GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1421*

Short Title:  Teacher Assistant Salary Funds.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Garwood, Dalton, Purcell; and Lucas.

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Referred to:  Appropriations.

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May 28, 1998

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ALLOCATE FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR TEACHER ASSISTANT SALARY INCREASES AND TO MODIFY THE TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR TEACHER ASSISTANTS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The funds appropriated by the 1998 Regular Session of the 1997 General Assembly for salary increases for teacher assistants shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	First priority for the funds shall be to provide a three percent (3%) increase to each teacher assistant employed for the 1998-99 school year who was employed as a teacher assistant for the 1997-98 school year and to implement corresponding  longevity increases for these teacher assistants.
(2)	Second priority shall be to provide a one-time bonus to teacher assistants with at least 30 college credits.  This bonus shall be paid as soon as practicable after data on the level of education of teacher assistants become available.
(3)	The remainder shall be used to otherwise increase the salary of teacher assistants.
The requirement that all teacher assistants be paid at a minimum grade of 54 shall not apply to the extent that it conflicts with the provisions of this section.
Section 2.  G.S. 115C-47(31) reads as rewritten:
"(31)	To Determine Hours of Employment for Teacher Assistants. –  Local boards of education shall determine the hours of employment for teacher assistants. The hours of employment shall not exceed 40 hours per week, including work teacher assistants are required to perform away from school, and shall include at least a 30-minute lunch break."
Section 3.  G.S. 115C-12(16)b. reads as rewritten:
"b.	Salary schedules for the following public school support personnel shall be adopted by the State Board of Education: school finance officer, office support personnel, teacher assistants, maintenance supervisors, custodial personnel, and transportation personnel. The Board shall classify these support positions in terms of uniform pay grades included in the salary schedule of the State Personnel Commission.
		By the end of the third payroll period of the 1995-96 fiscal year, local boards of education shall place State-allotted office support personnel, teacher assistants, and custodial personnel on the salary schedule adopted by the State Board of Education so that the average salary paid is the State-allotted amount for the category. In placing employees on the salary schedule, the local board shall consider the education, training, and experience of each employee. It is the intent of the General Assembly that a local school administrative unit not fail to employ an employee who was employed for the prior school year in order to implement the provisions of this sub-subdivision. A local board of education is in compliance with this sub-subdivision if the average salary paid is at least ninety-five percent (95%) of the State-allotted amount for the category at the end of the third payroll period of the 1995-96 fiscal year, and at least ninety-eight percent (98%) of the State-allotted amount for the category at the end of the third payroll period of each subsequent fiscal year. The Department of Public Instruction shall provide technical assistance to local school administrative units regarding the implementation of this sub-subdivision.
		Beginning with the 1998-99 school year, local boards shall consider years of experience as a teacher or teacher assistant in another local school administrative unit when placing a teacher assistant on the salary schedule."
Section 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1998.