A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide that students who demonstrate difficulty with reading development may attend summer reading camps.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑83.3(9) reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑83.3.  Definitions.
The following definitions apply in this Part:
…
(9)	"Summer reading camp" means an additional educational program outside of the instructional calendar provided by the local school administrative unit to any student who does not demonstrate reading proficiency and, as funding and space are available, to any student who demonstrates difficulty with reading development. A parent or guardian of a student who is not demonstrating reading proficiency, or who is demonstrating difficulty with reading development, shall make the final decision regarding the student's summer camp attendance. Summer camps shall (i) be six to eight weeks long, four or five days per week; (ii) include at least three hours of instructional time per day; (iii) be taught by compensated, licensed teachers selected based on demonstrated student outcomes in reading proficiency; (iv) allow volunteer mentors to read with students; and (v) be funded and implemented through public‑private partnerships whenever possible.
…."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑83.8(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Students not demonstrating reading proficiency shall have priority to be enrolled in a summer reading camp provided by the local school administrative unit prior to being retained. Students who demonstrate reading proficiency on an alternative assessment of reading comprehension or student reading portfolio after completing a summer reading camp shall be promoted to the fourth grade. Students who do not demonstrate reading proficiency on these measures after completing a summer reading camp shall be retained under G.S. 115C‑83.7(a) and provided with the instruction listed in subsection (b) of this section during the retained year."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2013‑2014 school year.