Legislature will Return in August to Consider Limited Matters
The General Assembly has adjourned until August 3, when it will return for a brief session. Through a joint resolution, lawmakers have restricted themselves on what items can be considered, including, but not limited to:
- Overrides of the Governor’s vetoes;
- Appointments & nominations to fill positions as required by statute;
- Bills responding to actions related to legal challenges of legislative enactments;
- Bills returned on or after Wednesday, June 28, 2017, to the house in which
the bill originated for concurrence; and,
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Adoption of conference reports for bills which were in conference on or after Wednesday, June 28, 2017, and with conferees appointed by both houses on or after that date. (These are the education bills currently in a conference committee: HB 482 County Comm. Role in School Bldg Acquisition, SB 335 Study/Fair Treatment of College Athletes, and SB 628 Various Changes to the Revenue Laws, SB 582 Agency Technical Corrections.)
For more information on what can be considered during the session beginning August 3, please see the 2017 Adjournment Resolution.
School Performance Grading Scale: 15-Point Scale Continues Through 2018-2019 School Year
The 15-point school performance grading scale will continue through both the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years, based on language in last year’s budget. Even though this language is not included in the new conference budget, it still applies, since the language is not contradicted.
In the 2016-2017 NC Budget bill, SECTION 8.19 reads as follows:
“Notwithstanding G.S. 115C‑83.15(d), for the 2016‑2017 school year, the 2017‑2018 school year, and the 2018‑2019 school year only, for all schools the total school performance score shall be converted to a 100‑point scale and used to determine a school performance grade based on the following scale:
A school performance score of at least 85 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of A.
A school performance score of at least 70 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of B.
A school performance score of at least 55 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of C.
A school performance score of at least 40 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of D.
A school performance score of less than 40 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of F.”
Even though SECTION 7.26.(c) of the 2017-2018 NC Budget bill (on pages 67-68) references the 10-point scale currently in statute, the bill does not contradict the exception described above which allows the 15-point scale to continue through the 2018-2019 school year.
Bills Signed Into Law This Week
HB 21/ SL 2017-95: Driver Instruction/Law Enforcement Stops
This bill requires the Division of Motor Vehicles to include a description of law enforcement traffic stop procedures and appropriate driver actions and interactions with law enforcement officers within its driver license handbook. It would also require Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to include these topics in the driver education curriculum. The Governor signed the bill this week.
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HB 159 extends the time a charter school has to elect to become a participating employer in the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System (TSERS) from one year to two years. The bill was signed into law this week.
This bill changes language establishing an anonymous school safety tip line and mobile app to be implemented by the DPI in consultation with the Department of Public Safety. The bill also changes the deadlines for reports to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee from DPI and the State Board of Education. HB 229 was signed into law this week.
See this link for a complete list of bills impacting K-12 education.
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ONLINE RESOURCES:
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONTACT INFORMATION:
To view previous 2017 Weekly Legislative Updates click here.
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- To subscribe to the Weekly Legislative Update, click here.
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