987 Session of the General Assembly adopted the 39 objectives of the Task Force report, and established a Joint Board Committee on Teacher Education to implement those objectives; and
Whereas, the General Assembly has appropriated funds for implementation of the recommendations which were made in the areas of academic studies, admissions standards, teacher education curriculum, certification, program approval, continuing professional education, incentive programs, school college partnerships, and education school faculty; and
Whereas, it is the recommendation of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee that the progress that has been made to implement the 39 objectives of the original report should be reviewed and new topics should be studied to continue to improve the education of teachers in this State; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Establishment and Purpose.  There is established a new Teacher Training Task Force to review the progress that has been made to implement the 39 objectives of the original Task Force and to study additional issues of legislative concern.  The new Task Force shall study both preservice and ongoing professional development of teachers.
Sec. 2.  Membership.  The Task Force shall consist of 20 members as follows:
(a)	The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint one member of the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee to serve on the Task Force.
(b)	The Superintendent of Public Instruction, or a designee.
(c)	The nine members of the Joint Committee on Teacher Education of the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina and the State Board of Education.
(d)	The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina and the State Board of Education shall jointly appoint eight members from a list of recommended members to be suggested by the Joint Committee on Teacher Education of the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina and the State Board of Education.  Members may be recommended from among representatives of practicing public school teachers and personnel; public school administrators; the deans of schools of education; the chancellors of the constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina and the chief officers of private institutions of higher education.  Other qualified persons may be recommended by the Joint Committee and approved by the Boards.  Task Force members shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances in accordance with G.S. 138-5, 138-6, or 120-3.1, as appropriate. Appointments to the Task Force shall be made no later than September 1, 1992.  If a vacancy occurs in the membership, the appointing authority shall appoint another person to serve for the balance of the unexpired term.
Sec. 3. Duties and Issues for Study.  The Task Force shall study and make recommendations to improve the professional development of teachers. As a basis for its recommendations, the Task Force shall:
(1)	Review the progress made toward implementing the 39 objectives outlined in original task force report, The Education of North Carolina's Teachers, and in particular, evaluate the impact of the double major requirement.
	(2)	Study State and local professional development programs, and identify programs that:
a.	Prepare teachers to work successfully with State initiatives including site-based management, outcome-based education, and the State testing program;
b.	Tie State education initiatives to individual school improvement; 
c.	Build strong professional ties between teachers and other educators; and
d.	Are rigorous and result in improved student learning.
(3)	Identify methods to encourage collaboration between university schools of education and local school administrative units.
(4)	Evaluate the impact of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching on professional development, assess the rigor, professionalism, and quality of the programs offered at the Center, and assess whether the programs offered prepare teachers to work successfully with State initiatives.
(5)	Study the components of the Teaching Fellows Program to discover which of its elements could be part of the education program for all pre-service teachers, including recruitment methods that encourage talented persons from diverse backgrounds to become teachers.
(6)	Identify and encourage professional development programs, particularly within the schools of education, that prepare teachers to examine their own biases concerning cultural diversity, socioeconomic differences, and gender. Teachers should be prepared to teach and meet the needs of all students, and to accept differences among students.
Sec. 4.  Report.  The Task Force shall make an interim report of its findings and recommendations to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by February 15, 1993, and a final report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by April 1, 1994.
The recommendations in the interim report shall include a proposed plan for continued funding of existing activities.  The final report shall include recommendations that can be phased in over three fiscal bienniums.
Sec. 5.  Upon the request of the Task Force, all State departments and agencies, all local governments and their subdivisions, and all institutions approved to train teachers shall furnish the Task Force with any information in their possession or available to them. 
Sec. 6.  There is appropriated to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina for the 1992-93 fiscal year, the sum of thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) to conduct the work of the Task Force.
Sec. 7.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1992.