A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to modify teacher licensure REQUIREMENTS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

PART I. MODIFICATIONS TO INITIAL PROFESSIONAL LICENSES
SECTION 1.1.  G.S. 115C‑270.15 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑270.15.  Examination requirements for initial professional licenses.
(a)	Examination Score Requirements. – The State Board of Education shall require an applicant for an initial professional license (IPL) 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 shall also achieve a prescribed minimum score on subtests or standard examinations specific to teaching reading and mathematics.
(b)	Establishment of Minimum Scores. – The State Board shall adopt rules that establish the minimum scores for any required standard examinations and other measures necessary to assess the qualifications of professional educators as required 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 any required standard initial professional licensure exam rigorous and 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 fulfill any such examination requirement before or during the third year of the IPL, provided the applicant took the examination at least once during the first year of the license.
(d)	Monitoring Compliance. – For teachers with an IPL, the State Board shall direct the Department of Public Instruction to monitor the teachers' compliance with this section throughout the duration of the IPL. In the event a teacher is not in compliance with any of the requirements of this section, the Department shall notify the teacher.
(e)	Conversion to Continuing Professional License. – The State Board shall not convert an IPL to a continuing professional license for a teacher who has not fulfilled the examination requirements of this section."
SECTION 1.2.  G.S. 115C‑270.20(a) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(4a)	Limited license. – A three‑year nonrenewable license issued to an individual who meets the requirements of this subdivision. A limited license shall only be requested by the local board of education currently employing the individual and shall be used for continued employment only in that local school administrative unit. To receive a limited license, the following requirements shall be met:
a.	The individual was issued an IPL but did not qualify for a CPL under G.S. 115C‑270.15(e).
b.	The local board of education submits to the State Board an affidavit stating that the teacher is an effective teacher and will be encouraged to continue to pursue a CPL. The affidavit shall be signed by both the principal and superintendent for the school to which the teacher is currently assigned."
SECTION 1.3.  Elementary education (K‑6) or special education general curriculum teachers with an initial professional license that is set to expire June 30, 2019, due to the failure to fulfill the licensure examination requirements pursuant to G.S. 115C‑270.15, shall be granted an extension until June 30, 2020.
SECTION 1.4.  The State Board shall comply with G.S. 115C‑270.15(d), as enacted by this act, beginning with applicants for teacher licensure on or after July 1, 2019.

PART II. MODIFICATIONS TO OUT‑OF‑STATE LICENSE APPLICANTS
SECTION 2.1.  G.S. 115C‑270.20(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Teacher Licenses. – The State Board shall adopt rules for the issuance of the following classes of teacher licenses, including required levels of preparation for each classification:
…
(7)	Transitional license or TL. – A three‑year nonrenewable license issued to an individual who holds current teacher licensure in another state that is in good standing. A transitional license shall only be requested by a local board of education. The individual may begin the application process to meet the requirements for a continuing professional license as an out‑of‑state applicant while holding the transitional license. Individuals issued transitional licenses shall not be required to demonstrate preparation through achieving a prescribed minimum score on a standardized examination.
…."
SECTION 2.2.  G.S. 115C‑270.25 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑270.25.  Out‑of‑state license applicants.
Initial applications for a continuing professional license from an individual with an out‑of‑state teacher's license shall require the applicant to provide evidence of that teacher's effectiveness, when available, as measured by the evaluation system used in that applicant's state of current licensure at the time of application, including any growth measures included in that evaluation system. An individual who does not include evidence of that teacher's effectiveness with the initial application shall only be eligible for a TL until the teacher has completed three years of licensed teaching in North Carolina."
SECTION 2.3.  G.S. 115C‑302.1 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(b3)	Pay for Teachers with a Transitional License. – Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a local board of education that employs a teacher who is licensed with a three‑year transitional license pursuant to G.S. 115C‑270.20(a)(7) shall determine experience credit for that teacher for the purposes of paying the teacher with State‑allotted funds in accordance with the State salary schedule for teachers during the first year of the license. Notwithstanding subsection (f) of this section, the local board of education and the teacher shall not be responsible for the repayment of any overpayment of State funds due to misapplication of experience credit for the State salary schedule when the determination of experience credit was done in good faith based on the teacher's prior employment record and the guidelines established by the State Board of Education for awarding experience credit. A teacher paid in accordance with this subsection shall not be entitled to the same pay on the State salary schedule for teachers for subsequent school years after the State Board determines the appropriate experience credit for that teacher."
SECTION 2.4.  G.S. 93B‑15.1(i) reads as rewritten:
"(i)	For the purposes of this section, the State Board of Education shall be considered an occupational licensing board when issuing teacher licenses under Article 17E of Subchapter V of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes. In addition to the provisions for licensure provided by this section, a local board of education may request a three‑year transitional license for a military spouse who holds a current teaching license in another jurisdiction pursuant to G.S. 115C‑270.20(a)(7)."

PART III. MODIFICATIONS TO LIFETIME TEACHING LICENSES
SECTION 3.1.  G.S. 115C‑270.20(a)(4) reads as rewritten:
"(4)	Lifetime license. – A license issued to a teacher after 30 or more years of teaching as a licensed teacher that requires no renewal. For the purposes of this subdivision, a teacher shall be determined to have completed 30 or more years of teaching as a licensed teacher when the teacher holds a current North Carolina teaching license and has completed 30 or more years of creditable service with the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System."
SECTION 3.2.  G.S. 115C‑270.20(a)(6) is repealed.
SECTION 3.3.  G.S. 115C‑270.30(b)(3) is repealed.

PART IV. EMERGENCY RULE‑MAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION 4.  As soon as practicable, and no more than 10 calendar days from the effective date of this act, the State Board of Education shall adopt emergency rules for the implementation of this act in accordance with G.S. 150B‑21.1A. This section does not require any rule making if not otherwise required by law.

PART V. EFFECTIVE DATE
SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law and, except as otherwise provided in this act, applies beginning with applications for teacher licensure submitted on or after the eighteenth day following the effective date of this act.