GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	2 

SENATE BILL 968
Teacher/Higher Education Committee Substitute Adopted 5/5/93

Short Title:  Teacher Academy Plan/Implementation.	(Public)
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Sponsors:
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Referred to: Appropriations.
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April 26, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PLAN FOR AND BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF TEACHER ACADEMIES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. (a) There is created in the Department of Public Instruction the Teacher Academy Task Force.  The Task Force shall consist of 16 members appointed as follows:
(1)	The Superintendent of Public Instruction or the Superintendent's designee, who shall serve as Chair;
(2)	One member of the State Board of Education appointed by the Chair of the State Board;
(3)	One member of the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina appointed by the Chair of the Board of Governors;
(4)	The Director of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching; 
(5)	One Dean of a School of Education appointed by the President of The University of North Carolina;
(6)	Four public school teachers appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom teaches in preschool through grade 2, one of whom teaches in grades 3 through 5, one of whom teaches in grades 6 through 8, and one of whom teaches in grades 9 through 12;
(7)	Four public school teachers appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, one of whom teaches in preschool through grade 2, one of whom teaches in grades 3 through 5, one of whom teaches in grades 6 through 8, and one of whom teaches in grades 9 through 12;
(8)	One superintendent of a local school administrative unit appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(9)	One public school principal appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; and
(10)	The President of the North Carolina Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, or a designee.
(b) The Task Force shall develop for consideration by the General Assembly a plan to establish a statewide network of high-quality, integrated, comprehensive, and sustained professional development for teachers in school committee leadership and the core content areas.  The plan shall integrate fully the resources of the State and local units.
The plan shall address the following:
(1)	Efficient and effective use of existing State, federal, and local resources through an integrated delivery of professional development to teachers.
(2)	Short-range and long-range plans for school-based staff development that address the professional development needs of teachers in site-based decision making, core content areas, and instruction.
(3)	Effective use of the North Carolina Center for Advancement of Teaching facility and staff in the delivery of teacher professional development.
(4)	Training that minimizes the time teachers are away from classroom instruction.
(5)	Development of organizational arrangements and technologies that encourage teacher networking and collaboration, and reduce the isolation of teachers.
(6)	Use of teachers as trainers and identification of candidates for training.
(7)	Effective use of the facilities and staff of The University of North Carolina in the delivery of professional development. Geographical access to program activities should be considered with regard to the use of university facilities.
(8)	Effective use of existing and planned telecommunications and long-distance learning systems for teacher staff development to limit expenditures for travel and associated costs.
(9)	Professional development that meets the unique needs of individual schools and that is sensitive to internal and external pressures, including site-based decision making, revisions to the Standard Course of Study, testing, technology, and other important State initiatives.
(10)	A proposal for the ongoing coordination of the teacher professional development activities and needs of local school administrative units, the Department of Public Instruction, the general administration of The University of North Carolina, NCCAT, private colleges and universities, and teachers.
(11)	A comprehensive needs assessment based on local school-based committee surveys.
(12)	A proposal for training an initial cadre of teacher trainers and how to implement the first phase of training in the summer of 1994.
The Task Force shall consider existing professional development organizations and networks in the development of the plan.  The Task Force shall also work in conjunction with the Teacher Training Task Force in the development of the plan.
(c) The Department of Public Instruction shall provide professional and clerical services to the Task Force. The Department of Public Instruction shall also provide meeting rooms, telephones, office space, equipment, and supplies to the Commission.
(d) Commission members shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances in accordance with G.S. 138-5, 138-6, or 120-3.1, as appropriate.
(e)  The Task Force shall report the plan to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee no later than March 1, 1994.
Sec. 2.  The Department of Public Instruction shall begin implementation of Teacher Academies by developing training modules, training the initial cadre of teacher trainers, contracting with trainers, and selecting universities as sites for Teacher Academies for summer training in 1994.  The Department of Public Instruction shall conduct initial teacher training at multiple sites, starting in the summer of 1994.  In carrying out its responsibilities under this section, the Department of Public Instruction shall consider the work of the Teacher Academy Task Force.
Sec. 3.  This act becomes effective only if the General Assembly appropriates funds to implement the provisions of this act.