A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds for the north Carolina literacy connection program.
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 four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2008‑2009 fiscal year to provide funding for the North Carolina Literacy Connection Program. The North Carolina Literacy Connection Program shall be administered by Project Enlightenment, a division of the Wake County Public Schools.
The Program shall:
(1)	Develop a sustainable, statewide network of preschool early literacy leaders;
(2)	Provide research‑based training and guided‑model classroom observation to preschool early literacy leaders;
(3)	Support administrators in coaching preschool teachers on literacy instruction strategies;
(4)	Work with the More at Four program to provide training and technical support to additional local school administrative units;
(5)	Track and monitor, in cooperation with participants in the 100 counties, the effects of the Program; and
(6)	Report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the effects of the Program by January 1, 2009.
SECTION 2.  Funds appropriated for the North Carolina Literacy Connection Program for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year shall not revert on June 30, 2008, but shall remain available for expenditure until August 31, 2008. Funds appropriated for the 2008‑2009 fiscal year shall not revert on June 30, 2009, but shall remain available for expenditure until August 31, 2009.
SECTION 3.  Section 1 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2008. The remainder of this act becomes effective June 30, 2008.