A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO IMPLEMENT VARIOUS POLICY CHANGES DESIGNED TO CREATE AN EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT GOAL FOR THE STATE; to IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES, INCLUDING REDUCING TIME TO DEGREE AT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; AND to RECOGNIZe THE NEED FOR AND VALUE OF NONDEGREE WORKFORCE CERTIFICATIONS.
Whereas, the State of North Carolina is one of five states in the country that do not have a shared postsecondary attainment goal; and
Whereas, the My Future NC Commission, a statewide group of business, education, and government leaders, recently studied North Carolina's evolving workforce needs and the alignment between future demands and trends in educational attainment; and
Whereas, based on that study, the My Future NC Commission developed an educational attainment goal that will ensure North Carolina remains economically competitive now and into the future; and
Whereas, to make progress towards that goal, the North Carolina higher education community must improve student outcomes, reduce the time to graduation, and create opportunities that meet the needs of today's students; and
Whereas, increasing on‑time graduation rates at institutions of higher education and expanding access to high‑quality workforce training places more graduates into the workforce more quickly, reduces student debt, and increases the supply of skilled workers in North Carolina, making the State more attractive to businesses to start, expand, or relocate; and
Whereas, completing summer courses has a positive effect on retention and graduation rates among both community college and four‑year college students; and
Whereas, postsecondary education includes workforce certifications and industry credentials, allowing citizens, regardless of age, to train or retrain for high‑demand careers that are essential to providing the State's skilled workforce; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Part I. ADOPT THE ATTAINMENT GOAL DEVELOPED BY THE MY FUTURE NC COMMISSION AND SUPPORTED BY THE POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION CREDENTIALS COMMISSION
SECTION 1.1.(a)  State postsecondary attainment goal. – G.S. 116C‑1 through G.S. 116C‑5 are designated as Article 1 of Chapter 116C of the General Statutes, which is entitled "Education Cabinet."
SECTION 1.1.(b)  Chapter 116C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:
"Article 2.
"North Carolina Postsecondary Attainment Goal.
"§ 116C‑10.  North Carolina postsecondary attainment goal.
(a)	Findings. – The General Assembly finds it necessary to set a goal for postsecondary attainment for North Carolina residents to ensure that the State remains economically competitive now and into the future.
(b)	Postsecondary Attainment Goal. – The State shall make significant efforts to increase access to learning and improve the education of more North Carolinians so that, by the year 2030, 2,000,000 residents between the ages of 25 and 44 will have completed a high‑quality credential or postsecondary degree.
(c)	Rights Not Created. – The attainment goal established in this section is not to the exclusion of any other goals and does not confer a right or create a claim for any person."
SECTION 1.2.(a)  Establish Task Force on Postsecondary Attainment. – There is created the Joint Legislative Task Force on Postsecondary Attainment (Task Force).
SECTION 1.2.(b)  The Task Force shall consist of nine members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and nine members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint a cochair of the Task Force from among its membership. These appointments shall be made no later than September 1, 2019.
SECTION 1.2.(c)  In consultation with the Department of Public Instruction, the Community Colleges System Office, and The University of North Carolina System Office, the Task Force shall create an inventory of existing education programs and policies to assess the effectiveness of those programs and policies in order to determine how to facilitate the progress of the State in reaching the postsecondary attainment goal set forth in G.S. 116C‑10. As a part of this study, the Task Force shall consider the work and recommendations of the My Future NC Commission and the Postsecondary Education Credentials Commission and any other issues the Task Force considers relevant.
SECTION 1.2.(d)  The Task Force shall meet upon the call of its cochairs. A quorum of the Task Force is a majority of its members. No action may be taken except by a majority vote at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The Task Force, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4. The Task Force may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services, as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02. If the Task Force hires a consultant, the consultant shall not be a State employee or a person currently under contract with the State to provide services. Members of the Task Force shall receive per diem, subsistence and travel allowance, as provided in G.S. 120‑3.1. The expenses of the Task Force shall be considered expenses incurred for the joint operation of the General Assembly.
SECTION 1.2.(e)  The Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional and clerical staff to assist the Task Force in its work. The Director of Legislative Assistants of the House of Representatives and the Director of Legislative Assistants of the Senate shall assign clerical support to the Task Force.
SECTION 1.2.(f)  Meetings of the Task Force shall begin no later than October 1, 2019. The Task Force shall submit an interim report by March 1, 2020, and a final report by March 1, 2022, on the results of its study, including proposed legislation, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. The Task Force shall terminate on March 1, 2022, or upon the filing of its final report, whichever comes first.
SECTION 1.3.  This part is effective the date this act becomes law.

part II. enhanced student success through affordable education year‑round
SECTION 2.1.  Enrollment funds for summer courses. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to the reserve account in the Office of State Budget and Management for enrollment adjustments for The University of North Carolina the sum of forty‑three million five hundred seventy‑eight thousand two hundred twenty‑three dollars ($43,578,223) in additional recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year to increase graduation rates and reduce time to degree by expanding the number of and enrollment in on‑campus undergraduate summer courses offered on‑campus at constituent institutions. For subsequent fiscal years, the annual enrollment growth request from The University of North Carolina shall reflect incremental changes in the actual credit hours completed in the fall, spring, and summer terms.
SECTION 2.2.  Scholarships for summer courses. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year to allocate to the State Education Assistance Authority (Authority) for the purpose of providing summer scholarships to enable and encourage students enrolled in a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina or a North Carolina community college to enroll in summer courses. The Authority shall give priority in the award of scholarships to students (i) with financial need and (ii) who can use summer courses to earn 30 credits in the academic year or accelerate their path to a degree. The Board of Governors and the President of The University of North Carolina shall establish guidance for the Authority for the award of the scholarships for students enrolled in constituent institutions. The State Board of Community Colleges and the President of the Community College System shall establish guidance for the Authority on the award of the scholarships for students enrolled in community colleges. The Authority shall adopt any necessary rules for administration of the scholarships. The funds appropriated pursuant to this section for each fiscal year shall be provided for scholarships as follows:
(1)	The sum of up to seven million dollars ($7,000,000) in recurring funds shall be used to provide scholarships to students enrolled in constituent institutions.
(2)	The sum of up to three million dollars ($3,000,000) in recurring funds shall be used to provide scholarships to students enrolled in community colleges.
SECTION 2.3.  Section 2.2 of this part applies beginning with the 2020 summer term.

Part III. ENHANCED PATHWAYS FOR North Carolina COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM GRADUATES AND MILITARY PERSONNEL
SECTION 3.1.  Scholarships for community college transfer students. – 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 recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year to allocate to the State Education Assistance Authority (Authority) to establish a scholarship program for students who receive an eligible college transfer associate degree from a North Carolina community college and transfer to a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina within 12 months of receiving the degree. For purposes of the section, an "eligible college transfer associate degree" is a degree covered by an articulation agreement entered into between the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina and the State Board of Community Colleges. Within the funds available pursuant to this section each fiscal year, the Authority shall award eligible students a one‑time scholarship in an amount of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000). The Board of Governors and the President of The University of North Carolina shall establish eligibility criteria for students, including students that participate in co‑admission or dual enrollment programs, or dual admission programs between constituent institutions and community colleges, provided they meet other eligibility requirements. The Authority shall adopt any necessary rules for administration of the scholarships.
SECTION 3.2.  TAC/MCAC career pathways. – For the 2019‑2020 fiscal year, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) in recurring funds and two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) in nonrecurring funds to support the work of the Transfer Advisory Committee (TAC) and the Military Credit Advisory Council (MCAC). The funds shall be used to accelerate efforts of TAC and MCAC to create new pathways programs, engage in site reviews, evaluate additional military occupations and courses for credits, and build a searchable database of military credit equivalencies.
SECTION 3.3.  Open educational resources materials. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year to reduce student textbook costs through the curation and adoption by The University of North Carolina System Office of high‑quality open educational resources materials for the most commonly taught courses across constituent institutions and community colleges. In curating and adopting high‑quality open educational resources materials, The UNC System Office shall give priority to those courses that universally transfer under the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement entered into by the Board of Governors and the State Board of Community Colleges.
SECTION 3.4.  Section 3.1 of this part applies beginning with the 2020‑2021 academic year.

Part IV. Increasing Attainment through workforce training
SECTION 4.1.  Short‑term workforce training parity. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of eleven million five hundred twenty thousand four hundred forty‑nine dollars ($11,520,449) in additional recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year for short‑term workforce training continuing education programs that lead to a State or industry‑recognized credential. These funds shall be used to eliminate the full‑time equivalent (FTE) determination disparity between short‑term workforce training programs and curriculum programs.
SECTION 4.2.  Workforce development online registration. – For the 2019‑2020 fiscal year, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) in recurring funds and the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the purchase of an online registration system for continuing education courses.
SECTION 4.3.(a)  Workforce development multicampus locations. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of five hundred sixty‑six thousand five hundred eighty‑seven dollars ($566,587) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year for the operation of the Forsyth Technical Community College Transportation Technology Center.
SECTION 4.3.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of five hundred sixty‑six thousand five hundred eighty‑seven dollars ($566,587) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year for the operation of the Guilford Technical Community College Aviation Campus.
SECTION 4.3.(c)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of five hundred sixty‑six thousand five hundred eighty‑seven dollars ($566,587) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year for the operation of the Richmond Community College Scotland County Campus.
SECTION 4.3.(d)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of five hundred sixty‑six thousand five hundred eighty‑seven dollars ($566,587) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year for the operation of the Wake Technical Community College Research Triangle Park Campus.

Part V. Modify Career Coach Program
SECTION 5.1.  G.S. 115D‑21.5(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Application for NC Career Coach Program Funding. – The board of trustees of a community college and a local board of education of a local school administrative unit within the service area of the community college jointly may apply for available funds for NC Career Coach Program funding from the State Board of Community Colleges. The State Board of Community Colleges shall establish a process for award of funds as follows:
(1)	Advisory committee. – Establishment of an advisory committee, which shall include representatives from the NC Community College System, the Department of Public Instruction, the Department of Commerce, and at least three representatives of the business community, to review applications and make recommendations for funding awards to the State Board.
(2)	Application submission requirements. – The State Board of Community Colleges shall require at least the following:
a.	Evidence of a signed memorandum of understanding that meets, at a minimum, the requirements of this section.
b.	Evidence that the funding request will be matched  with local funds in accordance with the following:
1.	Matching funds may come from public or private sources.
2.	The match amount shall be determined based on the location of a community college's main campus as follows:
I.	If located in a tier one county as defined in G.S. 143B‑437.08, no local match shall be required.
II.	If located in a tier two county as defined in G.S. 143B‑437.08, one dollar ($1.00) of local funds for every two dollars ($2.00) in State funds shall be required.
III.	If located in a tier three county as defined in G.S. 143B‑437.08, one dollar ($1.00) of local funds for every one dollar ($1.00) in State funds shall be required.
(3)	Awards criteria. – The State Board of Community Colleges shall develop criteria for consideration in determining the award of funds that shall include the following:
a.	Consideration of the workforce needs of business and industry in the region.
b.	Targeting of resources to enhance ongoing economic activity within the community college service area and surrounding counties.
c.	Geographic diversity of awards."
SECTION 5.2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of two million eight hundred thousand dollars ($2,800,000) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year to support the NC Career Coach Program. These funds shall be used to place additional community college career coaches in public high schools.
SECTION 5.3.  This section applies beginning with the 2019‑2020 school year.

Part Vi. Effective date
SECTION 6.  Except as otherwise provided, this act becomes effective July 1, 2019.