Bill Summaries: S252 (2017-2018 Session)

Tracking:
  • Summary date: Apr 5 2017 - View summary

    Senate committee substitute makes the following changes to the 1st edition.

    Amends proposed GS 116-209.62, concerning the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program (Program). Modifies subsection (b) to establish the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program Trust Fund (previously, the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Fund). Makes conforming changes. Modifies subsection (c) to permit the State Education Assistance Authority to use up to $600,000 (was, $250,000) from the Trust Fund in each fiscal year for its administrative costs, the salary of the Director of the Program, expenses of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Commission, and providing the Commission with funds to use for the extracurricular enhancement activities of the Program (previously, separately provided for the Commission to use up to $350,000 each fiscal year for the extracurricular enhancement activities of the Program). Amends subsection (d) to require the Director of the Program to report to the UNC President. Modifies the information relating to selected school outcomes by program that the Commission must annually report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, beginning January 1, 2019.

    Amends proposed GS 116-209.63, requiring all forgivable loans to be evidenced by notes made payable to the State Education Assistance Authority that bear interest at a rate not to exceed 10% per year as set by the Authority, and beginning on the first day of September (was, beginning 90 days) after completion of the program leading to teacher licensure, or 90 days after termination of the forgivable loan, whichever is earlier. Amends subsection (b) to provide that if the recipient completes a program leading to teacher licensure, payment of principal and interest begins no later than the first day of September (was, no later than 27 months) after the completion of the program. 

    Deletes the appropriations provisions. Instead, amends GS 115C-472.16(b) to establish that the General Assembly must only appropriate moneys in the NC Education Endowment Fund for the forgivable loans for the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program and administration of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program under Part 3 of Article 23 of GS Chapter 116 (currently, must only appropriate moneys in the NC Education Endowment Fund for teacher compensation that is related directly to improving student academic outcomes in NC public schools).

    Provides that Sections 1 and 2 (which include all provisions of the act except for the proposed changes to GS 116-209.27(a)) of the act become effective only if funds are appropriated in a Current Operations Appropriations Act for the 2017-18 fiscal year to implement the provisions of Sections 1 and 2 of the act.


  • Summary date: Mar 14 2017 - View summary

    Identical to H 339, filed 3/14/17.

    Enacts new Part 3, North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program in Article 23 of GS Chapter 116, which provides as follows. Establishes the 14-member North Carolina Teaching Fellows Commission (Commission) to determine program and forgivable loan recipient selection criteria and selection procedures and select the recipients of forgivable loans under the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program (Program). Requires the Program Director to appoint Commission staff. Requires the UNC Board of Governors (BOG) to appoint seven members to the Commission, the General Assembly to appoint two members, and specifies the remaining five ex officio members. Sets out requirements for terms of office, which are for two years. Sets out provision governing filling vacancies, election of a chair, meeting times, and expenses. Allows a Commission member to abstain from voting on the selection of an educator preparation program of a postsecondary constituent institution of UNC or a private postsecondary institution operating in the state under GS 116-209.62(f) if the member is an officer or employee of the institution or sits as a member of the institution's board of directors.

    Establishes the Program, to be administered by UNC General Administration, in conjunction with the State Education Assistance Authority (Authority) and Commission. States the purpose of the Program as to recruit, prepare, and support students residing in or attending institutions of higher education located in North Carolina for preparation as highly effective STEM or special education teachers in the State's public schools. Requires the Program to be used to provide a forgivable loan to individuals interested in preparing to teach in the public schools of the State in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) or special education licensure areas. Defines public schools as an elementary or secondary school located in North Carolina governed by a local board of education, charter school board of directors, regional school board of directors, or UNC laboratory school board of trustees. Establishes the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program Fund (Fund), administered by the Authority, in conjunction with UNC General Administration, the purpose of which is to provide financial assistance to qualified students for completion of teacher education and licensure programs to fill STEM or special education licensure areas in the public schools of the state. Requires all funds (1) appropriated to, or otherwise received by, the Program for forgivable loans; (2) all funds received as repayment of forgivable loans; and (3) all interest earned on these funds to be placed in the Fund. Allows monies in the Fund to be used only for forgivable loans granted under the Program, Program administrative costs, and extracurricular enhancement activities of the Program. Allows the Authority to use up to $250,000 from the Fund in each fiscal year for its administrative costs, the salary of the Director of the Program, and expenses of the Commission, and allows the Commission to use up to $350,000 each fiscal year for Program extracurricular enhancement activities.

    Requires the UNC Board of Governors to appoint a Director of the Program and establishes the Director's duties. 

    Requires the Commission to adopt standards for awarding forgivable loans, which must include: (1) grade point averages; (2) performance on relevant career and college readiness assessments; (3) experience, accomplishments, and other criteria demonstrating qualities positively correlated with highly effective teachers, including excellent verbal and communication skills; and (4) demonstrated commitment to serve in a STEM or special education licensure area in North Carolina public schools.

    Requires the Authority to administer the Program in cooperation with five institutions of higher education with approved educator preparation programs selected by the Commission that represent both postsecondary constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina and private postsecondary institutions operating in the state. Requires the Commission to adopt standards for selection of the most effective educator preparation programs, including seven specified standards which include: demonstrates high rates of educator effectiveness on value‑added models and teacher evaluations; demonstrates high rates of graduates passing exams required for teacher licensure; and provides early and frequent internship or practical experiences, including the opportunity for participants to perform practicums in diverse school environments.

    Requires that the Program provide forgivable loans to selected students to be used at the five selected institutions for completion of a program leading to teacher licensure, with the loan amounts and duration specified depending on the recipient's educational status.

    Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide the Commission and the Authority with a list of STEM and special education licensure areas as well as the number of available positions in each licensure area relative to the number of current and anticipated teachers in that area of licensure. The Commission must then make the list of STEM and special education licensure areas available to applicants.

    Requires the Commission, upon naming loan recipients, to transfer its decisions to the Authority, which, in coordination with the Director, must perform all necessary administrative functions. 

    Requires the Commission, in coordination with the Authority, to report annually beginning January 1, 2019, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on specified information related to the loans awarded, placement and repayment rates, and selected school outcomes.

    Sets out the terms of the loans and sets out procedures for the receipt and disbursement of funds. Caps the interest rate at 10% per beginning 90 days after completion of the program leading to teacher licensure, or 90 days after termination of the forgivable loan, whichever is earlier. Requires the Authority to forgive the loan and any interest accrued on the loan if, within 10 years after graduation from a program leading to teacher licensure, exclusive of any authorized deferment for extenuating circumstances, the recipient serves as a teacher in a STEM or special education licensure area, for every year the teacher was awarded the forgivable loan, in any combination of the following: (1) one year at a North Carolina public school identified as low‑performing at the time the teacher accepts employment at the school or, if the teacher changes employment during this period, at another school identified as low‑performing or (2) two years at a North Carolina public school not identified as low‑performing. Also requires the Authority to forgive the loan if it is impossible for the recipient to work for up to eight years, within 10 years after completion of the program leading to teacher licensure, at a North Carolina public school because of the death or permanent disability of the recipient. Sets out the repayment schedule.

    Requires initial appointments to the Commission to be made no later than August 15, 2017; sets those initial appointments to expire on July 1, 2019.

    Requires the Commission to establish initial selection criteria for recipients and select the five institutions of higher education with approved educator preparation programs at which a recipient may use a forgivable loan no later than November 15, 2017, and requires that applications be available no later than December 31, 2017.

    Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish the list of STEM and special education licensure areas and provide that information to the Commission and Authority no later than October 1, 2017.

    Requires the Commission to select recipients and award the initial forgivable loans for the 2018‑19 academic year by April 1, 2018.

    Appropriates from the General Fund to the UNC Board of Governors: (1) for 2017‑18 $250,000 in nonrecurring funds to implement the Program, and (2) for 2018‑19, $6 million in recurring funds for the operation of the Program and for the award of forgivable loans to selected recipients beginning with the 2018‑19 academic year.

    Makes conforming changes to GS 116-209.27.

    Effective July 1, 2017.