GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	3 

HOUSE BILL 917
Committee Substitute Favorable 5/4/95
Third Edition Engrossed 5/10/95

Short Title:  Literacy Restoration Act of 1995.	(Public)

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April 12, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ENACT THE LITERACY RESTORATION ACT OF 1995.
Whereas, English is the official language of the United States of America; and
Whereas, it is a fundamental fact that written English (English Language) is based on the alphabetic principle and is a phonetic language; and
Whereas, the philosophy that learning to read is just like learning to speak is accepted by no responsible linguist, reading psychologist, or cognitive scientist in the research community; and
Whereas, educational research clearly supports systematic phonics instruction as the most effective and efficient way to teach an individual to read; and
Whereas, recent surveys conducted by the United States Department of Education continue to show a serious decline in the ability of elementary and secondary students to read in the United States in general and in North Carolina in particular; and
Whereas, almost all teacher colleges, universities, and public schools teach reading using "whole language" methods or some derivative of "whole language" methods; and
Whereas, the reading competency level required of students graduating from North Carolina high schools is now at only the sixth grade level; and
Whereas, the illiteracy rate for North Carolina stands at 28%; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  This act shall be known as the "Literacy Restoration Act of 1995".
Sec. 2.  G.S. 115C-81(a1) reads as rewritten:
"(a1)	The Basic Education Program shall describe the education program to be offered to every child in the public schools. It shall provide every student in the State equal access to a Basic Education Program.  Instruction shall be offered in the areas of arts, communication skills, physical education and personal health and safety, mathematics, media and computer skills, science, second languages, social studies, and vocational education.  Instruction in the language arts component of communications skills in kindergarten through the third grade shall include as the primary method the use of early and direct intensive systematic phonics.  'Early and direct intensive systematic phonics' is a method of teaching beginners to read, pronounce, and spell words by learning the letter sounds associations of individual letters, letter groups, and especially syllables, as well as the principles governing these associations.
Instruction in vocational and technical education under the Basic Education Program shall be based on factors including:
(1)	The integration of academic and vocational and technical education;
(2)	A sequential course of study leading to both academic and occupational competencies;
(3)	Increased student work skill attainment and job placement;
(4)	Increased linkages, where geographically feasible, between public schools and community colleges, so the public schools can emphasize academic preparation and the community colleges can emphasize specific job training; and
(5)	Instruction and experience, to the extent practicable, in all aspects of the industry the students are prepared to enter."
Sec. 3.  G.S. 115C-296(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	The State Board of Education shall have entire control of certifying all applicants for teaching positions in all public elementary and high schools of North Carolina.  The State Board shall adopt rules for the renewal and extension of all certificates and shall determine and fix the salary for each grade and type of certificate that it authorizes.  The rules shall:
(1)	Require each applicant for an initial certificate or graduate certificate to demonstrate 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.  If the Board specifies the National Teachers Examination for this purpose, the required minimum score shall not be lower than that which the Board required on November 30, 1972.
(2)	Establish certification standards for physical education teachers and for health education teachers that are not lower than the standards in effect on June 1, 1988.
(3)	Effective January 1, 1997, require each applicant for an initial certificate or graduate certificate who may teach reading in the public schools to have completed satisfactorily courses that include specific competencies in early and direct intensive systematic phonics.
(4)	Require all teachers who are certified by December 31, 1996, and who teach reading in the public schools to receive in-service training in early and direct intensive systematic phonics and to pass a competency test that includes the elements of early and direct intensive systematic phonics.  Effective January 1, 1998, the certificates of these teachers who do not successfully complete the in-service training and pass the competency exam shall not be renewed."
Sec. 4.  G.S. 115C-298 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C-298.  Colleges may assist teachers in certification.
Each and every college or university of the State is hereby authorized to aid public school teachers or prospective teachers in securing, raising, or renewing their certificates, in accordance with the rules of the State Board of Education.  The rules of the State Board of Education shall require institutions of higher education to require students who may teach reading in the public schools to complete satisfactorily courses that include specific competencies in early and direct intensive systematic phonics as a prerequisite for Board approval of the institution's teacher education program.  Effective January 1, 1997, no institution of higher education shall recommend for certification any applicant who may teach reading in the public schools who has not completed satisfactorily courses that include specific competencies in early and direct intensive systematic phonics."
Sec. 5.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1995.