The Week In Review and Looking Into Next Week
Legislation Being Filed and Committees Are Meeting
The 2019 Long Session is underway with legislation being introduced and sent to committees for vetting. Members are currently introducing and filing bills relevant to the issues of their constituents so now is the time to contact your member with any opportunities or pressing concerns. Here is the link to find your member.
Next week the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee is scheduled to meet. Other committee meetings will be scheduled Monday evening and throughout the week. For up-to-date information on next week's legislative happenings, please refer to the Calendar portion of our newsletter.
The State Board of Education had their monthly meeting on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. For detailed information about what was discussed click below!
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Agenda for Wednesday, February 6th
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Agenda for Thursday, February 7th
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Governor Cooper's State of the State Address
Mark Your Calendars for Monday, February 25, 2019- 7:00 p.m.
Governor Cooper will give his biennial address Monday, February 25, at 7 p.m. The speech will be given in front of a joint session of the NCGA in the House Chamber. The address was originally set for Monday, February 18 which coincided with the state Board of Election's hearing regarding the allegations surrounding NC's Ninth Congressional District. On Wednesday night, Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett) stated that the Governor preferred the later date, causing the General Assembly to amend its invite to Cooper.
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EDUCATION COMMITTEE SCHEDULES
*These dates and times are subject to change so please sign up for the committee email alerts and continue to check the NCGA's Legislative Calendar.
Legislative Info and Acronyms
This section includes details pertaining to acronyms and bill information referenced throughout the K-12 Education Legislative Update newsletters.
Biennium- A two-year term of legislative activity
Public Bill- Legislation enacted into law that applies to the public at large
Local Bill- Legislation put into law that has limited application (How many counties)- Local bills do not have to be signed by the governor
Sponsor- The legislator who presents a bill or resolution for consideration
Resolution- A document that expresses the sentiment or intent of the legislature or a chamber. Resolutions, when finalized, go to the Secretary of State
DPI = NC Department of Public Instruction
NCGA = North Carolina General Assembly
LB/LOB = Legislative Building/Legislative Office Building
SBE = North Carolina State Board of Education
HB/SB = House Bill/Senate Bill
SL = Session Law
GS = General Statute
PCS = Proposed Committee Substitute
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Relevant Bills with Action
HB 21: Revise McDowell County Bd of Educ. Districts
This local bill would amend SL from 1887 regarding McDowell County Board of Elections districts. HB 21 makes the existing provisions pertaining to the Board of Elections applicable to the Board of Education in McDowell County. The bill also sets out residency requirements and provides administrative provisions.
HB 24: Ensure Student Safety at School Voting Sites
This bill would authorize local boards of education to allow schools to be used as a voting place upon recommendation by the local board of elections. HB 24 also requires local boards of education to develop safety plans to ensure school safety while school is used as voting place. Finally, the bill amends GS 163A-1046 which allows county boards of elections to demand any school to be used as a voting place/voter registration site.
HB 31: Allow Durham Pub. Schools to Provide Housing
This local bill would allow the Durham Public School Board of Education to enter intro construction, provisional, and maintenance contracts regarding affordable rental housing owned by Durham County. The bill would also authorize the Board of Education to enter into lease agreements regarding residential housing it owns.
SB 28: Restore Master's Pay for Certain Teachers
This bill would repeal parts of SL 2013-360 and SL 2014-100 dealing with the phase out of certain advanced degrees-based salary supplements. The bill specifies certain teachers and support personal able to be paid on the "M" salary schedule and receive a salary supplement for the 2019-20 school year and subsequent years.
Overview: This week, lawmakers began considering a continual request from local school boards regarding school calendar flexibility. Currently, due to tourism industry interests, state law prevents the school year from beginning any earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26. Legislators for many years have filed unsuccessful bills to allow certain school districts to have an earlier start.
Below are this sessions recently filed School Calendar Flexibility bills:
SB 17: School Calendar Flexibility/Certain Systems
Sponsor: McInnis
Counties: Anson, Moore, Richmond, and Scotland
HB 12: School Calendar Flexibility/Alamance County
Sponsors: Riddell; Ross
County: Alamance
HB 13: School Calendar Flexibility/Certain Systems
Sponsors: Howard; Setzer
Counties: Catawba and Davie
HB 23: School Calendar Flexibility/Certain Systems
Sponsor: Corbin
Counties: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, and Macon
HB 25: School Calendar Flexibility/Moore County
Sponsors: McNeill; Boles
County: Moore
HB 26: School Calendar Flexibility/Johnston County
Sponsors: Strickland; White; Bell
County: Johnston
HB 27: School Calendar Flexibility/Certain Systems
Sponsor: Dixon
Counties: Duplin, Onslow
HB 34: School Calendar Flex/Certain School Systems
Sponsors: McNeill; Hurley
County: Randolph
HB 38: School Calendar Flex/Certain School Systems
Sponsor: R. Smith
Counties: Sampson and Wayne
HB 42: School Calendar Flex/Caldwell County
Sponsor: Hall
County: Caldwell
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NC REGIONAL TEACHERS OF THE YEAR NAMED
Nine teachers from across the state have been chosen to be North Carolina’s regional Teachers of the Year for their "dedication, innovation and ability to inspire students to achieve." The selected teacher of the year earns a position on the State Board of Education.
These outstanding educators now compete for the 2019 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year. This year's winner will follow in the footsteps of 2018 Teacher of the Year, Freebird McKinney. Freebird is a history and philosophy teacher at Walter Williams High School in the Alamance-Burlington System.
The 2019 North Carolina Regional Teachers of the Year are:
- Northeast: Damon Walcott, Washington High (Beaufort County Schools);
- Southeast: Christy Howe, Bradley Creek Elementary (New Hanover County Schools);
- North Central: C.R. “Katie” Eddings, Lee County High (Lee County Schools);
- Sandhills: Mariah Morris, West Pine Elementary (Moore County Schools);
- Piedmont-Triad: Shiela Patterson, South Stokes High (Stokes County Schools);
- Southwest: Kate Culbreth, Wolf Meadow Elementary (Cabarrus County Schools);
- Northwest: Laura Brooks, Wilkes Central High (Wilkes County Schools);
- Western: Caesar Campana IV, Hayesville High (Clay County Schools); and
- Charter Schools: Douglas Price, Voyager Academy, (Durham, NC)
The 2019 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year will be announced April 12 during an awards ceremony in Cary, NC. Since 2013, the N.C. DPI has been proud to partner with the Burroughs Wellcome Fund to honor North Carolina teachers.
*Learn more about our program here. Follow us at #NCTOY/POY
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Official State Treat!
Rep. John Torbett (R-Gaston) introduced a bill in the General Assembly (HB 30) Tuesday that would declare ice cream NC's official frozen treat. The bill's process started last October when Gaston County fourth-graders appealed to the Gaston County commissioners. The students, taught by Josie Conner, declared their love of Tony’s Ice Cream in Gastonia, NC. Torbett asserts that ice cream is very important to the NC dairy industry and is "consumed by approximately 90% of the population of the United States..."
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NC Boy Scout Troops to be Honored During Monday's Session
On Monday, the NC House will have a ceremonial session honoring the Boy Scouts of NC. The session will begin at 7 p.m. and will recognize troops in NC that fulfill the Scout mission of "preparing young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law."
For more NC Boy Scout statistics click here.
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DON'T FORGET… State Government Youth Program Deadlines Next Week!
Final Deadline is Wednesday, February 13th
The final date to sign up for NC Youth Government Programs is Wednesday of next week. The programs include the NC Governor, Senate, and House Page programs as well as the three-day interactive youth Legislative Assembly (YLA). These programs are great opportunities for students aged 14-18 to get engaged in government around them.
The links to register for the programs are below, along with many other helpful resources and links!
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2019 Long Session link for bills impacting K-12 education. |
Monday, February 11, 2019
2:00 p.m.: Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee 544 LOB | Audio
7:00 p.m.: Session Convenes (House) House | Audio
7:00 p.m.: Session Convenes (Senate) Senate | Audio
ONLINE RESOURCES:
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONTACT INFORMATION:
To view previous 2019 Weekly Legislative Updates click here.
The NC Department of Public instruction offers a number of topics for subscription.
- To subscribe to the Weekly Legislative Update, click here.
- To subscribe to other NC Department of Public Instruction topics, click here.
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