GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1991

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 968

Short Title:  School Admin. Training/Cert.	(Public)
─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors: Representatives Diamont, Rogers; Bowman and Justus.
─────────────────────────────────────── 
Referred to:  Education.
─────────────────────────────────────── 

April 19, 1991

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ENHANCE THE TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND TO REQUIRE TRAINING OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 115C-284 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C-284.  Method of selection and requirements.
(a)	Principals and supervisors shall be elected by the local boards of education upon the recommendation of the superintendent, in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 115C-276(j).
(b)	In the city administrative units, principals shall be elected by the board of education of such administrative unit upon the recommendation of the superintendent of city schools.
(c)	The State Board of Education shall have entire control of certifying all applicants for supervisory and professional positions in all public elementary and high schools of North Carolina; and it shall prescribe the rules and regulations for the renewal and extension of all certificates, and shall determine and fix the salary for each grade and type of certificate which it authorizes.  Provided, that the State Board of Education shall require each applicant for an initial certificate or graduate certificate to demonstrate his academic and professional preparation by achieving a prescribed minimum score at least equivalent to that required by the Board on November 30, 1972, on a standard examination appropriate and adequate for that purpose: Provided, further, that in the event the Board shall specify the National Teachers Examination for this purpose, the required minimum score shall not be lower than that which the Board required on November 30, 1971: Provided, further, that the Board shall not issue provisional certificates for principals and assistant principals.
(c1)	It is the policy of the State of North Carolina to maintain the highest quality principal and assistant principal education programs in order to enhance the competence of professional personnel certified in North Carolina. To ensure that principal and assistant principal preparation programs are upgraded to reflect a more rigorous course of study, the State Board of Education shall submit to the General Assembly not later than March 1, 1992, a plan to promote this policy. In developing this plan, the State Board shall consider (i) requiring these programs to include additional preparation for site-based decision making and for the additional autonomy being granted to local schools units, (ii) enhancing program entrance requirements to include assessment of an applicant's ability to complete the program and to perform as a principal, and (iii) enhancing the overall content of the programs.
The State Board of Education, as lead agency in coordination and cooperation with the University Board of Governors and such other public and private agencies as are necessary, shall refine the several certification requirements, standards for approval of institutions of principal and assistant principal education, standards for institution-based innovative and experimental programs, and standards for improved efficiencies in the administration of the approved programs.
(d)	Repealed by Session Laws 1989, c. 385, s. 1.
(d1)	It is the policy of the State of North Carolina that, subsequent to the adoption of a system of classroom teacher differentiation and prerequisites to candidacy for principal, a classroom teacher must have attained at least the second level of differentiation, have at least four years of classroom teaching experience, and possess, at least, a Masters Degree in Education Administration.  This subsection shall not apply to educational personnel certified as of July 1, 1984.
(e)	It shall be unlawful for any board of education to employ or keep in service any principal or supervisor who neither holds nor is qualified to hold a certificate in compliance with the provision of the law or in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education.
(f)	The allotment of classified principals shall be one principal for each duly constituted school with seven or more state-allotted teachers and shall be included in the calculation of the allotment of general teachers set out in G.S. 115C-301(b)(i).
(g)	Local boards of education shall have authority to employ supervisors in addition to those that may be furnished by the State when, in the discretion of the board of education, the schools of the local school administrative unit can thereby be more efficiently and more economically operated and when funds for the same are provided in the current expense fund budget. The duties of such supervisors shall be assigned by the superintendent with the approval of the board of education.
(h)	All principals and supervisors employed in the public schools of the State or in schools receiving public funds, shall be required either to hold or be qualified to hold a certificate in compliance with the provision of the law or in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 115C-289 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C-289. Assignment of principal's duties to assistant or acting principal; duties of State-funded assistant principals.
(a)	Any duty or responsibility assigned to a principal by statute, State Board of Education regulation, or by the superintendent may, with the approval of the local board of education, be assigned by the principal to an assistant principal designated by the local board of education or to an acting principal designated by a principal.
(b)	All persons employed as assistant principals in State-allotted positions, or as assistant principals in full-time positions regardless of funding source, in the public schools of the State or in schools receiving public funds, shall, in addition to other applicable requirements, be required either to hold or be qualified to hold a principal's certificate in compliance with applicable law and in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education.  It shall be unlawful for any board of education to employ or keep in service any assistant principal who neither holds nor is qualified to hold a principal's certificate in compliance with applicable law and in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education.  
	(d)	Assistant principals paid from State funds shall not have regularly assigned teaching duties."
Sec. 3.  Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C-12.1.  Training of State Board members.
The State Board of Education shall establish minimum training requirements for members of the State Board of Education.  All Board members shall participate in training programs, as required by the State Board."
Sec. 4.  Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C-50.  Training of board members.
All members of local boards of education shall receive a minimum of 12 clock hours of training annually.  The training shall include but not be limited to public school law, public school finance, and duties and responsibilities of local school boards.  The training may be provided by the North Carolina School Boards Association, the Institute of Government, or other qualified sources at the choice of the local school board."
Sec. 5.  Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 116-11.2.  Duties regarding programs in education administration.
The Board of Governors shall direct the constituent institutions with programs in education administration to revise the programs to reflect any increased standards required for programs approved by the State Board of Education, including new requirements for school-based leadership in the public schools.  The Board of Governors shall monitor the programs and devise an assessment plan for all programs leading to certification in education administration."
Sec. 6.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of $150,000 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $570,000 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to expand the Principals Executive Program operated by the Institute of Government.  Of these funds, the sum of $150,000 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $150,000 for the 1992-93 fiscal year shall be used to expand the program at the Chapel Hill site; the sum of $420,000 for the 1992-93 fiscal year shall be used to provide the program at additional sites throughout the State and to offer the program to assistant principals.
Sec. 7.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1991.