GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1991

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 994*

Short Title:  Project Genesis Established.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Dickson; Beard, Creech, Fussell, Gamble, Hurley, Jordan, Pope, Rhyne, Stamey, Warner, and Woodard.
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Referred to:  Education.
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April 19, 1991

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE PROJECT GENESIS PROGRAM, AN EXPERIMENT WITH A RESTRUCTURED SCHOOL APPROACH FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Article 16 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Part to read:
"Part 5. Project Genesis Program.
"§ 115C-238.12.  Creation of program; purpose.
(a)	The State Board of Education may establish a Project Genesis Pilot Program in the Gaston, Cumberland, Johnston, and Wake County School Administrative Units.
(b)	The purpose of the pilot program shall be to enable up to two schools in each participating local school administrative unit to experiment with a restructured school approach that would combine the concepts of flexibility, competitive bidding on the management of schools, accountability, and, whenever possible, inter-public school choice.  Participating local school administrative units shall have four years to (i) determine the feasibility of the project, (ii) secure private funding for any additional funds required for the project, (iii) lay the groundwork for the project, and (iv) if they decide to proceed with the project, begin experimentation in not more than two schools per local school administrative unit.
"§ 115C-238.13.  Implementation by local school boards.
(a)	The local board of education in a participating local school administrative unit shall select a school building that is under construction as its first school under the project.
(b)	The local board shall issue a request for proposals for teams of educators to bid to operate the selected school.  Each team shall include one individual who shall be designated as principal or leader of the school and at least four teachers who shall comprise the core leadership team before and during the opening of the new school.  Members of the team shall not be required to meet certification requirements.
The request for proposals shall include a minimum of requirements. Requirements may include:
(1)	A statement of principles that the local board of education wants the bidding teams to address;
(2)	A specified amount of money available for the operation of the building, which amount shall be within the limits of funds typically available for the size of school being opened for bid;
(3)	A framework for accountability plans by which the success of the project site can be measured, which accountability plans shall include the student performance indicators adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to G.S. 115C-238.1(3), and may include factors such as student, parent, and employee satisfaction, parental involvement, community service, and evidence of a focus on developing thinking and reasoning skills;
(4)	When inter-public school choice is a part of the project, a marketing component for attracting parents to enroll their children in the building when it opens, with the goal that thirty percent (30%) to fifty percent (50%) of the students will be children whose parents selected the school because of its unique philosophy and plans; and
(5)	Other requirements deemed necessary by the local school administrative unit.
(c)	The local board of education shall appoint an advisory committee composed of educators, elected officials, and business leaders from within and without the local school administrative unit to screen proposals for the school building and to make recommendations to the local board of education on the proposals.
The local board shall consider the recommendations of the advisory committee and shall award the contract.
(d)	The team that receives the contract shall interview and select all personnel for the building.  The team may select personnel from the current employees of the local board.  Hiring shall take place no later that July 1 prior to the opening of the new building.  The team shall begin conducting training and planning sessions as staff is hired.
(e)	The participating school building shall initiate a comprehensive accountability program from the day school begins.  The results shall be published annually and compared to those of traditional schools.
(f)	After the third and fourth years of the project, the local board of education shall review student outcome results of the existing project site and shall decide whether an additional building within the school system shall be added to the project.  The second school chosen for the project shall be either (i) another new school building or (ii) the existing school that is producing the poorest results in student achievement or that has the worst results in student discipline, the dropout rate, and student motivation.
"§ 115C-238.14.  Grants of flexibility by the State Board.
In implementing local projects, local boards of education need broad decision-making authority so that local boards of education and participating school leadership teams can carry out the activities that meet the needs of students in that particular building.  Each participating local school administrative unit shall request from the State Board of Education, with specificity, those aspects of its project implementation that would be enhanced by flexibility with regard to statutes, policies, and regulations.  The State Board of Education may grant each local school administrative unit such flexibility with regard to State statutes, policies, and regulations as it finds necessary and appropriate to implement a local project so long as (i)	the projects and activities are carried out within total funds available for that purpose, (ii) no health or safety standards relating to schools or school transportation are lowered, and (iii) the State Board of Education does not find as a fact that the flexibility is being abused.
The State Board of Education shall report such flexibility with regard to statutes, policies, and regulations granted to projects to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations.
"§ 115C-238.15. Reporting requirements.
Each participating local school administrative unit shall submit an annual report on its activities to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Board of Education."
Sec. 2.  This act is effective upon ratification.