The Week In Review and Looking Forward into Next Week
 Budget Priorities Unveiled
Each year, the Governor receives input from agencies across the state that is then considered for inclusion in the Governor’s budget proposed to the General Assembly. The State Board of Education was requested to send forward a 2% expansion budget earlier this year, in which they highlighted a number of priority needs for K-12 education. Their focus centered around resources needed for effective educators and school leadership, educational equity for all students, school support personnel, low-performing school support, data-driven decision making and aligned resources.
On Wednesday of this week, Governor Cooper revealed his 2019-2021 biennium budget priorities to the General Assembly. The NC Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) staff will focus on the education section of the Governor's budget to the NCGA on Tuesday, March 12 at the House and Senate: Appropriations, Education (Joint) Committee. Superintendent Johnson also announced his proposed budget recommendations this week.
Although many priorities can be highlighted, the key to a successful budget is finding the perfect balance between funding availability and competing needs across the state. The Appropriations, Education (Joint) committee members have invited State Board Chair Eric Davis and Superintendent Johnson to present their responses to the Governor’s budget on Thursday of next week. In the coming weeks, the House will first file their version of the budget and the Senate’s budget will then follow. From there, they will work to find a compromise budget that would then go to the Governor for his consideration.
While proposed budgets were the high profile topic this week, the State Board of Education also held their March meeting, during which they discussed and voted on a number of items. One matter of particular interest involved the math test requirement for Elementary Education. At the recommendation of the Professional Educator Preparation Standards Commission (PEPSC), the SBE approved adding the Praxis CKT (7803) and keeping the Pearson math test (203), both as options to fulfill the math subtest exam requirement for Elementary Education and EC-GC licenses. For a copy of the full SBE meeting agenda and materials, click here. Click here for a list of SBE March 2019 Actions.
Budget - Education Highlights
On Thursday, March 7, NC Office of State Budget Management Director, Charles Perusse, outlined the Governor's proposed 2019-2021 budget to the Joint House and Senate Appropriations/Base Budget Committee.
During his presentation, Perusse highlighted the Governor's plan on investing in statewide education.
- Recognizing Teachers and School-based Administrators
- Make North Carolina a Top 10 Educated State by 2025
- Raising Teacher Pay to Best in the Southeast
- Safer Schools, Healthier Students
- Recruiting and Keeping Good Teachers
- Giving Students the Tools to Learn
- Opportunities for Our Brightest Students
- Preparing North Carolinians for the Jobs of Today and Tomorrow
- Expanding Finish Line Grants
- Helping Students Complete Their Degrees on Time
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March Board of Education Meeting
During this week's NC State Board of Education meeting, Cecilia Holden, Director of Government and Community Relations, presented her legislative update to the board.
The meeting agendas can be accessed at the links below.
For a list of the K-12 public education districts, click here and for a list of State Board members for each district, click here.
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Relevant Bills with Action
Bills Heard in the Senate/House Chamber or in a Committee This Week:
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HB 30: Official State Frozen Treat - Passed the House - Referred to Senate Rules 3/7/19
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HB 57: Create Term for Public Schs. & Codify NCVPS - Passed the House - Referred to Senate Rules 3/7/19
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HB 73: Civic Responsibility Education - Passed the House - Referred to Senate Rules 3/7/19
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HB 75: School Mental Health Screening Study - Passed the House - Referred to Senate Rules 3/7/19
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HB 76: School Safety Omnibus - Passed the House, sent to the Senate 3/8/19
See the 2019 Long Session link for bills impacting K-12 education for a list of all the legislation impacting K-12 public education and where they are in the legislative process.
Bills Filed/Assigned to Committees This Week: March 4 - 7
House Bills (Excluding School Calendar Flexibility Bills)
- HB 263: Fill Vacancies/Modify 2018 Appointments
- HB 266: School Annual Report Card
- HB 275 (Companion is SB 189): CTE Pilot for Guilford Co. Schools
- HB 276: Modify Low-Performing School Definitions
- HB 288: First Aid and Safety Training in Schools
- HB 294: Partisan Elections Act
- HB 295: Prohibit Corporal Punishment in Public Schs.
- HB 298: Restore Lottery Revenue Distrib. Structure
- HB 313: Modify Weighting/School Performance Grades
Senate Bills (Excluding School Calendar Flexibility Bills)
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SB 175: Funds/Eliminate NC Pre-K Waitlist Statewide
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SB 176 (Companion is HB 249): School Annual Report Card
- SB 182: Innovation Early College HS/Funds
- SB 189 (Companion is HB 275): CTE Pilot for Guilford Co. Schools
- SB 192: School Security Act of 2019
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SB 195: A Time for Science Funds
- SB 203: Ethics Training for School Employees
Overview: This week, lawmakers only filed 2 school calendar flexibility bills. However that brings the total number of SCF bills to 52 this session with two public bills (HB 179 and HB 117) to be heard next week in the House: Education - K-12 committee. The majority of North Carolina school districts support these bills returning school calendar control back to local school boards.
Under current state law, North Carolina school districts are prohibited from starting the school year earlier than the Monday closest to August 26 and ending it later than the Friday closest to June 11.
School Calendar Flexibility bills filed this week:
HB 261: School Calendar Flex/Roanoke Rapids/Halifax
Sponsor: Wray
County: Halifax
HB 304: School Calendar Flex/Certain School Systems
Sponsors: Blackwell; Rogers
Counties: Burke, Rutherford
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School Safety Bills
Three school safety bills, HB 73, HB 75 and HB 76, passed the House this week, with two of the bills already assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.
HB 73: Civic Responsibility Education
HB 75: School Mental Health Screening Study
HB 76: School Safety Omnibus This bill would expand upon actions that are required to be taken when a student is determined to pose a high/eminent risk of violence or physical harm to others and an assessment requires that the student be referred for mental health service. An amendment to this bill now requires that on-scene training and racial equity education continue for school resource officers.
SB 192: School Security Act of 2019
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March Proclaimed "Arts in Our Schools Month"
March has been designated “Dance in Our Schools Month,” “Music in our Schools Month,” “Theatre in Our Schools Month,” and “Youth Art Month."
As Arts Education in North Carolina Schools includes these four categories (Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual) the NC State Board of Education and Superintendent jointly issued a statement proclaiming March Arts in Our Schools Month and urging all citizens to celebrate and acknowledge art not just in March, but every day. The proclamation is linked HERE for you to share within your districts and on social media.
*HB 56 Arts Education Requirement is scheduled to be heard in the House: Education - K-12 committee next Tuesday. This bill would require the SBE to require one arts credit as a mandatory requirement prior to high school graduation.
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On the Horizon: New State Treat and Televised House Sessions
We May Soon Have an Official State Treat
The House voted unanimously on Wednesday in favor of making ice cream the official state frozen treat (HB 30). The idea was proposed by a Gaston County fourth-grade class and has been spearheaded by House member John Torbett (R). According to statistics outlined in the bill, nine out of ten Americans eat ice cream. The bill will now be sent to the Senate for passage.
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House Votes to Televise Sessions
The House overwhelmingly voted in favor of a measure that would provide for every House session to be televised live on the NCGA website. HB 218 Broadcast NC House of Reps Sessions establishes a study committee to discuss creating a specific channel with UNC-TV. The bill sponsors believe it would cost around $300,000 to obtain the equipment necessary to broadcast daily sessions live as well as a potential UNC-TV channel.
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Bills to be Heard in Committee Next Week (Week of March 11):
House: Rules on Monday, March 11 at 3:00 p.m. Room 1228/1327 LB | Audio
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HB 241: Education Bond Act of 2019
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HB 263: Fill Vacancies/Modify 2018 Appointments
House: Education - Universities on Tuesday, March 12 at 11:00 a.m. Room 421 LOB
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HB 128: High Achieving Tuition Scholarships
House: Education - K-12 on Tuesday, March 12 at 1:00 p.m. Room 425 LOB
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HB 56: Arts Education Requirement
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HB 79: Academic Alignment/Boards of Education & CC
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HB 117: School Calendar Flexibility Pilot Program
The NCGA Calendar is at the bottom of the update.
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2019 Long Session link for bills impacting K-12 education. |
Monday, March 11, 2019
1:00 p.m.: Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee 544 LOB | Audio
2:00 p.m.: Session Convenes (Senate) Senate | Audio
3:00 p.m.: House: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House 1228/1327 LB | Audio
H241: Education Bond Act of 2019
H263: Fill Vacancies/Modify 2018 Appointments
7:00 p.m.: Session Convenes (House) House | Audio
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
8:30 a.m.: House and Senate: Appropriations, Education (Joint) 423 LOB
NC Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) staff
- Present the Governor's Education Budget
8:30 a.m.: House and Senate: Appropriations, Gen. Gov. & IT (Joint) 425 LOB
11:00 a.m.: House: Education - Universities 421 LOB
H128: High Achieving Tuition Scholarships
1:00 p.m.: House: Education - K-12 643 LOB | Audio
H56: Arts Education Requirement.
H79: Academic Alignment/Boards of Education & CC.
H117: School Calendar Flexibility Pilot Program.
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
8:30 a.m.: House and Senate: Appropriations, Education (Joint) 423 LOB
Agency responses to the Governor's Budget: NC Community College System,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC Independent Colleges and Universities
Thursday, March 14, 2019
8:30 a.m.: House and Senate: Appropriations, Education (Joint) 423 LOB
Agency responses to the Governor's Budget: Department of Public Instruction (DPI)
and the State Board of Education (SBE)
Friday, March 15, 2019
10:00 a.m.: North Carolina Child Well-Being Transformation Council 544 LOB | Audio
ONLINE RESOURCES:
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
Glossary of Legislative Terms- LINK
DPI = NC Department of Public Instruction
LEA = Local Education Agency
NCGA = North Carolina General Assembly
LB/LOB = Legislative Building/Legislative Office Building
SBE = North Carolina State Board of Education
AB = Agency Bill
HB/SB = House Bill/Senate Bill
JR = Joint Resolution
SL = Session Law
GS = General Statute
PCS = Proposed Committee Substitute
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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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