A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish the legislative task force on education innovation, as recommended by the house study committee on education innovation.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is created the Legislative Task Force on Education Innovation.
SECTION 2.  The Task Force shall consist of 19 members as follows:
(1)	Nine members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate as follows:
a.	Five persons who are members of the Senate at the time of appointment.
b.	A school system superintendent.
c.	A school system principal.
d.	A public school teacher.
e.	A parent of a student who is enrolled in a public school.
(2)	Nine members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives as follows:
a.	Five persons who are members of the House of Representatives at the time of appointment.
b.	A school system superintendent.
c.	A school system principal.
d.	A public school teacher.
e.	A parent of a student who is enrolled in a public school.
(3)	The 2015 North Carolina Teacher of the Year.
SECTION 3.  The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate one Representative as cochair, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall designate one Senator as cochair. Vacancies on the Task Force shall be filled by the same appointing authority that made the initial appointment. A quorum of the Task Force shall be a majority of its members.
SECTION 4.  The Task Force shall study the need to create a permanent entity dedicated to examining innovative practices in education designed to improve student achievement throughout the State. As part of this study, the Task Force shall do the following:
(1)	Examine whether a permanent entity to study education innovation is the appropriate platform for the consideration of emerging innovations in education and for providing recommendations to the General Assembly on the incorporation of innovative practices in the public schools and higher education, including the use of State funds to advance this purpose.
(2)	Examine the appropriate structure for a permanent entity to study education innovation, including membership of the entity, housing of the entity in an agency or in the legislative branch, stakeholder participation in the membership and duties of the entity, and staffing of the entity.
(3)	Gather information from stakeholders in the areas of public schools and higher education on the establishment of a permanent entity to study education innovation.
(4)	Study any other issues the Task Force considers relevant.
SECTION 5.  The Task Force, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4. The Task Force may meet at any time upon the joint call of the cochairs. The Task Force may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building.
With approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional staff to assist the Task Force in its work. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Directors of Legislative Assistants shall assign clerical staff to the Task Force, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the Task Force. The Task Force may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02. If the Task Force hires a consultant, the consultant shall not be a State employee or a person currently under contract with the State to provide services.
All State departments and agencies and local governments and their subdivisions shall furnish the Task Force with any information in their possession or available to them.
SECTION 6.  The Task Force shall submit a final report of the results of its study and its recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the 2017 General Assembly. The Task Force shall terminate on December 31, 2016, or upon the filing of its final report, whichever occurs first.
SECTION 7.  This act is effective when it becomes law.