GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1019

Short Title:  Rigorous Academic Content Standards.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Preston; Adams, Arnold, Black, Bowie, Brawley, Cansler, Capps, Clary, Cunningham, Davis, Dickson, Fitch, Grady, Gulley, Hall, Hiatt, Jarrell, Kinney, McMahan, Moore, Morris, Neely, Nichols, Rayfield, Reynolds, Russell, Sexton, Sherrill, Shubert, Starnes, Wainwright, Warner, Watson, C. Wilson, and G. Wilson.
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Referred to:  Education, if favorable, Appropriations.
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April 21, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO IMPLEMENT RIGOROUS AND FOCUSED CONTENT STANDARDS IN READING, WRITING, MATH, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES, AND TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 115C-12 is amended by adding the following new subdivision to read:
"(9b)	Power to Develop Content Standards. – The Board shall develop a comprehensive plan to revise content standards and the standard course of study in the core academic areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies. The Board shall involve and survey a representative sample of parents, teachers, and the public to help determine academic content standard priorities and usefulness of the content standards.  A full review of available and relevant academic content standards that are rigorous, specific, sequenced, clear, focused, and measurable, whenever possible, shall be a part of the process of the development of content standards.  The content standards developed in the core academic areas shall (i) reflect high expectations for students and quality; (ii) be clearly grounded in the content of each academic area; (iii) be defined grade-by-grade and course-by- course; (iv) be understandable to parents and teachers; (v) be developed in full recognition of the time available to teach the core academic areas at each grade level; and (vi) be measurable, whenever possible, in a reliable, valid, and efficient manner for accountability purposes.
	The Board also shall develop a process to align State programs and support materials with the core academic content standards. Alignment shall include revising textbooks, support materials, State tests, teacher and school administrator preparation, and ongoing professional development programs to be compatible with content standards.  High school course content standards shall include alignment with coursework required for admission to constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina and end-of-course testing.  This alignment shall include a plan to develop and implement end-of-course tests for all courses required for admission to these institutions. The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall work in collaboration with the State Board of Education to insure that teacher and school administrator programs, ongoing professional development and other university activity in the State's public schools align with the State Board's priorities. Support materials for academic content standards, including teacher and parent guides to the content standards, shall be developed and made available to teachers and parents."
Section 2.  The State Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by April 15, 1998, on the implementation of this act, including the Board's comprehensive plan.  The Board, in its report, may recommend any necessary statutory changes.
Section 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Education two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for the 1997-98 fiscal year to implement this act.
Section 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1997.