A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to permit national board certified teachers to serve as school leaders.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑296.2 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑296.2.  National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification.
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(b)	Definitions. – As used in this subsection:
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(2)	A "teacher" is a person who:
a.	Either:
1.	Is certified to teach in North Carolina; or
2.	Holds a certificate or license issued by the State Board of Education that meets the professional license requirement for NBPTS certification;
b.	Is a State‑paid employee of a North Carolina public school;
c.	Is paid on the teacher salary schedule; and
d.	Either:
1.	Spends at least seventy percent (70%) of his or her work time in classroom instruction, if the employee is employed as a teacher. Most of the teacher's remaining time shall be spent in one or more of the following: mentoring teachers, doing demonstration lessons for teachers, writing curricula, developing and leading staff development programs for teachers; 
2.	Spends at least seventy percent (70%) of his or her work time in work within the employee's area of certification or licensure, if the employee is employed in an area of NBPTS certification other than direct classroom instruction; or
3.	Is serving as a school leader pursuant to subsection (e1) of this section.
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(e1)	Assignment of Teachers With NBPTS Certification to Serve as School Leaders. – The maximum number of teachers with NBPTS certification that a local board of education may assign to serve as school leaders is the greater of (i) five or (ii) five percent (5%) of the number of teachers it has during the 2004‑2005 school year with NBPTS certification. A teacher may serve as a school leader for up to three years.
A teacher must teach in a classroom for at least two years after receiving NBPTS certification to be eligible for assignment as a school leader. 
A teacher serving as a school leader shall be school‑based, work at one or more schools, and work only at the school level. The teacher shall (i) provide direct support in areas such as professional development, demonstration lessons, support for candidates for NBPTS certification, mentoring, and curriculum development, and (ii) perform other school‑based duties as determined by the principal or principals, after consultation with the teacher."
SECTION 2.  The State Board of Education shall monitor and assess the effectiveness and impact of letting teachers with NBPTS certification serve as school leaders and shall report its findings to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee prior to April 15, 2008.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2005.