AN ACT permitting the community college system to provide coursework to persons entering the teaching profession by lateral entry, and to reduce from five years to three years the length of a provisional teaching certificate issued to a lateral entry teacher.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑296(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	It is the policy of the State of North Carolina to encourage lateral entry into the profession of teaching by skilled individuals from the private sector. To this end, before the 1985‑86 school year begins, the State Board of Education shall develop criteria and procedures to accomplish the employment of such individuals as classroom teachers. Skilled individuals who choose to enter the profession of teaching laterally may be granted a provisional teaching certificate for no more than three years and shall be required to obtain certification before contracting for a fourth year of service with any local administrative unit in this State.
It is further the policy of the State of North Carolina to ensure that local boards of education can provide the strongest possible leadership for schools based upon the identified and changing needs of individual schools. To this end, before the 1994‑95 school year begins, the State Board of Education shall carefully consider a lateral entry program for school administrators to ensure that local boards of education will have sufficient flexibility to attract able candidates."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑296(c), as amended by Section 1 of this act, reads as rewritten:
"(c)	It is the policy of the State of North Carolina to encourage lateral entry into the profession of teaching by skilled individuals from the private sector. To this end, before the 1985‑86 school year begins, the State Board of Education shall develop criteria and procedures to accomplish the employment of such individuals as classroom teachers. Skilled individuals who choose to enter the profession of teaching laterally may be granted a provisional teaching certificate for no more than three years and shall be required to obtain certification before contracting for a fourth year of service with any local administrative unit in this State.
(c1)	The State Board of Community Colleges may provide a program of study for lateral entry teachers to complete the coursework necessary to earn a teaching certificate. To this end, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Board of Community Colleges, shall establish a competency‑based program of study for lateral entry teachers to be implemented within the Community College System no later than May 1, 2006. This program must meet standards set by the State Board of Education.The State Board of Community Colleges and the State Board of Education shall jointly identify the community college courses and the teacher education program courses that are necessary and appropriate for inclusion in the community college program of study for lateral entry teachers. To the extent possible, any courses that must be completed through an approved teacher education program shall be taught on a community college campus or shall be available through distance learning.
In order to participate in the community college program of study for lateral entry teachers, an individual must:
(1)	Hold at least a bachelors degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education;(2)	Have completed the bachelors degree at least five years before undertaking the program of study under this subsection; and
(3)	Hold a lateral entry teaching certificate and be employed as a teacher in a local school administrative unit.
An individual who successfully completes this program of study and meets all other requirements of certification set by the State Board of Education shall be recommended for a North Carolina teaching certificate.
(c2)	It is further the policy of the State of North Carolina to ensure that local boards of education can provide the strongest possible leadership for schools based upon the identified and changing needs of individual schools. To this end, before the 1994‑95 school year begins, the State Board of Education shall carefully consider a lateral entry program for school administrators to ensure that local boards of education will have sufficient flexibility to attract able candidates."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 115D‑5 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(p)	The North Carolina Community College System may offer courses, in accordance with the lateral entry program of study established under G.S. 115C‑296(c1), to individuals who choose to enter the teaching profession by lateral entry."
SECTION 4.  The State Board of Education and the State Board of Community Colleges shall submit annually to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee a report on the community college program of study for lateral entry teachers established under this act. The initial report is due no later than April 1, 2006.  The final report, due no later than April 1, 2011, must include recommendations as to whether this program should continue and, if so, must include the reasons for its continuation and any recommended legislative changes needed to enhance the program.
SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law.  Section 1 of this act applies to provisional teaching certificates issued on or after that date.  Sections 2, 3, and 4 of this act expire July 1, 2011.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 11th day of July, 2005.

	s/	 Marc Basnight
	 President Pro Tempore of the Senate

	s/	 James B. Black
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved 11:16 a.m. this 19th day of July, 2005