A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to APPROPRIATE funds to support teachers participating in the NORTH CAROLINA new teacher support program.
Whereas, students currently in North Carolina educator preparation programs (EPPs) are being impacted by the extraordinary circumstances due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19); and
Whereas, EPP graduates were unable to complete clinical internships, pedagogy assessments, and other components of their programs prior to entering the workforce; and
Whereas, teacher effectiveness is the most important factor in delivering positive student outcomes; and
Whereas, on‑the‑job learning and comprehensive induction into the teaching profession between their first and second year of teaching is where the most gains in teacher effectiveness are realized; and
Whereas, half of North Carolina's teachers leave the profession after five years, and the personnel costs associated with teacher attrition is $12,500 per teacher; and
Whereas, the North Carolina New Teacher Support Program (NC NTSP), a program of The University of North Carolina System and administratively coordinated by East Carolina University, is a comprehensive induction program providing research‑based curriculum and multiple services to increase teacher effectiveness, enhance skills, and reduce attrition among beginning teachers; and
Whereas, as of March 31, 2020, NC NTSP has sustained induction support, recording over 11,500 supportive contacts with teachers, delivered distanced professional development to partners, and continues to innovate novel ways to support teachers during school closures; and
Whereas, teachers participating in NC NTSP were significantly more likely to return (i) to North Carolina public schools overall, (ii) to the same local school administrative unit, and (iii) to the same school in the following year than other beginning teachers working in similar schools; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of four million dollars ($4,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2020‑2021 fiscal year for the North Carolina New Teacher Support Program (NC NTSP) to enable approximately 1,700 of the traditional pathway NC educator preparation program (EPP) 2020 graduates who will begin their teaching career in North Carolina public schools in 2020 to participate in NC NTSP without cost to local school administrative units.
SECTION 2.  The funds appropriated in Section 1 of this act shall be used in programs designed to address the specific and various needs of traditional pathway NC EPP 2020 graduates who will begin their teaching careers in North Carolina public schools in 2020 through a blended model of support to include:
(1)	Participation in the 2020‑2021 e‑Institute hosted by NC NTSP, a professional conference event for early career educators.
(2)	An assigned instructional coach familiar to the region and local school context to guide improvements in the teachers' proficiency in planning, instruction, and assessment.
(3)	Access and participation in ongoing, career‑embedded professional development to meet their emerging needs with consideration of their professional context.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2020.