A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds for communities in schools of north carolina, inc., programs and services and to place no fewer than ONE HUNDRED graduation coaches in either middle or high schools, as recommended by the joint legislative commission on dropout prevention and high school graduation.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of six million twenty‑four thousand ninety‑one dollars ($6,024,091) for the 2008‑2009 fiscal year in recurring funds to support and expand the programs and services of Communities in Schools of North Carolina, Inc., a public and private partnership that addresses the multiple needs of students at the greatest risk of dropping out of schools.  Communities in Schools of North Carolina, Inc., shall use the funds to leverage federal and private grants to support local Communities in Schools programs throughout the State and to place no fewer than 100 graduation coaches in either middle or high schools.  When placing graduation coaches, Communities in Schools of North Carolina, Inc., shall give priority to schools that have a four-year cohort graduation rate of less than sixty-five percent (65%).
The graduation coaches shall:
(1)	Identify and coordinate appropriate academic assistance and support for students at risk of dropping out of school;
(2)	Refer at‑risk students to other school personnel such as counselors, social workers, and nurses who can address problems that might prevent a student from graduating;
(3)	Recruit mentors and tutors from the local community to work with at‑risk students to help keep them on track to graduate;
(4)	Initiate contact with parents and guardians of at‑risk students, provide regular updates of the student's academic progress, and encourage parental involvement in student academic endeavors;
(5)	Provide information to at‑risk students and their parents or guardians about graduation requirements, support services to help students not performing at grade level, advanced and honors courses, opportunities for higher education, and worker training after graduation; and
(6)	Refer students requiring services relating to substance abuse, domestic violence, family planning, or mental health to appropriate providers where medically accurate information will be provided and appropriate services are available.
SECTION 2.  Communities in Schools of North Carolina, Inc., shall report on the activities of the graduation coaches to the Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by October 15, 2009, and annually thereafter.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2008.