A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require a local board of education to verify that any adjunct instructor that the local board contracts with shall not have RECEIVED unsatisfactory performance evaluations from his or her other employers within one year of the contract and to require performance evaluations during the term of the contract to ensure the instructor meets satisfactory PERFORMANCE standards.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑157.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑157.1.  Adjunct CTE instructors.
(a)	Adjunct Hiring Criteria. – The State Board of Education shall develop minimum criteria of relevant education or employment experience to qualify to contract as an adjunct instructor in each career and technical education career cluster. The criteria established by the State Board related to hiring an adjunct instructor shall also include a requirement that the adjunct instructor shall not have received unsatisfactory performance evaluations from any other employers during the year prior to a contract and that the local board of education shall retain documentation of any prior evaluations. The State Board shall make such criteria available to local boards of education.
(b)	Contracting with Adjunct Instructors. – Notwithstanding Article 20 and Part 3 of Article 22 of this Chapter, a local board of education may contract with an individual to serve as an adjunct instructor who meets the adjunct hiring criteria established by the State Board of Education for a specific career and technical education career cluster. The local board of education may contract with an adjunct instructor on an annual or semester basis, subject to the following requirements:
(1)	An adjunct instructor may be employed for no more than 10 hours per week.
(2)	An adjunct instructor shall be subject to a criminal history check, to ensure that the person has not been convicted of any crime listed in G.S. 115C‑332.
(3)	An adjunct instructor shall not be required to hold or apply for licensure as a teacher.
(4)	An adjunct instructor must complete preservice training in all of the following areas prior to beginning instruction:
a.	The identification and education of children with disabilities.
b.	Positive management of student behavior.
c.	Effective communication for defusing and deescalating disruptive or dangerous behavior.
d.	Safe and appropriate use of seclusion and restraint.
(5)	An observation and evaluation of the adjunct instructor shall occur during the term of the contract. The adjunct instructor must meet and maintain satisfactory performance standards as a condition of the contract."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑298.5 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑298.5.  Adjunct K‑12 instructors in core academic subjects.
(a)	Adjunct Hiring Criteria. – The State Board of Education shall develop minimum criteria of relevant education or employment experience for an individual who is currently employed at an institution of higher education as a faculty member to qualify that individual to contract as an adjunct instructor in specific core academic subjects in grades kindergarten through 12. The criteria established by the State Board related to hiring an adjunct instructor shall also include a requirement that the adjunct instructor shall not have received unsatisfactory performance evaluations from any other employers during the year prior to a contract and that the local board of education shall retain documentation of any prior evaluations. The State Board shall make such criteria available to local boards of education.
(b)	Contracting With Adjunct Instructors. – Notwithstanding any provisions in this Article to the contrary and Part 3 of Article 22 of this Chapter, a local board of education may contract with an individual to serve as an adjunct instructor who meets the adjunct hiring criteria established by the State Board of Education for specific core academic subjects. The local board of education may contract with an adjunct instructor on an annual or semester basis, subject to the following requirements:
(1)	An adjunct instructor may be employed for less than 20 hours per week or for less than six full consecutive months of employment. Adjunct instructors may be classified as temporary full‑time or part‑time employees. Based on the status as a temporary public school employee, an adjunct instructor shall not be eligible to earn paid leave, participate in the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System, or receive or purchase health benefits through the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees.
(2)	An adjunct instructor shall be subject to a criminal history check to ensure that the person has not been convicted of any crime listed in G.S. 115C‑332.
(3)	An adjunct instructor shall not be required to hold or apply for licensure as a teacher.
(4)	If an adjunct instructor is not licensed as a teacher, the adjunct instructor shall complete preservice training, which may be offered through an educator preparation program or by a local school administrative unit, in all of the following areas prior to beginning instruction:
a.	The identification and education of children with disabilities.
b.	Positive management of student behavior.
c.	Effective communication for defusing and de‑escalating disruptive or dangerous behavior.
d.	Safe and appropriate use of seclusion and restraint.
(5)	An observation and evaluation of the adjunct instructor shall occur during the term of the contract. The adjunct instructor must meet and maintain satisfactory performance standards as a condition of the contract."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to contracts entered into on or after that date.