A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to make various changes to the education laws.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

part i. revise the governance structure and admissions standards for the north carolina center for the advancement of teaching
SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 115C‑296.5 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑296.5.  North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching; powers and duties of trustees; reporting requirement.
(a)	The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (hereinafter called "NCCAT"), through itself or agencies with which it may contract, shall do the following:
(1)	Provide teachers with opportunities to study advanced topics in the sciences, arts, and humanities and to engage in informed discourse, assisted by able mentors and outstanding leaders from all walks of life.
(2)	Offer opportunities for teachers to engage in scholarly pursuits through a center dedicated exclusively to the advancement of teaching as an art and as a profession.
(b)	Admission to NCCAT opportunities shall be available to all teachers regardless of years of teaching experience.
(c)	NCCAT may provide training and support for beginning teachers to enhance their skills and in support of the State's effort to recruit and retain beginning teachers.
(d)	The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall hold all the powers and duties necessary or appropriate for the effective discharge of the functions of NCCAT, including full authority regarding all aspects of employment and contracts in accordance with State personnel policies and contract procedures. The Board of Trustees of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching shall advise the Superintendent in the exercise of these powers and duties.
(e)	The Executive Director shall report directly to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Executive Director shall submit a copy of the NCCAT annual report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Chair of the State Board of Education at the time of issuance."
SECTION 1.(b)  Section 9.13(a) of S.L. 2009‑451 reads as rewritten:
"SECTION 9.13.(a)  The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) is transferred from the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina to the State Board of Education.
…."

part ii. CONTRACT WITH GOORU FOR PANDEMIC LEARNING LOSS
SECTION 2.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Department of Public Instruction shall use funds provided pursuant to Section 3.5(a)(10) of S.L. 2021‑25, as amended by S.L. 2021‑180, to contract with Gooru, Inc., for a period of up to three years for the software program Gooru Navigator, in response to the COVID‑19 pandemic, to evaluate and improve student learning and performance and to provide students with an individualized roadmap for improving learning and performance.

PART III. NATIONAL STUDENT CLEARINGHOUSE DATA
SECTION 3.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Department of Public Instruction shall use funds provided pursuant to S.L. 2022‑74 to enter into an agreement with the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at North Carolina State University to purchase attainment data from the National Student Clearinghouse and share the data annually with eligible and appropriate sectors, partners, and individuals as requested and approved by the Department.

PART IV. STUDY AND EVALUATION OF SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT SCORES AND METRICS
SECTION 4.(a)  The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall study (i) school achievement, growth, achievement scores, and grades awarded pursuant to G.S. 115C‑83.15 and (ii) school performance indicators for compliance with federal law pursuant to G.S. 115C‑83.16. The Superintendent shall report the results of the study to the House Committee on Education – K‑12, the Senate Committee on Education/Higher Education, and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on or before April 15, 2023. The report shall include the following:
(1)	Any efforts by the Department of Public Instruction to review the statewide model of evaluating school achievement, growth, achievement scores, and grades.
(2)	The results of any research regarding external school accountability systems in states comparable to North Carolina and how those states were determined to be comparable.
SECTION 4.(b)  On or before February 15, 2024, the Department of Public Instruction shall submit a report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on suggested changes to the school evaluation model used in Part 1B of Article 8 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes. The report shall include at least the following:
(1)	Potential indicators to be considered when evaluating schools.
(2)	The impact of potential indicators on school performance metrics and compliance with federal law.
(3)	Recommendations and suggested legislation for the General Assembly to consider if there are changes to the methodology behind awarding scores and grades pursuant to G.S. 115C‑83.15 or performance indicators pursuant to G.S. 115C‑83.16.

part v. effective date
SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law.