A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to modify teacher licensure REQUIREMENTS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑270.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑270.1.  Definitions.
As used in this Article, the following definitions shall apply:
(1)	Accredited educator preparation program or accredited EPP. – An entity that is located in the United States and accredited to prepare, train, and recommend students for educator licensure by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
(1a)	Administrator. – An administrator or supervisor who serves in general and program administrator roles, as classified by the State Board. Administrators shall include superintendents, assistant or associate superintendents, principals, assistant principals, or curriculum‑instructional specialists.
(2)	Professional educator. – An administrator, teacher, or student services personnel.
(3)	Recognized educator preparation program or recognized EPP. – As defined in G.S. 115C‑269.1(15).
(4)	Student services personnel. – An individual providing specialized assistance to students, teachers, administrators, or the education program in general, as classified by the State Board. Student services personnel shall include individuals employed in school counseling, school social work, school psychology, audiology, speech‑language pathology, and media coordination.
(5)	Teacher. – An individual whose major responsibility is to either teach or directly supervise teaching, as classified by the State Board."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑270.10 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑270.10.  Licensure fees.
(a)	Fee Schedule. – The State Board of Education shall establish by rule a schedule of fees for professional educator licensure and administrative changes. The fees established under this section shall not exceed the actual cost of providing the service. The schedule may include fees for any of the following services:
(1)	Application for demographic or administrative changes to a license.
(2)	Application for a duplicate license or for copies of documents in the licensure files.
(3)	Application for a renewal, extension, addition, upgrade, reinstatement, and variation to a license.
(4)	Initial application for a new graduate from any accredited or recognized educator preparation program.
(5)	Application for an out‑of‑state applicant.
(6)	All other applications.
An applicant must pay any nonrefundable or nontransferable service fees at the time an application is submitted.
(a1)	Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the State Board of Education shall reimburse the initial application fee for any new graduate from any recognized EPP or accredited educator preparation program the first time an applicant submits an application for teacher licensure, if the applicant has successfully earned an initial professional license in North Carolina. The State Board shall issue the reimbursement to the application fee within 30 days of the date the applicant successfully earns an initial professional license in North Carolina.
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SECTION 3.  G.S. 115C‑270.15 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑270.15.  Examination for initial professional licenses.
(a)	Examination Scores. – The State Board of Education shall permit an applicant for an initial professional license to demonstrate the applicant's academic and professional preparation by achieving a prescribed minimum score on a standard examination appropriate and adequate for that purpose. Elementary education (K‑6) and special education general curriculum teachers may also achieve a prescribed minimum score on subtests or standard examinations specific to teaching reading and mathematics for the purposes of applying for an initial professional license.
(b)	Establishment of Minimum Scores. – The State Board shall adopt rules that establish the minimum scores for standard examinations and other measures necessary to assess the qualifications of professional educators under this section. For purposes of this section, the State Board shall not be subject to Article 2A of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. At least 30 days prior to changing any rule adopted under this section, the State Board shall provide written notice to all recognized educator preparation programs and to all local boards of education. The written notice shall include the proposed revised rule. The State Board of Education shall make standard initial professional licensure exams rigorous and, for applicants applying for licensure based on standard examination scores, raise the prescribed minimum score as necessary to ensure that each applicant has received high‑quality academic and professional preparation to teach effectively.
(c)	Time Line for Completion of Examinations. – The State Board of Education shall permit an applicant to meet minimum scores established under subsection (b) of this section for testing before or during the applicant's third year of teaching."
SECTION 4.  G.S. 115C‑270.20 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑270.20.  Licensure requirements.
(a)	Teacher Licenses. – The State Board shall adopt rules for the issuance of teacher licenses. The rules shall include (i) requirements for out‑of‑state applicants consistent with the provisions of G.S. 115C‑270.25 and (ii) an alternative method of an applicant demonstrating academic and professional preparation if the applicant does not meet minimum scores for standard examinations by submitting one of the following:
(1)	The teacher demonstrates effectiveness by having met or exceeded expected student growth in the teacher's most recent year of teaching, as measured by the teacher's own value‑added data through the Education Value‑Added Assessment System (EVAAS), or an equivalent measure of teacher effectiveness and growth used by the teacher's school or in another state.
(2)	The teacher submits an affidavit signed by the following individuals for the school in which the teacher was most recently employed at the time of application stating the teacher is an effective teacher:
a.	A principal, or an equivalent position as the administrative head of the teacher's school.
b.	A superintendent of a local school administrative unit, or an equivalent position as the administrative head of a school system, or a member of the governing body of the school.
(a1)	Classes of Licenses. – Classes of teacher licenses shall be issued and include required levels of preparation for each classification as follows:
(1)	Continuing professional license or CPL. – Except as otherwise provided in G.S. 115C‑270.25, a five‑year renewable license issued to a teacher who has at least three years of licensed teaching experience and meets other administrative requirements established by the State Board. A CPL shall remain in effect for five years after retirement.
(2)	Emergency license or EL. – A one‑year nonrenewable license issued to an individual who holds a bachelor's degree with coursework relevant to the requested licensure area, but has not successfully completed a recognized or accredited educator preparation program and does not qualify for a residency license. An emergency license shall only be requested by the local board of education, and applicants for emergency licenses shall meet all other requirements established by the State Board, including preservice training, prior to teaching.
(3)	Initial professional license or IPL. – A three‑year nonrenewable license issued to an individual who has successfully completed an accredited educator preparation program or a recognized educator preparation program and meets other administrative requirements established by the State Board.
(4)	Lifetime license. – A license issued to a teacher after 50 or more years of teaching as a licensed teacher that requires no renewal.
(5)	Residency License or RL. – A one‑year license, renewable twice, that meets both of the following requirements:
a.	Is requested by the local board of education and accompanied by a certification of supervision from an accredited or recognized educator preparation program in which the individual is enrolled.
b.	The individual for whom the license is requested meets all of the following requirements:
1.	Holds a bachelor's degree.
2.	Has either completed coursework relevant to the requested licensure area or passed the content area examination relevant to the requested licensure area that has been approved by the State Board.
3.	Is enrolled in a recognized or accredited educator preparation program.
4.	Meets all other requirements established by the State Board, including completing preservice requirements prior to teaching.
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SECTION 5.  G.S. 115C‑270.25 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑270.25.  Out‑of‑state license applicants.
(a)	An applicant with an out‑of‑state teacher's full license in good standing shall be issued a continuing professional license (CPL) immediately by the State Board of Education upon the applicant meeting any administrative requirements established by the State Board.
(b)	An out‑of‑state applicant who successfully completed or is enrolled in an accredited educator preparation program in another state, but has not yet received a full teaching license in another state, shall only be required to meet the same requirements of an applicant who successfully completed or is enrolled in a recognized educator preparation program located in North Carolina."
SECTION 6.  G.S. 93B‑15.1(i) reads as rewritten:
"(i)	The State Board of Education shall be considered an occupational licensing board for all of the provisions of this section, except for the provisions of subsection (b) of this section regarding military spouses who hold a current teaching license from another jurisdiction, when issuing teacher licenses under Article 17E of Subchapter V of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes. For military spouses who hold a current teaching license in another jurisdiction, the provisions of G.S. 115C‑270.25 shall apply when issuing teacher licenses."
SECTION 7.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to applicants for teacher licensure on or after that date.