A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish the expanding access to advanced placement Courses pilot program and to appropriate funds.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of one hundred twenty thousand dollars ($120,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2020‑2021 fiscal year to establish the Expanding Access to Advanced Placement Courses Pilot Program (Program), as follows:
(1)	No later than March 1, 2020, each local school administrative unit may apply to the Department of Public Instruction for up to two eligible teachers in the unit to receive a one‑time bonus of three thousand dollars ($3,000) each in accordance with this section.
(2)	A teacher is eligible to receive a one‑time bonus of three thousand dollars ($3,000) in accordance with this section if the teacher meets all of the following requirements:
a.	Is not assigned to teach any Advanced Placement course in the 2019‑2020 school year and agrees to teach at least one Advanced Placement course in the unit in the 2020‑2021 school year. A local school administrative unit shall include in its application a verification that any additional Advanced Placement courses taught by an eligible teacher will not affect the unit's ability to provide students with all course content required by law.
b.	Meets one of the following criteria as of the date the local school administrative unit submits its application:
1.	Is employed by a local school administrative unit located, at least in part, in a county designated as a development tier one county pursuant to G.S. 143B‑437.08.
2.	Is employed in a school that received a school performance grade of D or F, as calculated by the State Board of Education pursuant to G.S. 115C‑83.15(d), for the 2018‑2019 school year.
c.	Is employed in a school that offers two or fewer Advanced Placement courses for the 2019‑2020 school year.
(3)	An eligible teacher qualifies to receive the bonus if the teacher (i) was included in the application submitted by the local school administrative unit and (ii) teaches at least one Advanced Placement course in the unit in the 2020‑2021 school year.
(4)	The Department shall award the bonuses to qualifying teachers on a first‑come, first‑served basis from the time the application is submitted by the local school administrative unit.
(5)	Bonuses shall be awarded by the following dates to qualifying teachers employed teaching at least one Advanced Placement course beginning in either of the following semesters, if the teacher was employed in his or her respective unit as of the first day of the month in which the bonus is to be paid:
a.	No later than October 31, 2020, if the teacher's first Advanced Placement course begins in the spring semester.
b.	No later than March 31, 2021, if the teacher's first Advanced Placement course begins in the fall semester.
(6)	Notwithstanding G.S. 135‑1(7a), the bonuses awarded in accordance with this section are not compensation under Article 1 of Chapter 135 of the General Statutes, the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System.
(7)	The bonuses awarded in accordance with this section do not apply to teachers no longer employed as teachers due to resignation, dismissal, reduction in force, death, or retirement or whose last workday is prior to May 1, 2021.
(8)	Funds provided to local school administrative units pursuant to this section shall supplement and not supplant local funds.
SECTION 1.(b)  The State Board of Education shall evaluate the effect of the Program on the post‑secondary readiness and the secondary and post‑secondary academic success of affected students. The State Board shall report the results of its evaluation to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division no later than September 1, 2021. The report shall include, at a minimum, the following information:
(1)	The names of schools where teachers receiving the bonuses were employed in the 2019‑2020 and 2020‑2021 school years.
(2)	The number and names of Advanced Placement courses taught by teachers receiving bonuses under the Program.
(3)	The number of students in each Advanced Placement course taught by a teacher who received a bonus under the Program.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2019.