AN ACT to implement the recommendation of the house interim committee on providing an appropriate education for students on long‑term suspension to direct the state board of education to develop and recommend a funding formula for alternative learning programs and alternative schools.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  The State Board of Education shall develop and recommend a formula for allotting funds to alternative learning programs and alternative schools based on the number of students (i) suspended from school for more than 10 days or expelled from school and (ii) assigned to an alternative learning program or alternative school.  The Board should consider as a basis for this formula existing funding formulas used for children with disabilities, academically or intellectually gifted children, and students with limited English proficiency.  The State Board of Education shall recommend this formula to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by December 15, 2004.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 28th day of June, 2004.

	s/	 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 Richard T. Morgan
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved 4:09 p.m. this 8th day of July, 2004