A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACt to require the DEPARTMENT of public instruction, exceptional children division, to develop as part of its policies and procedures a system of evaluation of the Division's technical assistance and support programs provided to local education agencies and to direct certain AGENCIES TO study the feasibility of local education agencies participating in NC HealthConnex, as recommended by the joint legislative PROGRAM evaluation oversight committee.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  The Department of Public Instruction, Exceptional Children Division, shall incorporate into its policies and procedures a system of evaluation of the Division's technical assistance and support programs provided to the directors of exceptional children programs for local education agencies and other school personnel. As part of its evaluation system, the Division shall include formal methods for soliciting feedback and collecting customer satisfaction data, such as customer satisfaction surveys, on at least the following technical assistance efforts:
(1)	The New Directors' Leadership Institute.
(2)	Annual conferences for school personnel related to exceptional children programs.
(3)	Assistance provided to school personnel by the Department of Public Instruction's regional consultants.
(4)	Regional meetings hosted by regional consultants for exceptional children program directors for local education agencies.
(5)	Webinars provided to exceptional children program directors for local education agencies.
SECTION 1.(b)  By December 15, 2019, the Department of Public Instruction, Exceptional Children Division, shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the incorporation of a system of evaluation into its policies and procedures as required under subsection (a) of this section.
SECTION 2.(a)  The Government Data Analytics Center within the Department of Information Technology, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Public Instruction, shall study the feasibility of local education agencies participating in the North Carolina Health Information Exchange Network (HIE Network), known as NC HealthConnex, as Medicaid providers of health care services to students. The study shall include at least the following:
(1)	Identification of technology gaps that are obstacles to participation of local education agencies in NC HealthConnex.
(2)	Cost estimates for local education agencies to connect and submit data to NC HealthConnex and any availability of federal or State funds to meet connection or submission requirements.
(3)	Whether it is necessary to extend the mandatory deadline for participation of local education agencies in NC HealthConnex consistent with the provisions of G.S. 90‑414.4.
SECTION 2.(b)  By April 15, 2019, the Government Data Analytics Center within the Department of Information Technology shall report on the results of the study required by subsection (a) of this section to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services, the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee, the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Information Technology, and the Fiscal Research Division of the General Assembly.
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.