A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish career prep adult high schools at community colleges.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Chapter 115D of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115D‑4.2.  Career prep adult high schools.
(a)	The General Assembly finds that over one million North Carolinians above the age of 18 do not have a high school diploma. To be globally competitive, North Carolina must provide resources and opportunities for these adult workers to improve their education level to be qualified for the jobs of today and tomorrow. The educational opportunities currently offered by community colleges are not effectively reaching a high percentage of our workers that lack a high school diploma. Many of our workers need flexible scheduling to accommodate their work schedules; on‑site drop‑in day care services for those taking care of young children; individualized plans and intensive coaching; a curriculum designed for rapid progression; and other assistance that a community college may not be able to offer within currently available resources. These services may, however, be successfully provided at a career prep adult high school.
(b)	The State Board of Community Colleges may authorize a community college to contract with a nonprofit to operate a career prep adult high school. The purpose of the career prep adult high school is to provide adults the opportunity and support to earn a high school diploma and begin postsecondary education, while developing career paths in sectors of the local economy that offer better than average employment and growth opportunities. The college shall contract with a nonprofit to provide these services, but instructional personnel may be employees of the community college. If the career prep adult high school requires State funds for its operation, State Board approval shall be subject to appropriation of funds by the General Assembly for this purpose.
(c)	The State Board of Community Colleges shall adopt standards and guidelines for the operation of career prep adult high schools including the following:
(1)	Student eligibility and selection.
(2)	Curriculum.
(3)	High school graduation requirements.
(4)	Intensive student support services provided to the students."
SECTION 2.(a)  Forsyth Technical Community College and Central Piedmont Community College are authorized to contract with nonprofits for the operation of career prep adult high schools for the 2013‑2014 fiscal year.
SECTION 2.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of four million dollars ($4,000,000) for the 2014‑2015 fiscal year. Of these funds, two million dollars ($2,000,000) shall be distributed to Forsyth Technical Community College, and two million dollars ($2,000,000) shall be distributed to Central Piedmont Community College and used to implement the provisions of this act.
It is the intent of the General Assembly to appropriate four million dollars ($4,000,000) on a nonrecurring basis for this purpose for the 2015‑2016 fiscal year and for the 2016‑2017 fiscal year. If this initiative is successful, it is the intent of the General Assembly to incorporate funding for career prep adult high schools into the funding methodology for community colleges.
SECTION 2.(c)  Instruction provided by Forsyth Technical Community College and Central Piedmont Community College for an approved career prep adult high school shall not earn regular budget FTE so long as the college receives a direct appropriation for this purpose.
SECTION 3.  Forsyth Technical Community College and Central Piedmont Community College shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on September 1, 2015, and September 1, 2016, on the performance of students in the career prep adult high schools. The report shall include data on the academic performance of students, the graduation rate, changes in student income, and job placements after graduation.
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.