A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to amend the teacher certification law to FACILITATE the hiring of teachers.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑296 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑296.  Certification requirements.
(a)	State Board of Education Shall Certify Teachers. – The State Board of Education shall have control of certifying all applicants for teaching positions in all public elementary and high schools of North Carolina, subject to laws enacted by the General Assembly. An applicant must meet the requirements for a highly qualified teacher under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 20 U.S.C. § 6301, et seq., to be certified in North Carolina. The State Board shall prescribe the rules and regulations for the renewal and extension of all certificates and shall determine and fix the salary for each grade and type of certificate that it authorizes.

(a1)	Certification of Beginning In‑State and Out‑of‑State Teachers. – The certification requirements for an initial bachelors degree certificate or masters degree certificate for a beginning teacher who has completed an approved program and who is an in‑State applicant or an applicant from another state shall include the following:
(1)	An applicant for a certificate as an elementary education teacher or a special education teacher shall demonstrate academic and professional preparation by either (i) achieving a prescribed minimum score on a standard examination appropriate and adequate for that purpose or (ii) otherwise meeting the requirements for a highly qualified teacher under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
(2)	An applicant for a certificate in all other areas of certification shall demonstrate academic and professional preparation by either (i) achieving a prescribed minimum score on a standard examination appropriate and adequate for that purpose, (ii) completing an appropriate academic major, graduate degree, or comparable coursework, or (iii) otherwise meeting the requirements for a highly qualified teacher under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
(a2)	Certification of Teachers from Other States with Less Than Three Years of Experience. – A teacher from another state who (i) has less than three years of experience as a full‑time classroom teacher, (ii) is fully certified and highly qualified, as provided in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 in that other state; and (iii) is employed as a teacher by a local school administrative unit in North Carolina, is deemed to have satisfied the academic and professional preparation required to receive initial certification in North Carolina, except as otherwise provided in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The initial certification shall be granted for the period of time necessary for the teacher to acquire three years of full‑time teaching experience in North Carolina and the other state combined, whichever is longer.
(a3)	Certification of In‑State and Out‑of‑State Teachers with at Least Three Years of Experience. – A teacher from North Carolina or another state who (i) has three or more years of experience as a full‑time teacher, (ii) is fully certified and highly qualified as provided in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 in North Carolina or in that other state, and (iii) is employed as a teacher by a local school administrative unit in North Carolina is deemed to have satisfied the academic and professional preparation required to receive continuing certification in North Carolina, except as otherwise provided in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
(a4)	Certification of Visiting International Faculty. – The State Board of Education shall issue an international faculty certificate to an individual on a cultural exchange visa who (i) has a university degree and a teaching certificate in his or her country, (ii) is qualified in his or her home country to teach the subjects he or she will teach, (iii) speaks English proficiently and (iv) meets the definition of highly qualified under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The certificate shall be granted for the period of time during which the teacher holds a cultural exchange visa, not to exceed three consecutive years.
An individual on a cultural exchange visa shall not be eligible to receive any other teacher certificate.
(a5)	Testing Requirements. – An applicant for teacher certification shall not be required to take and pass a standard examination except as required by subsection (a1) of this section or the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
The State Board of Education shall permit an applicant to fulfill any testing requirement before or during the applicant's second year of teaching provided the applicant took the examination at least once during the first year of teaching. The State Board of Education shall make any required standard initial certification exam sufficiently rigorous and raise the prescribed minimum score as necessary to ensure that each applicant has adequate academic and professional preparation to teach.
	The State Board shall adopt policies that establish the minimum scores for any required standard examinations and other measures necessary to assess the qualifications of professional personnel as required under subsection (a1) of this section or the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. For purposes of this subsection, the State Board shall not be subject to Article 2A of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. At least 30 days prior to changing any policy adopted under this subsection, the State Board shall provide written notice to all North Carolina schools of education and to all local boards of education. The written notice shall include the proposed revised policy.
(a6)	Fees for Teacher Certification. – The State Board of Education shall impose the following schedule of fees for teacher certification and administrative changes:
(1)	Application for demographic or administrative changes to a certificate, $30.00.
(2)	Application for a duplicate certificate or for copies of documents in the certification files, $30.00.
(3)	Application for a renewal, extension, addition, upgrade, and variation to a certificate, $55.00.
(4)	Initial application for New, In‑State Approved Program Graduate, $55.00.
(5)	Initial application for certificate for a teacher from another state, $85.00.
(6)	All other applications, $85.00.
The applicant must pay the fee at the time the application is submitted.
(b)	Standards for Teacher and School Administrator Education Programs, Entry into Teacher Education Programs, and Continuing Certification. – It is the policy of the State of North Carolina to maintain the highest quality teacher education programs and school administrator programs in order to enhance the competence of professional personnel certified in North Carolina. To the end that teacher preparation programs are upgraded to reflect a more rigorous course of study, the State Board of Education, as lead agency in coordination and cooperation with the University Board of Governors, the Board of Community Colleges and such other public and private agencies as are necessary, shall continue to refine the several certification requirements, standards for approval of institutions of teacher education, standards for institution‑based innovative and experimental programs, standards for implementing consortium‑based teacher education, and standards for improved efficiencies in the administration of the approved programs. The certification program shall provide for initial certification after completion of preservice training, continuing certification after three years of teaching experience, and certificate renewal every five years thereafter, until the retirement of the teacher. The last certificate renewal received prior to retirement shall remain in effect for five years after retirement.
The State Board of Education, as lead agency in coordination with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina and any other public and private agencies as necessary, shall continue to raise standards for entry into teacher education programs.
The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall evaluate and develop enhanced requirements for continuing certification. The new requirements shall reflect more rigorous standards for continuing certification and to the extent possible shall be aligned with quality professional development programs that reflect State priorities for improving student achievement.

The standards for approval of institutions of teacher education shall require that teacher education programs for students who do not major in special education include demonstrated competencies in the identification and education of children with learning disabilities. The State Board of Education shall incorporate the criteria developed in accordance with G.S. 116‑74.21 for assessing proposals under the School Administrator Training Program into its school administrator program approval standards.
All North Carolina institutions of higher education that offer teacher education programs, masters degree programs in education, or masters degree programs in school administration shall provide performance reports to the State Board of Education. The performance reports shall follow a common format, shall be submitted according to a plan developed by the State Board, and shall include the information required under the plan developed by the State Board.
(b1)	Performance Reports for Teacher and School Administrator Education Programs. – The State Board of Education shall develop a plan to provide a focused review of teacher education programs and the current process of accrediting these programs in order to ensure that the programs produce graduates that are well prepared to teach. The plan shall include the development and implementation of a school of education performance report for each teacher education program in North Carolina. The performance report shall include at least the following elements: (i) quality of students entering the schools of education, including the average grade point average and average score on preprofessional skills tests that assess reading, writing, math and other competencies; (ii) graduation rates; (iii) time‑to‑graduation rates; (iv) average scores of graduates on professional and content area examination for the purpose of certification; (v) percentage of graduates receiving initial certification; (vi) percentage of graduates hired as teachers; (vii) percentage of graduates remaining in teaching for four years; (viii) graduate satisfaction based on a common survey; and (ix) employer satisfaction based on a common survey. The performance reports shall follow a common format. The performance reports shall be submitted annually. The State Board of Education shall develop and implement a plan to reward and sanction approved teacher education programs and masters of education programs and to revoke approval of those programs based on the performance reports and other criteria established by the State Board of Education.
The State Board also shall develop and implement a plan for annual performance reports for all masters degree programs in education and school administration in North Carolina. To the extent it is appropriated, the performance report shall include similar indicators to those developed for the performance report for teacher education programs. The performance reports shall follow a common format.
Both plans for performance reports also shall include a method to provide the annual performance reports to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, the State Board of Education, and the boards of trustees of the independent colleges. The State Board of Education shall review the schools of education performance reports and the performance reports for masters degree programs in education and school administration each year the performance reports are submitted. The State Board shall submit the performance report for the 1999‑2000 school year to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by December 15, 2000. Subsequent performance reports shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on an annual basis by October 1.
(c)	Lateral Entry. – 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 an alternative teaching certificate for no more than three years prior to completing the requirements for lateral entry 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.
(d)	Suspension and Revocation of Certificates. – The State Board shall adopt rules to establish the reasons and procedures for the suspension and revocation of certificates. The State Board shall revoke the certificate of a teacher or school administrator if the State Board receives notification from a local board or the Secretary of Health and Human Services that a teacher or school administrator has received an unsatisfactory or below standard rating under G.S. 115C‑333(d). In addition, the State Board may revoke or refuse to renew a teacher's certificate when:
(1)	The Board identifies the school in which the teacher is employed as low‑performing under G.S. 115C‑105.37 or G.S. 143B‑146.5; and
(2)	The State Board shall automatically revoke the certificate of a teacher or school administrator without the right to a hearing upon receiving verification of the identity of the teacher or school administrator together with a certified copy of a criminal record showing that the teacher or school administrator has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to or has been finally convicted of any of the following crimes: Murder in the first or second degree, G.S. 14‑17; Conspiracy or solicitation to commit murder, G.S. 14‑18.1; Rape or sexual offense as defined in Article 7A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes. Felonious assault with deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflicting serious injury, G.S. 14‑32; Kidnapping, G.S. 14‑39; Abduction of children, G.S. 14‑41; Crime against nature, G.S. 14‑177; Incest, G.S. 14‑178 or G.S. 14‑179; Employing or permitting minor to assist in offense against public morality and decency, G.S. 14‑190.6; Dissemination to minors under the age of 16 years, G.S. 14‑190.7; Dissemination to minors under the age of 13 years, G.S. 14‑190.8; Displaying material harmful to minors, G.S. 14‑190.14; Disseminating harmful material to minors, G.S. 14‑190.15; First degree sexual exploitation of a minor, G.S. 14‑190.16; Second degree sexual exploitation of a minor, G.S. 14‑190.17; Third degree sexual exploitation of a minor, G.S. 14‑190.17A; Promoting prostitution of a minor, G.S. 14‑190.18; Participating in prostitution of a minor, G.S. 14‑190.19; Taking indecent liberties with children, G.S. 14‑202.1; Solicitation of child by computer to commit an unlawful sex act, G.S. 14‑202.3; Taking indecent liberties with a student, G.S. 14‑202.4; Prostitution, G.S. 14‑204; and child abuse under G.S. 14‑318.4. The Board shall mail notice of its intent to act pursuant to this subdivision by certified mail, return receipt requested, directed to the teacher or school administrator at their last known address. The notice shall inform the teacher or school administrator that it will revoke the person's certificate unless the teacher or school administrator notifies the Board in writing within 10 days after receipt of the notice that the defendant identified in the criminal record is not the same person as the teacher or school administrator. If the teacher or school administrator provides this written notice to the Board, the Board shall not revoke the certificate unless it can establish as a fact that the defendant and the teacher or school administrator are the same person.
(3)	In addition, the State Board may revoke or refuse to renew a teacher's certificate when:
a.	The Board identifies the school in which the teacher is employed as low‑performing under G.S. 115C‑105.37 or G.S. 143B‑146.5; and
b.	The assistance team assigned to that school makes the recommendation to revoke or refuse to renew the teacher's certificate for one or more reasons established by the State Board in its rules for certificate suspension or revocation.
The State Board may issue subpoenas for the purpose of obtaining documents or the testimony of witnesses in connection with proceedings to suspend or revoke certificates. In addition, the Board shall have the authority to contract with individuals who are qualified to conduct investigations in order to obtain all information needed to assist the Board in the proper disposition of allegations of misconduct by certificated persons.
(e)	Mentor Program. – The State Board of Education shall develop a mentor program to provide ongoing support for teachers entering the profession. In developing the mentor program, the State Board shall conduct a comprehensive study of the needs of new teachers and how those needs can be met through an orientation and mentor support program. For the purpose of helping local boards to support new teachers, the State Board shall develop and distribute guidelines which address optimum teaching load, extracurricular duties, student assignment, and other working condition considerations. These guidelines shall provide that initially certified teachers not be assigned extracurricular activities unless they request the assignments in writing and that other noninstructional duties of these teachers be minimized. The State Board shall develop and coordinate a mentor teacher training program. The State Board shall develop criteria for selecting excellent, experienced, and qualified teachers to be participants in the mentor teacher training program.
(f)	Masters/Advanced Competencies Certificate. – The State Board of Education, after consultation with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall develop a new category of teacher certificate known as the "Masters/Advanced Competencies" certificate. To receive this certificate, an applicant shall successfully complete a masters degree program that includes rigorous academic preparation in the subject area which the applicant will teach and in the skills and knowledge expected of a master teacher or the applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the State Board that the candidate has acquired the skills and knowledge expected of a master teacher.
Persons who qualify for a "G" certificate prior to September 1, 2000, shall be awarded a "Masters/Advanced Competencies" certificate without meeting additional requirements. On and after September 1, 2000, no additional "G" certificates shall be awarded.
(g)	Provisional Licenses, Temporary Permits, and Emergency Permits. – Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the State Board of Education shall continue to issue provisional licenses, temporary permits, and emergency permits that are valid through June 30, 2006, on the same basis as they were issued prior to the date this act becomes law."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to all persons initially employed as teachers by a local school administrative unit in North Carolina for the 2005‑2006 school year.