A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds to study an innovative graduation initiative.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 2008‑2009 fiscal year. The State Board of Education shall use these funds to study existing programs and efforts to provide evening classes for students to complete their high school graduation requirements and to develop options to expand these programs.
SECTION 1.(b)  In the course of the study, the State Board of Education shall consider:
(1)	Current evening high school programs in local school administrative units across the State;
(2)	Best practices for evening high schools;
(3)	Community interest in these programs;
(4)	The cost of implementing evening high schools;
(5)	Appropriate program standards;
(6)	The impact of virtual high school courses on evening high schools;
(7)	Staffing and facility requirements for evening high school programs;
(8)	The number of programs that are needed; and
(9)	Any other factors deemed relevant for implementing night school programs for at‑risk students and high school dropouts.
SECTION 1.(c)  The State Board of Education shall report the results of this study to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by November 30, 2008.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2008.