GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

S	2 

SENATE BILL 369
Children and Human Resources Committee Substitute Adopted 5/3/95

Short Title:  Educ. Resource Teams/Standards.	(Public)

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Sponsors:

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Referred to:  Appropriations

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March 14, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMISSION ON CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS TO DIRECT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT GUIDELINES TO ESTABLISH RESOURCE TEAMS IN EACH SCHOOL, AND TO DIRECT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO REVIEW AND REVISE CERTAIN RULES GOVERNING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS SO THAT MEASURABLE, HIGH EXPECTATIONS ARE ESTABLISHED FOR THESE CHILDREN AND THEIR PROGRAMS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The State Board of Education shall, by October 1, 1995, adopt guidelines for the establishment in each school of a resource team, from existing resources and as deemed necessary, designed to provide problem-solving assistance to classroom teachers of students who are at risk of school failure because of learning, behavioral, or both learning and behavioral problems.  The guidelines shall:
(1)	Require these teams to focus on prevention and intervention strategies and to be an integral part of the general education program in each school.
(2)	Ensure that these teams perform the intervention strategies within the required 90-day referral program.
(3)	Emphasize a team structure whereby resources and expertise are shared at the school building level and communication between educators and parents is improved.
(4)	Identify technical assistance and staff development that will be provided by the Department of Public Instruction.
(5)	Provide models to demonstrate who should be on a team.  These models should take into consideration other already established building-level teams.
Sec. 2.  The State Board of Education shall encourage high educational expectations for children with special needs and shall develop high expectations for the programs and services provided to these children.  In establishing these expectations, the Board shall, by October 1, 1995:
(1)	Review and revise its current process of monitoring programs for children with special needs to emphasize qualitative indicators and outcomes of special education programs and services for exceptional children.  Appropriate quantitative indicators should be continued.
(2)	Evaluate and revise its current rules governing individualized education programs (IEPs) and group educational programs (GEPs) to ensure that they include anticipated performance levels so that it is possible to measure learning achieved and effectiveness of programs, modifications, or services provided.  Where appropriate, IEPs and GEPs shall be linked to standards, goals, and assessments established for the general student population.
Sec. 3.   The State Board of Education shall report to the Commission on Children with Special Needs and to the Education Oversight Committee by November 1, 1995, on the implementation of this act.
Sec. 4.  This act is effective upon ratification.