GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1024*

Short Title:  Braille Literacy.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senator Odom.
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Referred to:  Children and Human Resources.
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May 4, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE A DETERMINATION OF THE APPROPRIATE READING/WRITING MEDIUM FOR EACH VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENT.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 115C-113 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"( i)	The comprehensive evaluation procedures for a visually impaired student shall include an evaluation to determine the appropriate reading/writing medium for the student.  This assessment shall be administered by a professional certified as a teacher of the visually impaired and shall include consideration of Braille, large print, and regular print. The assessment may lead to the determination that, rather than any one of these media, a combination of any or all is the most appropriate.  The Individualized Education Program Committee shall consider this determination in making its decision and its decision shall be included in the development of the student's Individualized Education Program.  The student and the professionals providing the student's instruction shall have the materials and equipment necessary for the implementation of the Individualized Education Program.
In order to provide students with visual impairments with evaluations regarding their appropriate reading/writing medium, the Governor Morehead School shall establish a resource center to assist the Department of Public Instruction and local school administrative units."
Sec. 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division for the Blind, Department of Human Resources, the sum of seventy-five thousand three hundred sixty-one dollars ($75,361) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred forty-nine thousand one hundred eighty-six dollars ($149,186) for the 1994-95 fiscal year, for the Governor Morehead School's costs in implementing this act.
Sec. 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1993.