GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1991

S	1 

SENATE BILL 328

Short Title:  Public Education Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Ward; Conder, Hunt, Martin of Guilford, Royall, and Warren.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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March 28, 1991

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR EXPANSION BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $83,672,308 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $167,344,616 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to fund 3,912 new positions in each year of the biennium in the public schools.  These funds may be used to establish positions for teachers, certified instructional support personnel, and instructional, lab, media, or clerical assistants.
Sec. 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $4,329,740 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $9,091,140 for the 1992-93 fiscal year for further development of end-of-course and end-of-grade tests, development of a test item bank for local school administrative units, providing equipment and support for local school administrative units and their increased role in testing, identifying essential competencies for selected high school courses, and installing a reporting system for the School Improvement and Accountability Act of 1989.
Sec. 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $2,500,000 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $2,500,000 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to provide support for new public school employees, retrain public school employees in the newest technology and in current educational developments, and enhancement of the mentor program for new teachers.
Sec. 4.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $14,548,851 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $34,764,843 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to provide more adequate funding for the programs and services required by exceptional children.
Sec. 5.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $240,504 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $240,504 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to provide funds to operate the revised textbook adoption process.
Sec. 6.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $3,000,000 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $3,000,000 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to be used to increase the State funding level for textbooks from $22.00 per student to $25.00 per student.
Sec. 7.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $2,432,542 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $2,432,542 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to assist local school administrative units with the maintenance of hardware and software associated with the Uniform Education Reporting System.
Sec. 8.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $1,950,000 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $150,000 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to restructure the professional certification system.
Sec. 9.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $475,200 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $522,720 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to provide the opportunity for all students who are enrolled in or have completed Algebra I to take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test.
Sec. 10. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $9,293,980 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $9,379,120 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to provide technologically advanced equipment to assist vocational education students to develop needed skills that reflect the modern workplace.
Sec. 11. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $250,000 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $250,000 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to develop software enhancements to assist local school administrative units in making exceptional children head count reports, health and immunization reports, and elementary school schedules.
Sec. 12.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $147,516 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $147,516 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to provide housing for faculty members, to improve the selection process for students, to provide adequate equipment, and to provide instructional operating expenses.
Sec. 13.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $300,000 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $300,000 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to provide intensive training during the summer to teachers of foreign languages in grades K-12.
Sec. 14.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1991.