A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide for clinical educators to include educators employed at department of defense schools.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑296.11(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	As used in this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1)	Clinical educator. – An individual employed by an elementary or secondary school, including a classroom teacher, who assesses, supports, and develops a student's knowledge, skills, and professional disposition during the clinical experience.
(2)	Internship. – Part of a formal program to provide practical experience and training for beginners in the education profession.
(2a)	Local school administrative unit. – As used in this section, local school administrative unit includes Department of Defense Elementary and Secondary Schools located in North Carolina and established pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 2164.
(3)	Residency. – A specified period of time in which a person is employed by a local school administrative unit to gain practical experience and training in educator preparation."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑296.11(b)(3) reads as rewritten:
"(3)	Educator preparation programs shall ensure clinical educators who supervise students in residencies or internships meet the following requirements:
a.	Be professionally licensed in the field of licensure sought by the student.
b.	Have a minimum of three years of experience in a teaching role.
c.	Meet one of the following:
1.	Have been rated, through formal evaluations, at least at the "accomplished" level as part of the North Carolina Teacher Evaluation System and have met expectations as part of student growth in the field of licensure sought by the student.
2.	For clinical educators employed at Department of Defense Elementary and Secondary Schools located in North Carolina and established pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 2164, have been rated as meeting or exceeding performance standards on all aspects of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) teacher evaluation instrument. The clinical educator shall have met expectations as part of student growth in the field of licensure sought by the student if such student growth measure exists."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2017 fall academic semester.