A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to improve the school PERFORMANCE grade System.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑47(58) reads as rewritten:
"(58)	To Inform the Public About the North Carolina School Report Cards Issued by the State Board of Education. – Each local board of education shall ensure that the report card issued for it by the State Board of Education receives wide distribution to the local press or is otherwise provided to the public. Each local board of education shall ensure that the overall school performance score and grade earned by each school in the local school administrative unit for the current and previous four school years is prominently displayed on the Web site of the local school administrative unit. Any publication of the annual report card shall include an explanation of the method of calculation and compilation of school performance data and associated school performance grades, with a translation of this explanatory information in Spanish. If any school in the local school administrative unit is awarded a grade of D or F, the local board of education shall provide notice of the grade in writing to the parent or guardian of all students enrolled in that school."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑83.15(d) reads as rewritten:
"(d)	Calculation of the School Performance Scores and Grades. – The State Board of Education shall use EVAAS to calculate the school performance score by adding the school achievement score, as provided in subsection (b) of this section, and the school growth score, as provided in subsection (c) of this section, earned by a school. The school achievement score shall account for twenty percent (20%), and the school growth score shall account for eighty percent (80%) of the total sum. If a school has met expected growth and inclusion of the school's growth score reduces the school's performance score and grade, a school may choose to use the school achievement score solely to calculate the performance score and grade. For all schools, the total school performance score shall be converted to a 100‑point scale and used to determine a school performance grade based on the following scale:
(1)	A school performance score of at least 90 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of A.
(2)	A school performance score of at least 80 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of B.
(3)	A school performance score of at least 70 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of C.
(4)	A school performance score of at least 60 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of D.
(5)	A school performance score of less than 60 points is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of F."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 115C‑218.65 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑218.65.  North Carolina School Report Cards.
A charter school shall ensure that the report card issued for it by the State Board of Education receives wide distribution to the local press or is otherwise provided to the public. A charter school shall ensure that the overall school performance score and grade earned by the charter school for the current and previous four school years is prominently displayed on the school Web site. Any publication of the annual report card shall include an explanation of the method of calculation and compilation of school performance data and associated school performance grades, with a translation of this explanatory information in Spanish. If a charter school is awarded a grade of D or F, the charter school shall provide notice of the grade in writing to the parent or guardian of all students enrolled in that school."
SECTION 4.  G.S. 115C‑238.66(11) reads as rewritten:
"(11)	North Carolina School Report Cards. – A regional school shall ensure that the report card issued for it by the State Board of Education receives wide distribution to the local press or is otherwise provided to the public. A regional school shall ensure that the overall school performance score and grade earned by the regional school for the current and previous four school years is prominently displayed on the school Web site. Any publication of the annual report card shall include an explanation of the method of calculation and compilation of school performance data and associated school performance grades, with a translation of this explanatory information in Spanish. If a regional school is awarded a grade of D or F, the regional school shall provide notice of the grade in writing to the parent or guardian of all students enrolled in that school."
SECTION 5.  The State Board of Education shall create a task force within the Department of Public Instruction to study the school performance grading system calculation method and distribution of those grades under G.S. 115C‑83.15. By December 15, 2016, the State Board shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the findings from the study, including recommendations and any legislative proposals for modifications to the school performance grading system.
SECTION 6.(a)  The North Carolina School Performance Improvement Task Force (Task Force) is established to study the impact on schools that are awarded a grade of F for two or more years under the State school performance grading system and the support and interventions necessary for those schools to improve performance.
SECTION 6.(b)  The Task Force shall be composed of 11 members as follows:
(1)	Four members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate as follows:
a.	Two persons who are members of the Senate at the time of appointment.
b.	A local school board member.
c.	A school system superintendent.
(2)	Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives as follows:
a.	Two persons who are members of the House of Representatives at the time of appointment.
b.	A public school teacher.
c.	A principal.
(3)	One member appointed by the Governor.
(4)	The Chairperson of the State Board of Education or designee.
(5)	The Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee.
SECTION 6.(c)  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 6.(d)  The Task Force shall study ways to provide local and State support to help transform a school that receives a grade of F under the State school performance system for two years or more with a focus on best school practices, school leadership, school culture, and support measures for school staff including, but not limited to, professional development, financial resources, paraprofessionals, upgrading school technology, and engaging in public‑private partnerships.
SECTION 6.(e)  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.(f)  The Task Force shall submit a final report of the results of its study and its recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by March 1, 2016. The Task Force shall terminate on March 1, 2016, or upon the filing of its final report, whichever occurs first.
SECTION 7.  This act is effective when it becomes law.